From the 4/1/11 issue of ACM Tech News:
The Incredible Shrinking Circuit
University of Cambridge (03/28/11)
University of Cambridge researchers have developed a technique for producing smaller microchips that can also support extremely high electrical current densities. Led by Cambridge professor John Robertson, the researchers used carbon nanotubes to replace the vertical copper connectors in integrated circuits to build smaller circuits and to reduce the size of electronics even further. They took advantage of the special arrangement of carbon atoms. Normally the atoms are arranged hexagonally and layered in sheets, but in nanotubes the sheets are rolled up to form tiny tubes with diameters equivalent to just a few carbon atoms. To make the approach feasible, the nanotubes would need to be grown in very dense bundles directly onto the substrate. Robertson and colleagues used multiple deposition and the annealing steps to grow nanotube bundles, and the method led to successive increases in nanoparticle density. The researchers say the density of the bundles is five times greater than current technology.
David Brodbeck N8SRE says
Could eventually lead to smaller mobile rigs, certainly! I’m pretty sure the FCC rules limit HTs to something like six watts at the antenna terminals, for RF safety reasons.
Bas PE4BAS says
To answer your question: A 100W HT is only possible if the circuits loss is 0%. Otherwise you get too much heat. I think it doesn’t matter if they use carbon nanotubes instead or copper connectors, only the size is interesting. So, when can I get a FT-817 like transmitter inplanted in my ear? 73, Bas
Bob K0NR says
A 100 watt HT would put your eye out. :-)
Wolf says
Now we still need the small battery that will provide the power needed for the 100W HT :-)
Dan KB6NU says
Picky, picky, picky. :)
Steve Nordquist says
Some people aren’t satisfied with the certainty of some cancer from cellphones and have to get ‘real’ cancer from IF << 700MHz. You can the HT now if you go via WiFi (or what are tinfoil hats with plate antennas for?) and the cloud to the antenna?
–Sent from my Outer Polynesia relay ring. ring. ring…