Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Now We're Cooking With GaAs
According to the Arizona Republic, Freescale Semiconductor in Tempe has developed faster chips using gallium arsenide instead of silicon. How much faster?
...GaAs, or gallium arsenide MOSFETs are said to conduct electrons up to 20 times faster than traditional silicon MOSFETs.Don't rush down to Fry's Electronics just yet though. It's going to be a while.
Another problem with gallium arsenide MOSFETs is cost: Gallium arsenide tends to be more expensive since it's less abundant than silicon.Darn right it's expensive. You never see gallium arsenide in the discount bin at Walgreen's. I hear some Paradise Valley residents bathe in it though.
It may be a technical milestone for the semiconductor industry, but it could be years before consumers reap the benefits.
