Speedy Silicon Sets World Record

BBC News, 17 Aug 2006 A simple tweak to the way common silicon transistors are made could allow faster, cheaper mobile phones and digital cameras, say U.K. researchers. Devices with the modification have already set a new world record for the fastest transistor of its type. To achieve the speed gain, researchers at the University of Southampton added fluorine to the silicon devices. The technique uses existing silicon manufacturing technology meaning it should be quick and easy to deploy. "It just takes a standard technology and adds one extra step," said Professor Peter Ashburn, who carried out the work. "This is a really cheap method." Read more