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Intel: Metal in Future Chips = Less Leakage (updated)

Posted by timothy on from the future-tech dept.

securitas writes "Intel is contemplating using metal instead of silicon in future chips for the 'transistor gate, which controls whether a transistor is on or off' and the 'dielectric, an insulating layer below the gate,' which are respectively made of silicon atoms and silicon dioxide. 'Millions of minuscule switches that make up silicon chips leak electricity when they're supposed to be shut off. To compensate, engineers have increased the current, driving up power consumption, decreasing battery life for portable devices and generating more heat.' AMD has also experimented with metal instead of silicon. By moving to metal AMD and Intel expect to reduce electricity leakage. More from AP via SeattlePI and the Miami Herald." Update: 11/05 15:25 GMT by T : Read on below for some information from Intel on why this is a good thing.

gManZboy writes "Following up on the Intel news that about using metal in chips -- here's an explanation from Shekhar Borkar (Intel Research Fellow) about why heat, power, and sub-threshold leakage, not transistor size, are the real challenges to Moore's law. Apparently, in order to make chips much faster, we're going to have to pump more electricity in then anything else in our houses -- and they'll soon be as hot as a nuclear reactor -- no, really."

9 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. Metal Implants? by telstar · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man, and here I thought silicon felt weird.

  2. Silicon? Leakage? by wickedj · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah, I hate it when my silicon breaks and creates leakage.

  3. Metal dielectric!? by CaptainAlbert · · Score: 4, Funny

    I have no trouble understanding a switch from poly to metal for gate connections... but a metal dielectric? That seems to run counter to common sense. The dielectric is, by definition, required to be an insulator, whereas metals, also by definition, conduct electricity rather well. What is this magic substance?

    I love this site sometimes - where else can you post completely clueless questions and be virtually guaranteed to get an intelligent response from at least two people with PhDs in semiconductor physics? :-)

    --
    These sigs are more interesting tha
    1. Re:Metal dielectric!? by kinnell · · Score: 2, Funny
      The dielectric is, by definition, required to be an insulator, whereas metals, also by definition, conduct electricity rather well

      Perhaps they are using some kind of unobtanium alloy with phlogiston repelant properties

      --
      If I seem short sighted, it is because I stand on the shoulders of midgets
  4. Time for change... by stm2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    to MetalValley!

    Now, instead of "experiment in silico", it would be "in metal" (??) or "in Fe|Au|Cu" :)

    --
    DNA in your Linux: DNALinux
  5. Re:Alien Technology? by SharpFang · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now how can you say that CPUs are based off of alien technology when Intel is making changes like this?

    They just caught a new flying saucer.

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    45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
  6. Isn't this old news? by wazzzup · · Score: 3, Funny

    I thought it was already established that silicon implants were prone to leakage.

    But switching to metal? Man, I'd hate to walk outside on a cold Montana morning in February with those.

    What's that? Silicone? They're not the same? Never mind. Carry on. Sorry.

    So you're telling me SOI is NOT a busty gal in an angora sweater?

  7. Re:Long Run 2 by gorilla · · Score: 1, Funny

    Obviously the idea is to make Intel's own implementation, so they can then go and sue Transmeta for infringing Intel's patents.

  8. Some explanations and thoughts by fredrikj · · Score: 2, Funny

    Would metal really be able to replace silicon? IANAEE, but...

    Wait, that only works on the law forums. Darn.