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Intel Makes 45nm Chip

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the it-is-wafer-thin dept.

dolphinlover writes "Intel announced today that it created its first microchip using the 45 nanometer manufacturing process that it says will go into its processors in the second half of 2007. Intel said that this development provides it with a 'considerable lead over our competitors in the 45-nanometer generation'."

6 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. Why do they always screw up Moores Law by rminsk · · Score: 5, Informative
    The new chip makes good on Moore's Law, an industry maxim set forth by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore that stipulates the number of transistors on a chip -- and therefore its processing power -- doubles roughly every 18 months to two years.
    Who added the "and therefore its processing power" to the quote? Was it the reporter or someone from Intel? Moores law has nothing to do with processing power.
  2. Re:Says You by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 5, Informative

    AMD has a co-development agreement with IBM and is planning to introduce 45nm parts in 2008.

  3. Re:Says You by uujjj · · Score: 5, Informative

    AMD is nearly a full year behind Intel rolling out 65nm. Intel began volume production at 65nm last summer; AMD will be ramping up in the middle of this year.

    While the parent may be joking, down below you'll find a lot of posts from AMD fanboys insisting that AMD must somehow be ahead. These fanboys are as clueless as the average tech magazine reporter. You can be quite certain that AMD will not be ramping up 45nm before Intel.

  4. Re:What about AMDs 45nm??? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Informative
    Wow, the AMD fanboys are out in force tonight. From this source, which is three months old and so relatively recent:
    • AMD's new fab, Fab 36, supports 300mm wafers (like Intels have for some time).
    • It uses a 90nm process (Intel and IBM have been on 65nm for some time).
    • It will transition to 65nm by the end of 2006.
    • It will use 45nm and 32nm processes by the end of the decade.
    It doesn't really sound like Intel is playing catch-up here.
    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  5. Re:Aren't we getting close to the Theoretical Limi by uujjj · · Score: 5, Informative

    molecule? This is a crystal we are talking about, so the entire wafer is a "molecule". An atom of Si is about .3nm across.

  6. Re:Says You by georgewilliamherbert · · Score: 5, Informative
    Silicon On Insulator; see the silicon on insulator wikipedia entry for a high level summary, or google the phrase for more details.

    Basically, instead of a solid slab of silicon on which you fab chip components, you put a solid slab of an insulator (sapphire / alumina for example; see silicon on sapphire wikipedia entry) down and then an insulating silicon oxide layer, and then a thin layer of silicon on which you fab the parts. Since what's under the parts is insulator, rather than more semiconductor, it reduces the energy of switching and reduces the time to switch a transistor. Also reduces radiation effects on the semiconductor and other good stuff.