World's first 45nm microchip tested by Intel

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dipdude

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Intel has become the first company to produce a working chip fabricated at 45nm.

Intel said that the fingernail-sized static 153-Mbit RAM chip is etched with 1 billion transistors that are only 45 nanometers wide, about 1,000 times smaller than a red blood cell. The chip measure's about 119mm².

It will pack about two times as many transistors per unit area and use less power. It will help future products and platforms deliver improved performance. The chip would help usher in the era of quad-core processing.

The test chip, completed earlier this month, uses the same circuitry that Intel will put into production when it begins 45-nanometer manufacturing, scheduled for the second half of 2007.

Intel calls its 45nm process P1266, and it's currently in development at the company's Hillsboro, Oregon facility.

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.

Advantages :
  • Provides the capability to design new processors that have twice the transistor density possible in the company's current 65-nanometer technology, as well as provide a 20% increase in transistor switching speed.
  • Promises to use less power and generate less heat while delivering greater performance than current chips and help usher in the era of quad-core processing.
  • 45nm chips require 30 per cent less transistor switching power than 65nm parts do.
  • P1266 will deliver a 5x reduction in transistor leakage over its P1264 65nm process, which is just coming on stream.
  • The size reduction also cuts chip manufacturing costs, however, which can offset the billions of dollars it takes to develop new processes and construct or re-outfit manufacturing plants.

Competition :
  • AMD wins more than 21% of the x86 market in the fourth quarter as Intel touts its ability to advance chip design to new levels.
  • AMD remains about a year behind Intel in terms of bringing new processor manufacturing nodes to market.
  • AMD continues to manufacture its processors at 90-nanometers and does not expect its first 65-nanometer devices until late this year.
 
If our red blood cells were 1000 times larger than 119mm square, imagine what would happen. :D
I believe there is a goof somewhere about the unit of dimension.
 
Emil said:
If our red blood cells were 1000 times larger than 119mm square, imagine what would happen. :D
I believe there is a goof somewhere about the unit of dimension.
Click to expand...
I am afraid to send this one. My last post was sent once but has appeared 10 times. Mods please take care of this above.
Emil : Looking into it would respond or take appropriate action asap.
Emil : The wording was wrong, it's the chip which is about 119mm² and the transistor at 45 nanometers wide, about 1,000 times smaller than a red blood cell. Thanks to your eagle eyes, i stand corrected :hap2:
 
Well Intel's 45nm and if its still leaking then they have a Presshot II in making :D. But Congrats to all those techies doing there job.
 
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