Intel managers here also said the 20-nm transistor proves that silicon ICs will be viable well into the so-called "nanotechnology" era. They said the development debunks the belief that silicon will run out of gas in the next 10 years or so.

In a paper presented this weekend at the Silicon Nanoelectronics Workshop in Kyoto, Japan, Intel described the 20-nm (gate-length) transistor, which researchers said is capable of 0.75-picosecond switching speeds--or 1.5 trillion switches per second. Previously, Intel claimed the unofficial world's record in silicon devices when the company announced last December the development of a 30-nm transistor capable of 0.85-ps switching speeds (see Dec. 11 story).

Intel's 20-nm transistor will form the building blocks in the company's "P1266" process technology, managers said. Slated to move into early production by 2007, the P1266 process technology is based on 45-nm (0.045-micron) design rules with transistor gate lengths of 20 nm. Circuits fabricated with the process will operate on a supply of 0.75 volt. Intel's transistor is also said to be the world's thinnest device yet, using a gate oxide measuring just 0.8-nm thick

The P1266 process will also enable the development of a 1-billion transistor microprocessor that runs at 20-GHz speeds, predicted Rob Willoner, market analyst for the Technology and Manufacturing Group at Intel. At present, Intel's fastest commercially available microprocessor--the Pentium 4--has 42-million transistors and operates at 1.7-GHz.

The Santa Clara chip giant has produced 20-nm transistors in the R&D laboratory, but that generation of device will not become a commercially viable building block for another six years, Willoner said.

"What we are announcing is the world's fastest silicon transistor. We are also pushing out Moore's Law until the end of the decade," said Willoner in an interview with SBN.

The Intel manager was referring to the popular axiom in the semiconductorbusiness--attributed to Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore--which says the number of transistors in integrated circuits doubles every 18 months due to device shrinks and other chip-processing technologies.

Pushing silicon envelop

The 20-nm transistor is significant for other reasons as well, according to Intel. It not only means that bulk silicon may be used beyond this decade, but it also shows that traditional silicon wafer substrates will be viable in the nanotechnology space, said Willoner. According to Intel, devices with minimum feature sizes of 30 nm or below fall into the nanotechnology realm.

But some industry experts have argued that silicon will run out of gas around the end of this decade, or soon after that timeframe. These experts say the end of silicon in solid-state electronics is prompting an urgent need for development of microscopic technologies such as nanotechnology, molecular electronics, and other exotic concepts.

But Willoner dismissed this notion, while also taking a swipe at one of the proponents of major changes in chip technology--IBM Corp. In April, IBM reported a breakthrough in future transistor technology with development of carbon "nanotubes" as a potential replacement for silicon circuits. IBM scientists said they believe the development could help clear the way for production of ICs once silicon become no longer capable of handling device shrinks in the next 10 to 20 years (see April 27 story).

Intel is not concerned, however. "The development of a 20-nm transistor based on silicon proves we don't have to move into exotic technologies like nanotubes," Willoner said. "IBM has even admitted that nanotubes won't be ready for another decade."

In the meantime, Intel plans to push the envelope of silicon technology. At present, the company's processors and other chip products are based on 0.18-micron design rules, but it is currently ramping up its 0.13-micron technology. The 0.13-micron technology is called P860.

By 2003, Intel plans to roll out its next process technology--dubbed P1262--which is based on 100-nm (0.10-micron) design rules and 50-nm transistor gate lengths.

The company is also planning to develop the 30-nm transistor described last December. Based on the "P1264" process technology, the 30-nm transistors will be produced with a process that uses 70-nm (0.07-micron) design rules.

While the P1266 process is due out in 2007, the company plans to push the envelope even further with another technology generation, called the P1268. This process technology will feature 35-nm (0.035-micron) design rules and 15-nm transistors, according to Intel research managers.

To achieve these advanced technology nodes, Intel reiterated its plans to migrate from conventional optical lithography tools to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology during this decade. Intel is a leading member of the U.S.-based Extreme Ultraviolet LLC consortium, which is working on prototype EUV systems. The consortium also includes Advanced Micro Devices, IBM, Infineon, Micron, Motorola, and U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories.