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To: QuietWon who wrote (1941)	1/30/1999 11:45:00 PM
From: Artslaw	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 2946

I'm not Katherine, but let me make some comments anyway: eg. GaAs much more efficient than regular silicon, but costs more - correct? The main problem with GaAs, the perpetual semiconductor of the future, is not just its price. Si has the wonderful benefit of having an excellent insulator, SiO2, which can be grown (or deposited) very nicely on its surface. This results in a good (defect free) interface between the insulator and the semiconductor, ultimately improving the performance (more current) and reliability (doesn't degrade as much over time). GaAs does not have this advantage. eg. Silicon Nitride still more power efficient and can subdivide further, say into the single digit nanometer range - correct? Silicon nitride is an insulator, not a semiconductor. In fact, it is often discussed as the replacement for SiO2 for thinner gate 'oxides' due to its higher dielectric constant (and nice resistance to boron penetration from P-type polysilicon gates). This essentially means one can use a thicker layer of Si3N4 for the same 'effect' as a thinner SiO2 layer. Regards, Steve