How Tiny Can Nanowires Get?

When it comes to microchips, bigger isn't better. Quite the opposite, in fact: The smaller the chip — and the tinier the components it fits — the more computing power can be packed into one place. But as researchers race to find innovative new ways to make smaller chips, they're running up against a wall: The teensier the chip, the slower and more expensive it is to make. The culprit is the infinitesimal wires that create circuits on the chips.