Intel made one its most significant technology announcements ever by stating it will base upcoming processors on 3D transistors.
The structure it has invented is called Tri-Gate and will be first used in chips manufactured using the 22-nanometer process, nicknamed Ivy Bridge.
Continuing along the path of Moore's Law would have been tough unless something changed dramatically, said Intel Senior Fellow Mark Bohr.
Instead of forming the conducting channel on a planar surface, it's on three sides of a 3D "fin." The key advantage comes from the gate wrapping around the fin, said Bohr.
The new structure allows Intel to manufacture smaller, faster, and lower-voltage chips and put them into even smaller devices.
In addition to the lower voltage, the chips will run with lower power leakage, which should improve both performance and energy efficiency.
The 22nm-based chips will bring a 37 percent power increase over Intel's current line of 32nm chips, according to Intel.
Tri-Gate transistors add 2 to 3 percent cost to the production of each wafer. To accommodate the new technology, Intel will be upgrading its factories throughout this year and into 2012.
What is 3D exactly?
Intel calls its new transistor structure generically 3D but technically it's a Tri-Gate transistor . The traditional flat two-dimensional "planar" gate is replaced with a thin three-dimensional silicon fin that rises up vertically from the silicon substrate.
What's a fin?
The gate wraps around the fin . The current is controlled by using a gate on each of the three sides of the fin--two on each side and one across the top--rather than just one on top, as is the case with the 2D planar transistor.'
Intel's explanation here is simple and clear: "The additional control enables as much transistor current flowing as possible when the transistor is in the 'on' state (for performance), and as close to zero as possible when it is in the 'off' state (to minimize power), and enables the transistor to switch very quickly between the two states (again, for performance)."
Why is this important?
It's necessary to sustain Moore's Law--doubling the number of transistors on a silicon device every two years. As device dimensions become prohibitively small, cramming in transistors in the traditional two-dimensional fashion becomes impossible. So, 3D or vertical transistors become necessary. And Intel isn't just talking about this theoretically, it's going to manufacture chips based on these transistors.
How soon will Intel use this technology?
Intel will quit making 2D transistors and move completely to 3D on Ivy Bridge. Ivy Bridge will go into commercial production at the end of this year and into large production volume in 2012.
What's the significance is 22 nanometer?
Ivy Bridge will use 22-nanometer technology versus the 32-nanometer tech currently used on Sandy Bridge. In addition to the merits of 3D transistors described above, moving to a smaller geometries generally results in faster, more power efficient processors.
Does this mean faster chips?
Of course. But also more power-efficient designs.
Intel's biggest challenge going forward isn't speed but power efficiency.
The 3D transistors enable chips to operate at lower voltage with lower leakage, providing both improved performance and energy efficiency compared to previous Intel chips.
