|
In contrast, DNA computing and the like are still curiosities with no clear path to practical high-speed computing.
|
|
One exciting development, which has emerged just in the past year or two, is nanotubes, i.e. cylindrical buckyballs.
|
|
It was recently discovered that a nanotube can be "tuned" from insulator to semiconductor to conductor just by changing the pitch of the helical structure of carbon atoms.
|
Kinks introduced in a tube can be used to form a conductor-semiconductor junction.
-
Molecular modeling is being used to further explore some of the possibilities.
|
