New State of Matter Could Extend Moore's Law 329
rennerik writes "Scientists at McGill University in Montreal say they've discovered a new state of matter that could help extend Moore's Law and allow for the fabrication of more tightly packed transistors, or a new kind of transistor altogether. The researchers call the new state of matter 'a quasi-three-dimensional electron crystal.' It was discovered using a device cooled to a temperature about 100 times colder than intergalactic space, following the application of the most powerful continuous magnetic field on Earth."
Quasi three dimensional crystal? (Score:5, Funny)
I believe the term you're looking for is Dilithium.
Hell Yeah! (Score:5, Funny)
" It was discovered using a device cooled to a temperature about 100 times colder than intergalactic space, following the application of the most powerful continuous magnetic field on Earth."
That's exactly what I want in my office.
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:And this helps Moore's Law how? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Oh no you didn't (Score:3, Funny)
But... (Score:5, Funny)
One more time with feeling! (Score:5, Funny)
None, because as we all know Librarians are HOT!
So she is good for something! (Score:3, Funny)
was discovered using a device cooled to a temperature about 100 times colder than intergalactic space
My ex-girlfriend?
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:100x colder than space? (Score:5, Funny)
Obviously you've never been to Montreal.
Re:Quasi three dimensional crystal? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:5, Funny)
It was discovered using a device cooled to a temperature about 100 times colder than intergalactic space
Here in Winnipeg we could just put these units outside thus eliminating the need for cooling units. You can't get much more environmentally friendly than that!
Re:No, it won't (Score:1, Funny)
Moore's law is about manufacturing on silicon
If it isn't silicon, then it isn't Moore's law.
remember kids, increasing processor speed is a by product of Moore's law/ Moore's law is about cost of manufacturing.
In other news Moore's Law fans are breeding a race of super chimpanzees to take over chip production. Another project seeks to breed 20' long super bananas to cheaply feed the workforce thus extending Moore's Law further.
Homer Simpson (Score:1, Funny)
Dr. Guillaume Gervais, director of McGill's Ultra-Low Temperature Condensed Matter Experiment Lab, describes them in terms of a ham sandwich, where the ham -- the two-dimensional crystal -- represents a flat plane that constrains the movement of the electrons in two dimensions.
Mmmmmm, ham sandwich. Now, off to topology for donuts! Mmmmmmm, donuts.
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:5, Funny)
C'mon guys, let's get off wives.
('Cause I just got off yours...)
Another Ice-nine dupe (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Could you be any more vague? (Score:2, Funny)
meh.
Re:Scenes from the lab (Score:3, Funny)
[Scientist 1] What? It doesn't fly
[Scientist 2] What I meant was..
[Scientist 3] But look at it's plumage!
and so on.
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:5, Funny)
they tried. the mosquitoes took them.
Re:100 times colder than what? (Score:1, Funny)
TFA doesn't state any specific temperature, but I find the analogy to how "cold" space is rather troubling.
I wonder how many times colder it is than the Library of Congress. It's always important to have a "Library of Congress" metric in these articles.
Re:Could you be any more vague? (Score:4, Funny)
Sure...13.95 stories.
rj
Re:Oh no you didn't (Score:5, Funny)
And what, exactly, would that fab breakthrough look like?
I suspect it would come in pink and look really super with a scarf!
Re:Is that really cold? (Score:5, Funny)
4.73 Kelvin
Pffft barely jacket weather.
Tell me when it's below 3.8 Kelvin. THEN I might be impressed.
Re:Quasi three dimensional crystal? (Score:2, Funny)
Try "douchbagium".
Dumbing Down (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:5, Funny)
Obviously (Score:3, Funny)
The relevant law of Nature is: "Nature abhors a vacuum."
And since it is Mother Nature, the relevant reason behind this law is the old Mother's law: "Because I said so".
Re:100 times colder than what? (Score:2, Funny)
They also know that in space no-one can hear you scream. Which is why I am glad he didn't tell me how much colder it is than a Library of Congress.
I'm also a little worried if the string theorists get hold of this. I mean if they can extend moore's law by adding another dimension; quasi or otherwise, we will definitely run out of IP addresses before they hit the 11th!
there, how's that for some sequiturial journalistic embellishment?
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:5, Funny)
I taught your girl that thing she does with her tongue.
You're the one who taught her how to nag? You utter bastard.
Re:Quasi three dimensional crystal? (Score:2, Funny)
Actually it's solidified electricity. See "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers." The alien's helmets were made of the stuff.
Yes, I'm old.
Re:100 times colder than what? (Score:3, Funny)
Joe Sixpack asks, "Would that temperature keep by brewskis cold, or would it freeze them? Because that's a drag when they explode, and I have to call Joe Plumber to fix the freezer (after I clean off the venison steaks left over from last season), and he's crabby about taxes or some such nonsense. Pass me another cold one."
Re:And this helps Moore's Law how? (Score:4, Funny)
achieve faster speeds, longer lengths, smaller sizes, and deeper depths.
That's what she said.
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:3, Funny)
Name of the new state is... (Score:3, Funny)
The sub prime state... You can pay for it and sell it but when you look at it hard enough it's not really there...
Helium (Score:1, Funny)
Helium makes your voice sound funny if you breathe it in.
Re:It came from... (Score:4, Funny)
Moore's law... hell this is going to extend the calculation of the user's home heating/cooling costs past what will fit on a single page.
On the upside, calculating that kind of cost may lead to the finding of a new prime number or two.
Re:Colder than Space? (Score:3, Funny)
An absolute zero temperature vacuum is definitely impossible due to the uncertainty principle.
Well yeah, if you had a brain fart and forgot to turn on the Heisenberg compensators.
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:3, Funny)
Next you'll be skiing in July and going down detours in December.
Re:Hell Yeah! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:100 times colder than what? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:100 times colder than what? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:And this helps Moore's Law how? (Score:4, Funny)
Well, the faster speeds and smaller sizes part anyway.
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Re:Moore's Law isn't just about silicon any more (Score:3, Funny)
It's almost like Moore didn't think things through. Why, the wood furnace and turbine I need to run my billion-vacuum-tube computer takes up the entire city block!