New type of transistor invented

[Keith_W]

From Science Now]news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/05/return-of-the-vacuum-tube.html: "Return of the vacuum tube".

Vacuum tubes work by moving electrons from the cathode to the anode with the flow controlled by the plate.

Transistors work by moving electrons across a semiconductor. However - "transistors weren't better in all respects. Electrons move more slowly in a solid than in a vacuum, which means transistors are generally slower than vacuum tubes; as a result, computing isn't as quick as it could be. What's more, semiconductors are susceptible to strong radiation, which can disrupt the atomic structure of the silicon such that the charges no longer move properly."

The new type of transistor:

he new device is a cross between today's transistors and the vacuum tubes of yesteryear. It's small and easily manufactured, but also fast and radiation-proof. Meyyappan, who co-developed the "nano vacuum tube," says it is created by etching a tiny cavity in phosphorous-doped silicon. The cavity is bordered by three electrodes: a source, a gate, and a drain. The source and drain are separated by just 150 nanometers, while the gate sits on top. Electrons are emitted from the source thanks to a voltage applied across it and the drain, while the gate controls the electron flow across the cavity.

The advantage is speed (supposedly 10 times faster than current transistors) and resistance to radiation. Unlike vacuum tubes, the device is also inexpensive and suitable for mass production.

I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing audio amplifiers made with these devices.

 

[DonH50]

This has actually been around a while. I would not expect to see it in audio components any time soon; they are very small-signal devices and last I checked (couple of years ago) they targeted very high frequency (THz) and high-radiation environments (space, accelerators, nuclear energy instrumentation). Also very expensive to make (fabricate).

Still, a neat idea!

Wonder when we'll see superconducting electronics in audio? They are already in some RF systems...