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IBM Demonstrates High-k/Metal Gate Chips

Posted by kdawson on from the faster-and-thriftier dept.

Last summer we discussed twin announcements from Intel and IBM/AMD about a new chip manufacturing technology dubbed high-k/metal gate. Intel is using the tech to improve speed and power consumption in its 45-nm chips. IBM, along with its manufacturing partners, just demonstrated chips it says show that high-k/metal gate technology at 32 nm can result in performance gains up to 30% and power savings up to 50%, compared to 45-nm process. IBM plans to be manufacturing 32 nm parts by the end of 2009. (AMD is not using high-k/metal gate yet, but it has access to the technology by virtue of its agreements with IBM.)

6 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. M is for MOSFET by IorDMUX · · Score: 4, Informative

    I know that I've posted about this before, but...
    Huzzah! For the first time in 25 years, the name MOSFET ( Metal -Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) will correctly describe the device that goes by that name!

    (For those confused as to my jubilation, highly doped polysilicon replaced metal gates over 25 years ago. As a result most MOSFETS haven't actually had metal in them since.)

    --
    >> Standing on head makes smile of frown, but rest of face also upside down.
    1. Re:M is for MOSFET by Cyclon · · Score: 5, Informative

      Huzzah! For the first time in 25 years, the name MOSFET ( Metal -Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) will correctly describe the device that goes by that name!

      Sort of. The gate is still mostly poly, with a relatively thin metal layer below it. Also, the devices use a high-k material like HfO2 for the dielectric, with a thin silicon oxynitride mobility enhancement layer. There's a decent overview at Semiconductor International

  2. Barbie sez, math iz hard! by pla · · Score: 5, Informative

    high-k/metal gate technology at 32 nm can result in performance gains up to 30% and power savings up to 50%, compared to 45-nm process.

    Really revolutionary announcement there...

    Power consumption scales with the square of gate size. (32*32)/(45*45) = 0.51, or 50%.

    Clock speed scales linearly with gate size. 32/45 = 0.71, or 29%.


    Not to minimize the fact that these gates reduce leakage enough to actually get those gains, but the drop in gate size alone (all other factors equal) would give the same numbers.

    1. Re:Barbie sez, math iz hard! by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Informative

      Not to minimize the fact that these gates reduce leakage enough to actually get those gains, but the drop in gate size alone (all other factors equal) would give the same numbers.

      Yeah, but that's a pretty big freaking deal. Leakage current has come to dominate (or at least become a factor as significant as switching current), and is actually increasing as the technology shrinks. Going to 32nm, without paying a penalty in increased leakage, is quite an accomplishment.

      Or put another way, all other factors being equal (including the dielectric), a drop in gate size alone would not result in the same numbers.

      I know you said you aren't trying to minimize their accomplishment, but by saying it simply follows a basic equation when that equation has been failing for the past few generations (because it's not correct at these scales), you're doing just that.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
  3. Re:Yeah... by andreyvul · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's not germanium arsenide, it's Gallium (III) Arsenide: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GaAs
    On the plus side, this means that solar-powered chips (i.e. transistor and photovoltaic cell on same die) will eventually exist.

    --
    proud caffeine whore
  4. Re:Yeah... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Absolute bollocks. Si-Ge is used all over the place. Germanium was used for the first diodes and transistors. It is an abundant element.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanium
    Learn something before spouting nonsense out of your dicksucker.