Researchers say a new CMOS-compatible tunnel diode process could extend the lifetime of existing silicon fabs by leapfrogging the next node in the semiconductor road map.

A SRAM circuit using tunnel diodes could reduce the chip component real estate required so as to achieve four times the density of a conventional SRAM memory cell. A process is in place to begin building such devices on standard CMOS fab lines.

News tip: Walter Purvis