Intel Makes 3-D Transistors Reality
<p>May 04, 2011 05:50 PM
 
Devices built on the <b>tri-gate transistors will have lower active state power consumption, lower off-state power consumption, and higher performance.</b> Intel can design devices to maximize any of these three parameters, giving the new process applicability from the fastest server chips to the most power-conscious personal device chips.
 
Intel is applying this new design to <b>all devices</b> manufactured on its <b>new 22-nm fabrication process</b>. Currently, Intel primarily uses 32- and 45-nm fabrication processes for most chips it produces. Intel competitors are also moving to 22 nm and are talking about their own 3-D transistor designs, but those types of chips are not planned for production until the competitors reach a 14-nm manufacturing process sometime in 2013 or 2014.
 
the concept<b> 3-D of transistors is over a decade old, originally bearing the name finFET,</b> referring to the <b>fin-like vertical design component of classic field effect transistors</b>. What's important about Intel's announcement is that it has made the manufacturing of these transistors commercially viable, which Intel claims adds just 2% to 3% to the cost of manufacturing 22-nm devices while resulting in performance improvements as great as<b> 37% or active power savings of up to 50% versus the company's current 32-nm device</b>s
 
The battle lines are being drawn there as ARM has announced <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/storage/systems/229000922">partnerships with IBM</a> to move to its own 14-nm processor, and currently works with IBM for production of 32- and 28-nm chips
 
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