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New Process May Lead to Better CPUs

by , 1:30 PM EDT, June 30th, 2006

Researchers in London have been working on a method of developing computer chips with UV light instead of the ultra-high temperatures used today. The team for University College London has found that the heating process necessary to complete the manufacturing of computer chips can be accomplished with a special UV light that operates at room temperature and uses a fraction of the energy.

The new process isn't ready for industrial use yet, and hasn't even been tested in the clean-room conditions required to make computer processors. Right now, the chips the UV process creates have far too many defects for commercial use.

Once perfected, however, it could lead to faster, cheaper and cleaner chip manufacturing plants. Overcoming the intense heat requirements to cure modern chips also means that processors could be even smaller and contain more transistors - the electronic gates that allow CPUs to process instructions.

Professor Ian Boyd of UCL, part of the discovery team, told BBC News "This finding means that the industry's energy, and subsequent cost savings, could reduce the prices of electronic devices for consumers and, of course, create a positive environmental impact."

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Close Name:Rainy Day Posts: 607 Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Sat Jul 01, 2006 2:51 am Subject: Good news indeed
Close Name:coaten Posts: 3071 Joined: 10 Oct 2001
Wed Jul 05, 2006 4:07 am Subject:

Yes. Good news.


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