Record-Setting New Chip Has Potential for Bioterrorism Detection

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Record-Setting New Chip Has Potential for Bioterrorism Detection
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ENGINEERING, COMPUTER CHIP, SEMICONDUCTOR, SCIENCE, POLITICS
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Researchers have built a world-record high frequency chip using a common type of semiconductor, an advance that could lead to inexpensive systems for detecting hidden weapons, and chemical and biological agents.




Newswise — Researchers have built a world-record high frequency chip using a common type of semiconductor, an advance that could lead to inexpensive systems for detecting hidden weapons, and chemical and biological agents.

Engineers at the University of Florida and United Micro Electronics Corp., a Taiwan- based semiconductor manufacturer, announced late last week they had built the 105 gigahertz circuit using widespread complementary metal oxide semiconductor, or CMOS, technology – the same technology found in most of the chips in ubiquitous personal computers and handheld electronic devices.

The previous record for CMOS circuits was 103 gigahertz, reported in February of last year, but that circuit consumed four times more power than the newly announced circuit and was built using a more advanced technology. Gigahertz is a measurement of frequency, with one gigahertz equaling 1 billion cycles per second, or a wave repeating its motion 1 billion times in one second.

“It’s a demonstration of what these standard technologies are really capable of, and it also opens up new applications areas for CMOS,” said Ken O, a UF professor of electrical and computer engineering.



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http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/512681/