In February 2010 researchers from University College Cork’s Tyndall Institute published an article describing nano scale junctionless transistors. Less than a year later, on 1 February 2011, they are claiming to have made them even smaller. The announcement comes in a period the industry has designated “Nanoweek” which runs from 31 January 2011 to 4 February 2011.
Miniaturised electronic components
According to its inventor, Jean-Pierre Colinge, this latest stage in miniaturisation of electronics components is an object 2,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair and 20 times smaller than the transistor described in the Nature Nanotechnology article back in February 2010. With a typical micro-chip containing up to 2 billion transistors it is easy to see why such a development is important to electronic component manufacturers.
But there are other advantages too. The new device is said to use 30% less energy than comparable components. This is important as electronics system designers try to pack more and more features into devices. The ability to make them more economical to run and to reduce the carbon footprint for end users can be a strong selling point.
Nanotechnology companies in consortium
Nanoweek is intended to raise awareness among the public of this emerging technology in which Ireland is one of the world leaders. It is an initiative of NANONET Ireland which is a consortium of research organisations and manufacturers specialising in applications for nano science. These include medical devices and pharmaceuticals as well as Information and Communications Technology – three of the largest industries in Ireland.
Collaboration between research institutes like Tyndall, TCD’s CRANN and the Enterprise Ireland funded CCAN (Competence Centre for Applied Technology) and a range of nanotechnology companies is seen as vitally important in translating developments like the tiny junctionless transistor into marketable products.
Nanotechnology jobs; nanobiotechnology experiments
Such a commitment to emerging technology is likely to have been behind Intel’s recent announcement of a $500 million modernisation of its facility in the Kildare town of Leixlip. Intel and its contractors employ 4,300 people in Ireland and the new investment will secure these jobs and create a significant number of new ones. (John Collins, Intel begins working on $500 m upgrade of Leixlip plant, Irish Times website, 15 January 2011, accessed 2 February 2011)
It seems there is no limit to the possibilities opened up by nano science. In December 2010 a researcher from CRANN was the first from Ireland to carry out experiments in a weightless environment. Dr Despina Bazou hopes that her experiments, carried out between 5 and 10 December 2010 in Bordeaux, France, will lead to a better understanding of how tumours are formed.
Frank Parker - Frank writes regularly on a diverse range of subjects which he researches thoroughly.
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