IBM designs DNA processors

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 17 Aug 2009 at 09:56

IBM researchers claim to have found a way to create microchips using DNA rather than traditional silicon.

The technique weaves strands of DNA and carbon nanotubes to create new chips. According to Big Blue, artificial DNA nanostructures may provide a cheap framework on which to build tiny microchips.

"This is the first demonstration of using biological molecules to help with processing in the semiconductor industry," says IBM research manager Spike Narayan. "Basically, this is telling us that biological structures like DNA actually offer some very reproducible, repetitive kinds of patterns that we can actually leverage in semiconductor processes," he adds.

The research was a joint undertaking by scientists at IBM's Almaden Research Center and the California Institute of Technology.

Right now, the tinier the chip, the more expensive the equipment. However, Narayan claims that if the DNA origami process scales to production-level, manufacturers could trade hundreds of millions of dollars in complex tools for less than a million dollars of polymers, DNA solutions, and heating implements.

"The savings across many fronts could add up significantly," he says.

But the new processes are at least 10 years away. Narayan claims that while the DNA origami could allow chipmakers to build frameworks that are far smaller than possible with conventional tools, the technique still needs years of experimentation and testing.