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Thread ID: 61832	2005-09-18 03:16:00	New CPUs	pctek (84)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
389094	2005-09-18 03:16:00	Just watched this cool program on Sky about CPUs. The original Intel 4004 chip had 2300 transistors. A Pentium 4 CPU has about 42million transistors on it. HP is working on new CPUs which while they start off the same - a thin sheet of silicon - they then put it in this tunneling microscope which has a needle with a thickness at the point of 1 atom. They then alter the surface chemically thus producing wires of 2 nanometers thick. They showed the parallel "wires" which has to be viewed on a computer screen - a single hair in comparison viewed next to it would appear to be 1000 KM thick. Then they coat it with another substance which is 1 molecule thick. This can be altered electrically to produce an "on" state. And vice versa. They say they are able to create in effect 1 trillion transistors on a 1 cm square chip.	pctek (84)
389095	2005-09-18 10:29:00	You should've recorded it and uploaded the divx for us, but thanks for the commentary anyway.	vapo (5203)
389096	2005-09-18 11:08:00	Thanks pctek. Interesting. Did they give a time when they may be available?	Strommer (42)
389097	2005-09-18 11:10:00	Thanks pctek. Interesting. Did they give a time when they may be available? No, but these docos on Sky aren't usually the latest so I imagine they're further along with them now. It'll be getting them into production and costs and all that before we see them in our PCs. But I can't wait...	pctek (84)
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