IBM plots path to denser chips

. . . tomorrow's device technology today

Home | News

Keywords: Match:

Feb. 20, 2006

IBM researchers say they have found a way to shrink microprocessors and other silicon chips by more than two thirds without requiring fundamentally more expensive process technologies. The company claims it has created "the smallest, high-quality line patterns ever made," with features measuring 29.9 nanometers, using a variant of standard DUV (deep ultraviolet) chip printing methods.

The research group said the appoach can yield "distinct and uniformly spaced ridges" that are 29.9 nanometers wide, which offers a way to make chips with more than three times the density of today's production chips that have recently attained 90-nanometer features. Additionally, IBM said the technique breaks the 32 nanometer barrier thought to have been limiting the density of chips made with optical lithography chip-printing processes.

IBM's new 29.9 nm line widths vs. today's typical 90 nm widths
(Source: IBM Research)

For the past 40 years, Intel and other semiconductor manufacturing companies have been able to produce chips with continually increasing density -- and hence performance -- adhering to a principle popularly known as "Moore's law".

Simply stated, Moore's law, articulated in 1965 by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, states that chip transistor densities tend to double every two years.

"But as chip features now approach the fundamental scale limits of individual atoms and molecules, the future of this trend of relentless improvement, known as Moore's Law, is being threatened," according to IBM.

In its announcement Monday, IBM said that its latest accomplishment, described as a "high-index immersion variant of DUV lithography," offers the opportunity of extending Moore's law and "buying the industry time" before a "high-risk conversion to an extremely expensive alternative" is required.

"Our goal is to push optical lithography as far as we can so the industry does not have to move to any expensive alternatives until absolutely necessary," said Dr. Robert D. Allen, manager of lithography materials at IBM's Almaden Research Center. "This result is the strongest evidence to date that the industry may have at least seven years of breathing room before any radical changes in chip-making techniques would be needed."

Technical details of IBM's chip printing breakthrough will be disclosed Monday at the SPIE Microlithography 2006 conference in San Jose, Calif., IBM said.

Related stories:

(Click here for further information)

7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.

4 Legal Reasons to Control Internet Access
The Internet is obviously a valuable resource for many organizations. However, many are exposed to legal liability concerns because they fail to control Internet access. Learn if you're safe in this white paper.

Rapidly Resolve J2EE Application Problems
Whether you are in the process of building J2EE applications or have J2EE applications already running in production, you must ensure that they deliver the expected ROI. Learn how in this white paper.

Load Testing 2.0 for Web 2.0
There are many unknowns in stress testing Web 2.0 applications. Find out how to test the performance of Web 2.0 in this white paper.

Build Better Games Online
For the game infrastructure providers, life is complex. Making money from games has become more complicated. Why? Find out in this white paper.

Building a Virtual Infrastructure from Servers to Storage
This white paper discusses the virtual storage solutions that reduce cost, increase storage utilization, and address the challenges of backing up and restoring Server environments.

Gaining Faster Wireless Connections with WiMAX
Welcome to what is quickly becoming the hyperconnected world where anything that would benefit from being connected to the network will be connected. Learn more in this white paper.

Is Your Desktop a Security Threat?
The new wave of sophisticated crimeware not only targets specific companies, but also targets desktops and laptops as backdoor entryways into those business’ operations and resources. Learn how to stay safe in this white paper.

Increasing SAN Reliability by 100 Percent
Storage area networks (SAN) are a strong part of storage plans. Learn how to increase your reliability and uptime by 100 percent in this case study.

Got a HOT TIP? please tell us!

ADVERTISEMENT
(Advertise here)

LinuxDevices headlines:
• Linux device monitors networks
• Linux gets security black eye
• Debian adding low-power NAS devices
• Microsoft frees poor children from Linux struggles
• Open source awards open for nominations
• Atom-based ECX board runs Linux
• Tiny boards gain Linux cross-tools support
• Cross-platform tools vendor announces awards, earnings
• Little thin client runs Linux
• $7 Soc runs Linux

WindowsForDevices headlines:
• Rack-mount automation computer runs Windows from flash
• Smallest GPS-equipped phone ever?
• Color e-paper rolls up for storage
• Windows XP leaps onto OLPC laptop
• "1-Watt" x86 processor powers pico-ITX board
• Webcast covers Windows Mobile development
• "Software-only" GPS supports WIndows
• Atom-based ECX board runs Windows
• $7 SoC runs Windows CE
• April XPe chat transcript available

news feed

Home | News | About | Contact

Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2008 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited.