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Intel Reinvents Transistors Using New 3-D Structure

newsroom.intel.com

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Re: Intel Reinvents Transistors Using New 3-D Structure

#12
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Clock speed is just another metric, not the most important one. You also have chips that do several operations per clock cycle, low power consumption chips, chips that do parallel processing. All these factors affect performance as well.

Not to mention branch prediction, out-of-order execution, etc...

The last two comments are true for CPUs, but I think they are only talking about transistor switching speed.

Re: Intel Reinvents Transistors Using New 3-D Structure

#13
post #4

I liked Engadget's coverage of the release http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/04/intel-will-mass-produce-2... I'm a sucker for videos. This Tri-Gate tech was first announced in 2002, I love seeing pie in the sky technology come into reality and widespread usage.

the videos are at the same time incredibly good and incredibly bad, thanks :)

Re: Intel Reinvents Transistors Using New 3-D Structure

#14
From what I've heard, using 50% as much power for the same performance as the previous generation still will not be sufficient to bring Intel's Atom performance/energy consumption ratio to that offered by ARM chips. However, it's a huge leap in the right direction. Add better-designed power-saving features on the next generation of Atom chips, and future process shrinkages, and it's easy to see ARM's lead getting chipped away until it's gone.

Re: Intel Reinvents Transistors Using New 3-D Structure

#16

"the world's first 3-D transistors, called Tri-Gate, in a production technology" I wonder if this is truly Intel's invention or not: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=tri+gate+trans...

There's an enormous difference between writing a paper on a design and prepping up to produce them at Intel's scale. Even if they didn't invent the object, they invented the processes to make it a reality outside of a lab.

Re: Intel Reinvents Transistors Using New 3-D Structure

#17
This Intel R&D paper sums the technology up and has a picture that makes it clear what they are doing: http://www.intel.com/technology/silicon/integrated_cmos.htm

In a nutshell, the drain/source is a tall trace, the gate approaches from the side and climbs over the drain/source, covering it on three sides.

Re: Intel Reinvents Transistors Using New 3-D Structure

#20

From what I've heard, using 50% as much power for the same performance as the previous generation still will not be sufficient to bring Intel's Atom performance/energy consumption ratio to that offered by ARM chips. However, it's a huge leap in the right direction. Add better-designed power-saving features on the next generation of Atom chips, and future process shrinkages, and it's easy to see ARM's lead getting chi…

Atom is 2 generations behind in the manufacturing process compared to this. They'll barely start making them at 32 nm next year, and that will last for another 2 years.
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