New Tube technology, check it out.

[JZatopa]

This looks very interesting, I wonder when we will be able to get our hands on some.

Return of the Vacuum Tube - ScienceNOW

 

[Wavebourn]

Yes, after NASA and military we'll be able to get hands on some ultra high speed digital devices.

 

[DF96]

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.

Perhaps we should go back to those blindingly fast early valve-based computers? And throw away all our GaAsFETs and Phemts and use a nice triode cascode instead for our GHz telecomms links? Or should we just ignore what journalists say?

 

[overtheairbroadcast]

Well, it would be cooler looking if we did.

 

[sgrossklass]

Etched nano "vacuum tubes" - now if that isn't cool I don't know what is. They're calling it a "Gate insulated nanoscale vacuum channel transistor".

 

[tvrgeek]

Just can't resist. There is no such thing as digital devices. Digital is an application of analog devices. It is yet to be understood if quantum entanglement is actually digital or not. Way the heck above me.

It will be interesting to see if these come out of the lab and into a product. We will probably only find out if they are needed in a cell tower or network switch as that seems to be the only two drivers out there right now. I remember the last "micro tube" was about the size of a TO-5 can and in the front end of a Kenwood receiver. Now they are microscopic. Still, electrons just move too slow.