IBM, hard at work obviously, have developed the smallest carbon nanotubule transistor, measuring in at just 9 nanometers (nm) across. Currently, the smallest transistors possible using silicon is 10nm across, so while it doesn't sound like a huge achievement, when talking in nm, it's actually quite the achievement.

IBM claims that the new transistor consumes less power, all while being able to carry more current than today's technology. John Rogers, Professor of Materials Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says:

The results really highlight the value of nanotubes in the most sophisticated type of transistors. They suggest very clearly, that nanotubes have the potential for doing something truly competitive with, or complementary to, silicon.

The smallest production-grade transistors are currently limited to 22nm.