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UCL in the News: Cheaper Chips with Lights

27 May 2007

Researchers at UCL have found a way to use UV light instead of energy-hungry blast furnaces to create the important silicon dioxide insulation layer on PC chips.

The UK researchers have made the process work by using energy-efficient UV lamps, providing a cleaner and significantly less expensive solution. …

Much testing remains, so it could be several years before the technology is ready for commercial use, says Professor Ian Boyd [UCL Electronic & Electrical Engineering]. Some chip manufacturers have expressed interest in the research work, Boyd says, but chipmakers are famously conservative about making changes to their manufacturing processes.

James Niccolai, 'CIO India'