Nortel, Ottawa, ON, Canada, has teamed with ibm Microelectronics, East Fishkill, NY, to explore the use of new semiconductor technology for high-speed communications applications. Nortel will incorporate ibm silicon germanium semiconductor technology into integrated circuits that the two companies expect will be three to five times faster than current silicon microchips. Nortel expects to use the resulting microchips in fiber transport products, as well as wireless applications.