Intel, the world's largest microprocessor manufacturer, has created test chips made using the 45nm fabrication process and expects to see processors, flash memory, and other products based on the technology available in the second half of 2007, according to director of process architecture and integration Mike Bohr.
The test chips are static SRAM modules containing 153 megabits of memory. By comparison, a chip similar in size made with a 130nm process in 2000 contained only 18 megabits. The nanometer measurement is a billionth of a meter, and refers to the size of features on the processor, such as transistors. By comparison, a human hair is between 60 and 90 microns, or millionths of a meter, in diameter.
By shrinking the transistors, energy consumption and production costs are reduced while higher performance yields are obtainable. While these are only test chips, it is an important indication that 45nm tech is still on track as forecasted.
News source: CNET News.com
The test chips are static SRAM modules containing 153 megabits of memory. By comparison, a chip similar in size made with a 130nm process in 2000 contained only 18 megabits. The nanometer measurement is a billionth of a meter, and refers to the size of features on the processor, such as transistors. By comparison, a human hair is between 60 and 90 microns, or millionths of a meter, in diameter.
By shrinking the transistors, energy consumption and production costs are reduced while higher performance yields are obtainable. While these are only test chips, it is an important indication that 45nm tech is still on track as forecasted.
News source: CNET News.com
Do you know why it is called nanotechnology? hehe
I think that is because the smaller chips require electrical signals to travel shorter distances, which means you can use lower the amperage, which in turn means smaller transistors and wires. Less heat because you are using less power and all power is converted to heat at some point. The shorter distances also allow singles to reach their destination more quickly; the speed of light is a big factor in someone as performance critical as a processor.
I'm sure its much more complex then that, but that is probably ruffly why smaller is better.
Another good thing aobut going to 45nm chips is that more chips can be made per silicon wafer, meaning less expensive chips (theoretically).
what happens after they pack several million transistors into a single nanometer? which, as i see it, is bound to happen in the next 10 years..
talk about a complete redesign of the computing world, which by that time we will be even more immersed into, making it that much harder to transition..
they will need to think of something in a more abstract way, since we'll already hit the limit in the physical realm.. either that, or invent atom-sized robots that perform the building tasks of these sub-atomic transistors.. even then, you'll still have the atoms as a limit.. we need to come up with something entirely different.. i can't wait!
But light certainly does seem to be what's going to happen (they'll figure a way to shrink it all). That means they'll put it everywhere - in all the cables and that. Actually, I'm surprised we don't already use optical IDE cables. It's not like much would need to change (unless I'm ignorant).
But that's all going to take a long time. Superconductivity is probably what we're going to see first... and damn that will be cool!
As to what good does 45nm do...
A) smaller components mean packing more "stuff" into a smaller space
B) probably lower manufacturing costs, once R&D is complete
C) potentially lower heat production and power consumption, which is always a plus
D) basically, smaller, faster, cooler chips that run on less juice than their predecessors.
Very cool stuff. Here's hoping AMD is right behind them.
Peace,
Pete Zaria.
YES I KNOW I LIVE IN A DESERT BUT THIS IS REEEEEEEEEEEEDICULOUS!
speeds have been stalled for a long time now..
LOL. ;-)
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