Intel 3d transistors

In Creating 3d transistors,intel has established a new way of manufacturing microchip circuits that could
have a dramatic impact on everything from handheld devices to data centers.
With 3d transistors, intel may finally be able to do battle in the smartphone
and tablet markets. intel claims that its new transistors can switch 37 percent faster than those made with
its existing 32nm process in chips that operate at low voltage, or 18 percent faster in chips that operate at high
voltage. Transistors switching at the same speed as those in the 32nm chips can operate at significantly lower
voltage, cutting power consumption in half. The change in manufacturing is expected to raise production costs by just 2 or 3 percent—a small price to pay for the dramatic im provement in performance.
The first products slated to reach the market using the
new technique will be intel’s “ivy Bridge” line (successor to Sandy Bridge), appearing first in laptops, desktops, and servers in early 2012.

It will take more time for the 22nm process, and its associated 3d-transistor technology, to show up in
intel’s low-power Atom CPu line and in system-onchips designed for smartphones and tablets.
Intel will use the 3d transistor structure on all chips it produces in its 22nm manufacturing process. The benefits should be considerable and the drawbacks minimal.

Other chip makers have been working on 3d gate structures, but they aren’t likely to bring them to market for
some time. Most of intel’s rivals aren’t expected to ship 22nm high-performance products until at least late
2012, and won’t use a 3d gate structure similar to intel’s until the next major manufacturing-process step
a couple of years later.