The advent of the world's smallest transistor: consists of only seven Atoms

Sina technology news Beijing Time on May 26 news according to the physicist Network reports, the United States and Australia Scientists successfully created the world's smallest transistor-composed of seven atoms in the silicon surface of a "quantum dots ", it marks an important step towards the new era of computing power. Quantum Dots (quantum dot) are nano-sized luminescence crystals, sometimes called "artificial Atoms ". Although this quantum point is very small and only four meters in, it is a sound-functional electronic device and the world's first electronic device intentionally made with atoms. It not only adjusts and controls the current of devices like commercial transistors, but also marks an important step towards the new era of atomic scale miniaturization and ultra-high-speed and super-powerful computers.
Nature nanotechnology, a joint group of researchers at the University of New South Wales (cqct) in Australia and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States) the discovery was described in detail in the magazine. Professor Michelle Simmons, director of the quantum computer technology center involved in the study, said: "The importance of this achievement is that we do not make atomic activity or observe atoms under a microscope, instead, they manipulate a single atom and place it on the surface with an atomic precision to create an electronic device that can work."
"The Australian research team has made full use of crystalline silicon to make electronic equipment, and we have replaced seven silicon atoms with phosphorus atoms on Crystalline Silicon with amazing precision. This is a major scientific achievement and a key step in demonstrating the feasibility of making 'Ultimate compute' (quantum computers made from silicon atoms ." The technology of placing atoms on the surface of an object-scanning tunneling microscope-has been around for more than two decades. Before that, no one could use the technology to make atomic precision electronic devices and then process electronic input from the microscopic world.
Professor Simmons said: "How small can electronic devices be? We are verifying its limits. Australia's first computer went public in 1949 and occupies the entire room. You can only hold parts by hand. Today, you can put your computer on your hand. Many parts are even 1‰ in diameter of a hair ."
"Now we have demonstrated the world's first electronic device that was systematically manufactured with silicon material at an atomic scale. This is important not only to computer users, but also to all Australians. Over the past 50 years, miniaturization of electronic devices has been a key factor driving the rapid growth of global economic productivity. Our research shows that this process can continue ."
The main goal of the US-Australia Joint Research Group is to create quantum computers using silicon atoms. Australians have unique human resources in this field and are world-leading. The new electronic device indicates that the technology for manufacturing and measuring devices under an atomic scale has begun.
At present, the commercial transistor gate (transistor gate, which allows the transistor to act as an amplifier or switch of current) is about 40 nm in length (1 nm is equivalent to one thousandth meter ), the research team at the quantum computer technology center is developing a device with a length of only 0.4 nm.
Professor Simmons pointed out that 20 years ago, Don eigler and Erhard schweizer at the almadden Research Center of IBM, the IBM logo was created with the xenon atom, the smallest one in the world at that time. Using a scanning tunneling microscope, the two placed 35 xenon Atoms on a nickel surface and spelled out three letters, IBM.
The research papers by igrad and schweizer are published in nature. They wrote: "the basic principle of Device miniaturization is obvious ". The two also warned many times in the paper and concluded: "The Logic Circuit of the atomic scale and the prospects of other devices are a little far away from us ." Professor Simmons said: "The seemingly distant things have now become a reality. We can use this microscope not only to observe or skillfully operate atoms, but also to make atomic precision devices with seven atoms, so that they can work in real environments ."