Scientists create world's smallest computer chip—just 5 micrometers wide
Researchers in China have built a fiber integrated circuit (FIC) so tiny it fits 100,000 transistors into just one centimeter.
These flexible fibers are only about as thick as a strand of hair, and a single millimeter holds 10,000 transistors.
The work was published in Nature on January 22.
How they made these ultra-small chips
The team used nanotech tricks to smooth out stretchy material, then added circuits using lithography.
They protected the circuits and rolled them up inside fibers—kind of like making sushi rolls.
These FICs can handle digital processing, store memory, and even recognize images.
Tough enough for real life—and ready to scale
These chips are surprisingly tough—they survive thousands of bends, stretches up to 30%, repeated washes, high heat, and even heavy pressure.
After years of work, the researchers say these FICs can be mass-produced with today's chip-making tools.
Why this matters: cool uses ahead
Think smart clothes that sense your body or brain-computer tech that lets you interact with devices by thought.
These chips could also help doctors treat conditions like Parkinson's or epilepsy—and the team is already working with a hospital to adapt the fiber chip for use in cardiovascular surgery.