IBM set to reinvent microchips

Technology group IBM is using a new technology to manufacture smaller microchips that will hopefully cut the company’s costs.

The company is undertaking research at the Almaden Research Center and the California Institute of Technology in artificial DNA nanostructures, which provide a smaller framework on which to build electronic microchips.

Currently smaller electronics cost more money, but IBM research manager Spike Narayan told News.com.au that the new technology, also called “DNA Origami” could help cut costs.

“This is the first demonstration of using biological molecules to help with processing in the semiconductor industry,” Narayan said.

“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 said. “The savings across many fronts could add up significantly,” he said.