Scientists Working on New Computer Chip - Brief Article

Black Issues in Higher Education, Oct 12, 2000

BOISE, IDAHO

A $1.25 million grant from the Office of Naval Research will go to help a team of University of Idaho scientists develop a revolutionary computer chip.

The chips help computer users by storing data even when electrical power is lost.

Sarit Bhaduri and Yang Ki Hong, both professors of materials and metallurgical engineering, will co-direct the project.

The grant was secured with the help of Idaho Sens. Larry Craig and Mike Crapo.

The money will support research on the fabrication of the computer chip's storage element, which is composed of multiple layers of giant magnetoresistive magnetic thin films.

Industry giants such as IBM, Motorola, Honeywell and Hewlett-Packard are pursuing production or development of the chips that the scientists will develop.

So far, Honeywell is the first to bring a new chip to the market.