Air gap insulation between copper wires in microprossesors can increase chip speed making them more efficient, say researchers at IBM.

Attempts to grow carbon nanotubes have had limited success. However researchers from the Universiy of Cincinnati in the USA, claim to have used a novel composite catalyst made of alternating layers of metal and ceramics, to grow the world's longest array of aligned carbon nanotubes carbon nanotubes that have high mechanical, electrical and optical properties.

As of July 2007 the waste electrical and electronic equipment regulations (WEEE) require manufacturers to recycle waste from electrical and electronic goods. The UK's Waste Resources and Action Programme (WRAP), aims to remove brominated flame retardants, harmful dioxins emitted during reprocessing. Creasolv and Centrevap are two extraction methods.

The Microscan AOI, developed within the EU Framework 6 programme, combines four different techniques to inspect printed circuit boards for defects during production. These are automated optical inspection, scanning acoustic microscopy, thermography, and X-ray inspection.

The next generation of high-power high-frequency electronic products made from synthetic diamond may not be far off. By using novel processing techniques, Element Six (E6) Ltd, based in Ascot, UK, has announced that it is close to creating these devices. The research includes the Micromachined Diamond Device Initiative.

Zinc compounds have been developed to take on the properties and behaviour of materials allowing researchers to study and understand their properties. Scientists are using this tecnique to study ferromagnetism and develop new products and processes.

A near infrared spectrometer for automated mineral sorting is close to production. The imaging specrometer developed by Spectra-Map produces a fingerprint from the reflectance of specific wavelengths to separate and characterise a range of minerals.