IBM and Samsung present a new method of manufacturing chips that will reduce consumption by up to 85%

IBM and Samsung announced their new chip-making method with VTFETs (Vertically Transported Field Effect Transistors) that allows current between transistors to flow not only horizontally, but also vertically, helping to place more transistors expanding upward instead. sideways as is done today, thus significantly increasing the transistor density and energy efficiency of chips manufactured using this method.

As explained by the companies during the announcement of this technology, chips made with VTFET will offer “twice the performance or an 85% reduction in energy used” compared to a chip manufactured by FINFET, which is a very big improvement for just change the process. They also assure that this technology will allow to continue with the advances predicted by Moore’s Law, which many assured that little by little it was dying, so it could become a notable advance towards the next generations of chips that we will see at the end of this decade. .

Among the possible uses of the technology, IBM includes SOCs for smartphones that allow a battery life of one week, reductions of energy use in equipment for mining and data encryption, much more powerful IoT chips, and even chips for spacecraft, for example. what the possibilities are enormous.

Unfortunately there is still no estimate on when we could see the first chips made with VTFET transistors, so it is unknown when we can enjoy these improvements that technology provides. Knowing that we only now have some prototypes and the next step is to prepare the process for mass production with reliable quality, it will surely take at least 5 years to see chips on the market with this process, although it is good to know that these companies are already thinking of solutions for when the transistors can no longer be made smaller and new methods must be used to add more transistors per chip.

What do you think about IBM and Samsung VTFET transistors? What type of chips do you think will see the greatest benefits from their use?

Source: The Verge