11-04 :: April/May 2011

nanotimes Companies

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for performance). The 3-D Tri-Gate transistor will be implemented in the company‘s upcoming manufac- turing process, called the 22nm node, in reference to the size of individual transistor features. More than 6 million 22nm Tri-Gate transistors could fit in the pe- riod at the end of this sentence. Ivy Bridge is slated for high-volume production readiness by the end of this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIkMaQJSyP8 http://www.intel.com

Cover top: A “before” picture, showing 32nm transistors with the source, drain and channel (the latter covered by the gate) all in the same plane. © Intel

Cover bottom: An illustration of a 32nm transistor compared to a 22nm transistor. On the left side is the 32nm planar transistor in which the current (represented by the yellow dots) flows in a plane underneath the gate. On the right is the 22nm 3-D Tri-Gate transistor with current flowing on 3 sides of a vertical fin. © Intel