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IBM says it has made working versions of 7nm chips

nytimes.com

21–30 of 129 posts

Re: IBM says it has made working versions of 7nm chips

#22

Wow, 7 nanometer is incredible! I wonder how small they can get silicon / silicon-germanium based chips before we have to resort to other techniques such as light processors (since light can be closer and even cross each other without issue). 10 nanometers that they're introducing next year is also incredible, at least to me since I'm not a hardware engineer and can't imagine how difficult manufacturing these are.

This should answer your question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtI5wRyHpTg

Interesting, thanks!

Re: IBM says it has made working versions of 7nm chips

#24
post #6
post #4

No mention of Intel anywhere in the article and how far along they are. Also 7nm blows my mind. I mean current CPUs already blow my mind with how tiny the transistors are getting. And specially stabilized buildings? "NOBODY MOVE! WE'RE ETCHING!"

Actually Intel was mentioned and its struggle with the 14 mm node.

I think you're off by a factor 1000000 ;-)

Re: IBM says it has made working versions of 7nm chips

#25
post #4

No mention of Intel anywhere in the article and how far along they are. Also 7nm blows my mind. I mean current CPUs already blow my mind with how tiny the transistors are getting. And specially stabilized buildings? "NOBODY MOVE! WE'RE ETCHING!"

I had a tour of AMD's Dresden fab several years ago, it was literally a building inside a building, with the inner building mounted on shock absorbers to isolate it from vibrations. IIRC the manufacturing chain was entirely automated - silicon in, chips out.

That was several generations ago, I'm looking forward to seeing what is required to manufacture with high yield at 7nm!

Re: IBM says it has made working versions of 7nm chips

#26

Great talk that describes how modern (as of 2011) computer chips are manufactured: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGFhc8R_uO4

excellent talk. here is another SA article 'the first nano-chips' : http://community.nsee.us/courses/376-0_nanomaterials_sp04/na...

Re: IBM says it has made working versions of 7nm chips

#29
post #4

No mention of Intel anywhere in the article and how far along they are. Also 7nm blows my mind. I mean current CPUs already blow my mind with how tiny the transistors are getting. And specially stabilized buildings? "NOBODY MOVE! WE'RE ETCHING!"

I had a tour of AMD's Dresden fab several years ago, it was literally a building inside a building, with the inner building mounted on shock absorbers to isolate it from vibrations. IIRC the manufacturing chain was entirely automated - silicon in, chips out. That was several generations ago, I'm looking forward to seeing what is required to manufacture with high yield at 7nm!

Is it possible for general members of the public to arrange tours of microprocessor fabs anywhere?

Re: IBM says it has made working versions of 7nm chips

#30

Wow, 7 nanometer is incredible! I wonder how small they can get silicon / silicon-germanium based chips before we have to resort to other techniques such as light processors (since light can be closer and even cross each other without issue). 10 nanometers that they're introducing next year is also incredible, at least to me since I'm not a hardware engineer and can't imagine how difficult manufacturing these are.

This should answer your question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtI5wRyHpTg

Really great video.
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