nsane.forums Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Conductive nanotape could inspire new designs A breakthrough in processor materials should provide a new generation of slim computing devices that last longer than existing systems. A research team Stanford University and the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) have developed a tape consisting of tiny copper nanotubes which can be used to replace electrical pin connections and solder. The new material is as conductive as copper, dissipates heat more effectively and is less vulnerable to thermal expansion, which occurs when the computer heats and cools during operations and can lead to solder cracking, disabling the computer. “Researchers love to create useful materials and structures that we’ve never seen before, and this new thermal nanotape revolutionizes the chip’s heat sink contact,†said Jon Candelaria, director of Interconnect and Packaging Sciences at SRC. “Instead of being forced to rely upon the properties of just a single material, this combination gives the integrated circuits industry an opportunity to circumvent severe performance limitations and continue to improve packaging without adding cost.†The new material will allow manufacturers to build slimmer, more thermally efficient processors, which will translate into new system designs. Thermal limits in particular are close to being reached for today’s processors as the number of transistors per chip is scaled up. “Scaling can drive down cost and deliver more power,†said Gary Patton, vice president of IBM R&D Center. But we are reaching the end of traditional scaling by reducing size. We need to focus on materials and process innovation as key to scaling.†View: Original Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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