New Computer Chip Breaks Speed Record

from The New York Time

Researchers at I.B.M. and the Georgia Institute of Technology are set to announce today that they have broken the speed record for silicon-based chips with a semiconductor that operates 250 times faster than chips commonly used today.

The achievement is a major step in the evolution of computer semiconductor technology that could eventually lead to faster networks and more powerful electronics at lower prices. Developments like this one typically find their way into commercial products in 12 to 24 months. At room temperature, the chips operate at 350 gigahertz, far faster than other chips in commercial use today.