WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, IBM (NYSE: IBM) scientists unveiled several exploratory research breakthroughs that could lead to major advancements in delivering dramatically smaller, faster and more powerful computer chips.

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For more than 50 years, computer processors have increased in power and shrunk in size at a tremendous rate. However, today's chip designers are hitting physical limitations with Moore's Law, halting the pace of product innovation from scaling alone.

With virtually all electronic equipment today built on complementary-symmetry metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, there is an urgent need for new materials and circuit architecture designs compatible with this engineering process as the technology industry nears physical scalability limits of the silicon transistor.

Following years of key physics advances previously only achieved in a laboratory, IBM scientists successfully integrated the development and application of new materials and logic architectures on 200mm (eight inch) diameter wafers. These breakthroughs could potentially provide a new technological basis for the convergence of computing, communication, and consumer electronics.

Racetrack Memory

    --  This breakthrough could lead to a new type of data-centric computing
        that allows massive amounts of stored information to be accessed in less
        than a billionth of a second.
    --  The researchers demonstrated both read and write functionality on an
        array of 256 in-plane, magnetized horizontal racetracks. This
        development lays the foundation for further improving Racetrack memory's
        density and reliability using perpendicular magnetized racetracks and
        three-dimensional architectures.
    --  Proving this type of memory is feasible, today IBM researchers are
        detailing the first Racetrack memory device integrated with CMOS
        technology on 200mm wafers, culminating seven years of physics research.
    --  Racetrack memory combines the benefits of magnetic hard drives and
        solid-state memory to overcome challenges of growing memory demands and
        shrinking devices.

Graphene

    --  New architecture flips the current graphene transistor structure on its
        head. Instead of trying to deposit gate dielectric on an inert graphene
        surface, the researchers developed a novel embedded gate structure that
        enables high device yield on a 200mm wafer.
    --  The graphene integrated circuit, a frequency multiplier, is operational
        up to 5 GHz and stable up to 200 degrees Celcius. While detailed thermal
        stability still needs to be evaluated, these results are promising for
        graphene circuits to be used in high temperature environments.
    --  This first-ever CMOS-compatible graphene device can advance wireless
        communications, and enable new, high frequency devices, which can
        operate under adverse temperature and radiation conditions in areas such
        as security and medical applications.

Carbon Nanotubes

    --  While often associated with improving switching speed (on-state), this
        breakthrough demonstrates for the first time that carbon nanotubes can
        provide excellent off-state behavior in extremely scaled devices--
        better than what some theoretical estimates of tunneling current
        suggested.
    --  While already being considered in varied applications ranging from solar
        cells to displays, it is expected that computers with in the next decade
        will use transistors with a channel length below 10 nm, a length scale
        at which conventional silicon technology will have extreme difficulty
        performing even with new advanced device architectures. The scaled
        carbon nanotube devices below 10nm gate length are a significant
        breakthrough for future applications in computing technology.
    --  IBM researchers today demonstrated the first transistor with sub-10 nm
        channel lengths, outperforming the best competing silicon-based devices
        at these length scales.

IBM and Nanotechnology Leadership

"Throughout its history, IBM's continued investment in scientific research to identify new materials and processes has not only extended current technologies but is providing a sustainable technology foundation for tomorrow," said T.C. Chen, vice president, Science and Technology, IBM Research. "Today's breakthroughs challenge the status quo by exploring the boundaries of science and transforming that knowledge into information technology systems that could advance the power and capability of businesses worldwide."

Media ContactKelly SimsIBM Communications408-927-1261kelly.sims@us.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM