Stanford researchers develop first computer using only carbon nanotube transistors

Researchers at Stanford University have demonstrated the first functional computer built using only carbon nanotube transistors, according to an article published Wednesday on the cover of scientific journal Nature.

Scientists have been experimenting with transistors based on carbon nanotubes or CNTs as successors to silicon transistors, as silicon is expected to meet its physical limits in delivering the increasingly smaller transistors required for higher performance in smaller and cheaper computing devices that are less power-consuming. Digital circuits based on the long chains of carbon atoms are expected to be more energy-efficient than silicon transistors.

The rudimentary CNT computer, developed by the researchers at Stanford, is said to run a simple operating system that is capable of multitasking, according to a synopsis of the article.

SOURCE: pcworld.com