Researchers from the Chinese mainland have made a groundbreaking advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) technology by developing the world's first carbon-nanotube-based tensor processor chip. This innovative chip addresses the growing limitations of traditional silicon-based semiconductors, which are struggling to keep up with the increasing data processing demands of modern AI applications.
The research team from Peking University published their findings on Monday in the journal Nature Electronics, in a paper titled \"A carbon-nanotube-based tensor processing unit.\" The study introduces a novel systolic array architecture that leverages the unique properties of carbon nanotube transistors and tensor operations, offering a promising solution to extend Moore's Law—the prediction that the number of transistors on a chip doubles approximately every two years.
Current silicon-based chips face significant challenges related to size reduction and rising power consumption. Carbon nanotubes, known for their exceptional electrical properties and ultra-thin structures, present a viable alternative. Professor Zhang Zhiyong from the research team highlighted that carbon nanotube transistors outperform commercial silicon-based transistors in both speed and power efficiency. These advancements enable the creation of more energy-efficient integrated circuits and systems, which are crucial for the evolving demands of the AI era.
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China develops first carbon-nanotube-based tensor processor chip
cgtn.com
