Cascading molecules drive IBM's smallest computer

[Adul]

http://www.eetimes.com/at/news/OEG20021024S0047

IBM researchers have created a simple computation engine that's more than 250,000 times smaller than the most advanced silicon circuitry. Called the world's smallest computer, the system relies on a "molecular cascade" that pushes a handful of carbon monoxide molecules across a copper surface to perform digital logic functions.

"Our molecular cascades are still research, but their small size is literally generations smaller than today's silicon circuitry," said Andreas Heinrich, a physicist at IBM's Almaden Research Center here. "Our 3-input sorter implemented in next-generation CMOS technology requires an area of over 50 square microns, but our molecular cascade implementation uses just 200 square nanometers. Even if CMOS density follows Moore's Law for 40 more years, molecular cascades are still going to be smaller."


Cool

 

[Howard]

IBM is the man.

 

[SuperTool]

Well, I don't see the usefullness of this. It's a mechanical gate, but it's like dominos, once they have fallen, they can't be used again until reset, and there is no reset mechanism provided from what I have read. So it's fine if you have AB go from 00 to 01 and then AorB will be 1, but once AB goes back to 00 AorB wil stay at 1. Not very useful.
Still a great scientific accomplishment, but from engineering perspective it's a non-event. If you think it will replace CMOS, I hope you live a long life, cus you'll need it to see that happen.

 

[RichieZ]

Cool, I wish I had worked at the Almaden site this summer. I worked at IBM SVL, in the middle of nowhere san jose off old 101.

 

[crazychicken]

when you take a huge step down to the molecular level, you have to learn to walk before you can fly.

 

[da loser]

what kind of environment are these molecules in to keep them in stable configurations? i wonder how long a device such as this can last.