SEPT. 30–WHITE PLAINS, NY–Researchers at IBM Corp. have discovered a way to make carbon nanotubes that could be incorporated into processors to make them faster.

According to IBM, the method will remove the need for wires in chips. The process involves using silicon rather than metal as a catalyst in the nanotube fabrication process and could improve the manufacturing yields of single-walled nanotubes.

Carbon nanotubes are one of the two leading candidates to replace wires inside chips because they conduct electricity well and are incredibly small. So far, however, the nanotubes can only be manufactured in small numbers inside labs, and cheaper manufacturing methods remain years away.