The new treatment allows the chips to withstand the damage generated by electrons passing through them. The added durability means devices such as computers should be able to perform better, be driven faster and last longer, the researchers said. Deuterium-treated chips also should stand up better in harsh environments, such as space. And the treatment should improve the reliability of other chip-carrying devices in everything from kitchen appliances and automobiles to military weapons systems. The U. of I. has applied for a patent for the processing technique, which was discovered by Joe Lyding and Karl Hess, professors of electrical and computer engineering, who are conducting nanotechnology research at the U. of I. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.
Nanotechnology is the science of making ever-smaller electronic devices.
An article about the process has been accepted for publication in the journal Applied Physics Letters. The principle has been demonstrated very well. This offers the opportunity for someone to operate smaller electronic devices with higher supply voltages, which means faster circuits. It can be found in about one of every 6,000 drops of drinking water. Deuterium is a stable, non-radioactive isotope of hydrogen.