Scientists explained that these transistors, commonly used as automatic switches, can reach cutoff frequencies of 30 GHz. The previous record, reported by the same team in August 2006, has now been improved by a factor of 4. New prospects are opened up for mainstream applications that require high operating frequencies.

The researchers originate from the Institute of Electronics, Microelectronics and Nanotechnologies (IEMN/CNRS " Universities of Lille 1 and Valenciennes, as well as the ISEN Institute) and the Department of Solid-state Physics at the French Atomic Energy Agency (CEA).

As part of the National Program in Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies (PNANO HF-CNT) with backing from the National Research Agency, researchers at IEMN and CEA used the dielectrophoresis technique so as to obtain uniform deposition of a large number of aligned nanotubes.

The process used can be carried out at room temperature, which also makes it compatible with other inexpensive substrates such as glass and plastic, researchers concluded.