Intel Granted Patent for Germanium Nanowire Transistors

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Iirc, germanium was pretty much abandoned in analog circuits because it was much more prone to "thermal runaway" than silicon. Has this issue been solved, or is it simply not relevant? What are the thermal limits on these germanium circuits?
 
Im all up for progress and anything that makes Ivy Bridge's tri-gate transistors better, but how were they granted a patent for something they didnt create and werent the first to use commercially?
 
[citation][nom]jtt283[/nom]Iirc, germanium was pretty much abandoned in analog circuits because it was much more prone to "thermal runaway" than silicon. Has this issue been solved, or is it simply not relevant? What are the thermal limits on these germanium circuits?[/citation]
in nanotech, the length of the bridge in transistors is very small. So small that the currents flow in a straight line from source to drain as opposed to micro wires where the currents ricocheted towards the drains.
 
Progress?? How can anyone mention progress when a private company is granted patent on progress?
 
[citation][nom]bustapr[/nom]Im all up for progress and anything that makes Ivy Bridge's tri-gate transistors better, but how were they granted a patent for something they didnt create and werent the first to use commercially?[/citation]
The germanium transistor was invented in 1948, but their invention is a germanium transistor in combination such that it is a suitable CMOS structure.
 
[citation][nom]jtt283[/nom]Iirc, germanium was pretty much abandoned in analog circuits because it was much more prone to "thermal runaway" than silicon. Has this issue been solved, or is it simply not relevant? What are the thermal limits on these germanium circuits?[/citation]
i noticed my explanation was a little unfinished. what I tried to say is that in microtransistors(and similar sizes) the current ricochets getting from the source to the drain, generating lots of heat on the way and losing part of the energy with which it started. In Nanotransistors the distance between the drain and source is so small that the current travels in a straight line at the bridge very fast and not generating any heat(heat is generated at the source and drain connections to the bridge for the resistive requirements of the transistor) in the bridge and no loss of energy on the way. So the problem with germanium losing too much energy is no longer visible in todays nanotech.

I feel like I spoke chinese, but i still hope you understood.
 
I understood, but not how it wouldn't apply; you explained away much of the source of the heat, but not the effect that heat has [on germanium]. Would it not matter though, in circuits that are either on or off, as long as they are actually still able to turn off?
 
[citation][nom]jtt283[/nom]I understood, but not how it wouldn't apply; you explained away much of the source of the heat, but not the effect that heat has [on germanium]. Would it not matter though, in circuits that are either on or off, as long as they are actually still able to turn off?[/citation]
i watched this vid a few days ago and its pretty easy to understand if you know basic terminology of transistors:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW1-fSRiAdc

basically since the current travels in a straight line there is no heat on the wire(bridge), so the germanium element is generally unaffected by the heat.
 
Unless someone finds a new resource of Germanium, we will run out of it in a decade or so, because it is already used in the production of LCDs.I also think that the chips they want to produce are aimed at low power portable devices for further lowering the power consumption.
 
Ge was used in high-frequency electronics for decades. The innovation should be something more specific, although with the quality of USPTO work, you never know if even there was any real innovation.
 
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