Author: Robert Henry Durrett
Date: 17:21:05 06/06/02
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On June 06, 2002 at 17:38:07, Russell Reagan wrote: >What I would like to know is if there is a theoretical limit to the speed >processors can reach. > >I'm not sure if this is related or not, but I'll throw this out there also. I >recall long ago hearing or reading about how the electrons passing through a >wire (or whatever medium) bang into each other and thus cause the travel time >from one end of a wire to the other end to take longer, and also causing heat to >be generated from the collisions. It went on to talk about how the smaller the >wire gets, the fewer the number of collisions, the faster the travel time, and >less heat is generated. So is the theoretical limit to processor speed when we >are able to create a wire (or whatever medium) that has the width of a single >electron, and can thus move freely with no collisions? Sorry if this has nothing >to do with my original question. > >I'm not talking so much about other approaches to computing such as quantum >computing. I'm speaking in terms of our current architecture. > >Russell By "not talking about other approaches" you are tying your own hands behind your back. Someone will come up with a new way to do things and suddenly current technology will become obsolete. Have faith! A new Thomas Edison will appear shortly. Or maybe another Alburt Einstein. The current scheme, where the number of devices [transistors, diodes, etc.] in a square inch of a planar surface is put on optically, is limited by quantum mechanical considerations (gets into diffraction theory limitations). I promise you that you DON'T want to get into the gory details! The math is very intimidating. I know. I've been there. I was "very intimidated" too but did manage to get through it once. Practical limits are discussed on an Intel site. If that's not satisfying, go to the technical reports coming out of Bell Labs. That'll keep you busy! Odds are that there are no high-powered quantum mechanics physicists on this bulletin board. If there are any, now is the time to speak up! Bob D.
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