Intel's new
45nm processor codenamed Penryn allows the chipmaker to take on
some fundamental challenges that the semiconductor industry is
facing on its road to ever smaller chips, but it is just a small
step in the overall redesign required for super small chips.
Intel has found a new way to cut transistor leakage by swapping out
some of the materials that its uses to construct the devices. The
main benefit of this approach lies in the fact that the use of
these so-called High-k and metal gate transistors allows the
chipmaker to maintain its current transistor design and keep using
current production techniques.
Current generation technologies using silicon dioxide had reached
their limits and couldn't be deployed in smaller chips without
drasitcally increasing leakage. Especially the High-k technique
allows Intel to keep using existing manufacturing and design
techniques for several generations of semiconductors.
"This is significant, just like a lot of things that we see
happening at the 45nm scale. It's one of the steps required to
drastically change the way that we manufacture semiconductors,"
said Jim McGregor, a director with analyst firm Instat who covers chip
designs.
Semiconductor researchers have discussed both techniques for years
now, but so far nobody has been able to demonstrate any working
chips. Intel on Friday unveiled early production units of its
High-k and metal gate chips and is preparing to start shipping them
in volume later this year.
An ideal transistor is able to completely block the electric
current traveling through its components. But in practice current
slips by components that are designed to block these flows. This
process is known as leakage. It shortens battery life in notebook
computers and causes enterprise servers to produce more heat. As
chip components continue to shrink in size, leakage has become an
increasing issue.
Chip developers such as AMD and IBM are relying on more expensive
production techniques such as Silicon on Insulator (SOI) and are
planning to switch to so-called immersion lithography for their
45nm chips. But Intel's ability to stick to its current production
process ensures a low cost and efficient transition.
Independent industry analyst Rob Enderle typified the
announcement as "an advancement that allows you to extend a process
that would otherwise be obsolete."
"It allows Intel to bring something to market that otherwise
probably wouldn't have shown up until next year," Endrerle told
vnunet.com.
