Hot record for 'frozen chip'
26 July 2006
News
A research team from IBM and the Georgia Institute of Technology has demonstrated the first silicon-germanium transistor able to operate at frequencies above 500 GHz, by cryogenically 'freezing' the circuit to minus 268 Celsius (4,8 Kelvin). Though the record performance was attained at extremely cold temperatures, the group reckons the results show that the upper bound for performance in silicon-germanium devices may be higher than originally expected. At room temperature, the same devices operated at approximately 350 GHz. There is great interest in SiGe technology because it allows substantial transistor performance improvements to be achieved while using fabrication techniques compatible with standard high-volume silicon-based manufacturing processes. Simulations suggest that the technology could ultimately support much higher (near-Terahertz) operational frequencies at room temperature. The picture shows Professor John Cressler and PhD student, Ram Krithivasan, at the Georgia Electronic Design Center in Atlanta examining the silicon germanium chip inside a cryogenic test station.
www.ece.gatech.edu
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