Discovery suggests new promise for nonsilicon computer transistors

transistor’s frequency dependence

— the rate at which electric pulses are sent through the transistor.

At low frequencies, the performance of nanoscale InGaAs transistors appeared degraded.

But at frequencies of 1 gigahertz or greater, they worked just fine

— oxide trapping was no longer a hindrance. “When we operate these devices at really high frequency, we noticed that the performance is really good,” she says. “They’re competitive with silicon technology.”