This Dec. 5, 2012 news item on Nanowerk features a seasonal
approach to a study about ’4-D’ nanowires, A new type of
transistor shaped like a Christmas tree has arrived just in time
for the holidays, but the prototype won’t be nestled under the
tree along with the other gifts. “It’s a preview of things to
come in the semiconductor industry,” said Peide “Peter” Ye, a
professor of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue
University. Researchers from Purdue and Harvard universities
created the transistor, which is made from a material that could
replace silicon within a decade. Each transistor contains three
tiny nanowires made not of silicon, like conventional
transistors, but from a material called indium-gallium-arsenide.
The three nanowires are progressively smaller, yielding a
tapered cross section resembling a Christmas tree. Sadly, Purdue
University (Indiana, US) will not be releasing any images to
accompany their Dec. 4, 2012 news release (which originated the
news item) about the ’4-D’ transistor u