Graphene chip could hit 1,000GHz, make your Core i7 feel totally inadequate

8GHz (with the help of liquid nitrogen) not quick enough? Leave it to the folks at MIT to make sure your zaniest desires are well taken care of. As research forges ahead on graphene, carbon nanotubes and buckyballs (remember those?), gurus at the university have discovered a breakthrough that could eventually lead to microchips that make existing silicon-based CPUs weep. In fact, the research could lead to practical systems in the 500 to 1,000 gigahertz range. The magic all ties back to advancements on a graphene chip known as a frequency multiplier, and while the nitty-gritty of all this is far too complicated for the layperson to grasp, all you really need to know is this: finally, you can rest assured that you'll one day own a chip capable of handling Duke Nukem Forever.

[Via InformationWeek]

[DiGiC Posted Mar 26th 2009 9:03AM]

Damn, beat to it

[rudolphe Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:57AM]

Wow that's getting old...

[Raul7 Posted Mar 26th 2009 11:31AM]

Yeah, because you don't need a graphics card at all for Crysis.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 4:59PM]

heres a secret. graphics cards use the same silicon technology that CPU's use. so they will benefit from any improvements in manufacturing also

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 9:03AM]

Hmm... look at the MIT article: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/graphene-palacios-0319.html

There's a picture of an oscilloscope showing the frequency doubling. They're talking about being able to cleanly double (and I'd guess re-double, re-double and so on) up to 1THz. But on the scope, the signal is only being doubled from ~62.5kHz to ~125kHz (yes, kHz!). Based on this alone (maybe there's more they haven't mentioned), I don't see how they can claim to be able to produce the rates they're talking about in a few years.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 9:05AM]

Oops, even less than I thought. 200us/div, so we're talking about doubling 625Hz to 1250Hz. Blazing!

[agreenbhm Posted Mar 26th 2009 9:06AM]

Would this be Terahertz?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:35AM]

wouldn't be...
one chip ---> 1000 tHZ?!

i wonder it's an atom bomb...

[tylersmyler Posted Mar 26th 2009 9:16AM]

I thought the i7 was overclocked using liquid helium... not liquid nitrogen ...or is that the same thing..

[Kizorblade Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:55AM]

/Facepalm

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 9:20AM]

The new war in processors: Intel vs AMD hiring MIT grads.

[Siddharth Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:01AM]

Crysis on ur watch maybe?? ;)

[anantha92 Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:10AM]

Duke nukem forever? Why don't we stay in the present millenium and not look too far into the future? I'd be more worried about getting a computer that can run crysis at this stage..

[James2432 Posted Mar 26th 2009 12:27PM]

Duke Nukem Forever

It's in the name....it will be forever in development and never be released

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:23AM]

So...
What do we do if we have a 1000GHZ CPU?
Play Crysis&NFS12&COD5 at the same time?(if u can)
enCode BD into RMVB in serveral seconds?

...nanana...

[psychoticdream Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:32AM]

now you are just being ridiculous


XD

[Milstar Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:25AM]

I think Naked Science on Nat Geo touched on Diamonds possibly being the ultimate material for a processor. Should be interesting to see how far we can push Moore's law.

[psychoticdream Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:35AM]

it was also shown how they can make diamonds (lab grown) so that would certainly be feasible once they get a way to make more diamonds in less time for mass productions

and in somewhat related news.. can you imagine a tank/car/engine coated in diamond scale armor? /joygasm

[Andir Posted Mar 26th 2009 11:51AM]

I thought lab grown diamonds WERE carbon nano structures...

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 11:10AM]

Buckyballs? Like Buckminsterfullerine?

[Wwhat Posted Mar 26th 2009 11:14AM]

Seems this will lead to more basic devices rather than chips and CPU's, fast PLL's for receivers and transmitters in high frequency, and military RADAR and such, and satellite communication.

So don't hold your breath for the caption '1000 GHz CPU' but more for 'New sansa has a 300GHz band receiver for mobile satellite calls and television - only available in korea"

[MegaJapan Posted Mar 26th 2009 11:48AM]

1 THz? Awesome, we're moving on with these terms!

[Kamal Posted Mar 26th 2009 11:46AM]

The image looks like an early April Fools joke.

[wsnideman Posted Mar 26th 2009 11:48AM]

Anyone seen The Last Mimsy? I thought that doll was on Intel's time table for the year 3000.

[MarcusMaximus Posted Mar 26th 2009 12:07PM]

what the crap is the point? Now the processor can wait on memory for 99.99999999999999999999999999999999% of the time, yay!

[ccrunner59 Posted Mar 26th 2009 12:22PM]

This technology looks pretty sweet. Can't wait to see what comes from it.

[LMLYP Posted Mar 26th 2009 12:56PM]

hope silicone is replaced within the next couple of years :(
the advances should be amazing

[spsmyk Posted Mar 26th 2009 1:06PM]

I think this is what Apple is waiting for to make a 'good' netbook.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 2:59PM]

the sad thing is that this thing wont run cryengine 3...

[TMcCamant Posted Mar 26th 2009 3:16PM]

Yeah but can it play Crisis?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 3:25PM]

looks like the guys in europe trying to make a brain on a chip are using the wrong material!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2009 4:54PM]

guess you have never seen pics of the first IC??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kilby_solid_circuit.jpg

[viet0wnage Posted Mar 26th 2009 9:26PM]

Duke Nukem? No more crysis jokes?

[endgadget Posted Mar 27th 2009 1:48AM]

What does graphene mean to memory? Todays chips already run faster than memories. No point in making cars that can zoom to 2000MPH while the roads, the drivers and everything else is limited to a grand 100MPH.