Researchers at IBM and the California Institute of Technology have collaborated on a research project to create the next generation processor chips. The challenge faced by the semiconductor industry today is the limitation of designing lithographic structures under 22nm.
The new process uses DNA, the basic building block of all life, as scaffolding upon which to build semiconductors. Synthetically engineered DNA, would act as a substrate upon which carbon nanotubes could aggregate and assemble. The process, known as DNA origami, will allow chip manufacturers to break the 22nm barrier which would be an important milestone in developing faster processors.
This nanotechnology is still in it’s infancy and IBM does indicate that perfection of this technology is still a decade away. However, once researchers figure out some of the challenges such as accurately laying substrate into the correct circuit patterns for processor development, the cost savings and processor speeds developed will be significant.
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