IBM manufactures the world's first '2nm process chip', 45% performance improvement & 75% reduction in power consumption compared to 7nm



IBM , a major computer-related company in the United States, announced on May 6, 2021 that it used its nanosheet technology to manufacture the world's first 2nm process chip. The development of 2nm process chips is important for the semiconductor field, and is expected to have a significant impact on computers, communication devices, space development, and so on.

IBM Unveils World's First 2 Nanometer Chip Technology, Opening a New Frontier for Semiconductors
https://newsroom.ibm.com/2021-05-06-IBM-Unveils-Worlds-First-2-Nanometer-Chip-Technology,-Opening-a-New-Frontier-for-Semiconductors

IBM Creates First 2nm Chip
https://www.anandtech.com/show/16656/ibm-creates-first-2nm-chip

IBM Unveils 2-Nanometer Chip Process, But Actual Products Are Still Years Away | PCMag
https://www.pcmag.com/news/ibm-unveils-2-nanometer-chip-process-but-actual-products-are-still-years

In an era where cloud, AI and IoT are important, the demand for improved chip performance and energy efficiency continues to grow. However, in recent years, Moore's law, which is a rule of thumb that 'the integration density of semiconductors doubles every two years,' has been overshadowed, and in 2017, the chairman of semiconductor giant TSMC said, 'Moore's law is no longer available.' Is not valid. '

Meanwhile, IBM, which succeeded in manufacturing 5nm process chips in 2017, announced that it has manufactured a new 2nm process chip. You can see the 2nm process chip developed by IBM in the following movie.

IBM Unveils World's First 2 Nanometer Chip Technology-YouTube


Semiconductors play a central role in computing ...



It is an important component in various fields such as electrical appliances, smartphones, and transportation systems.



The more transistors on the chip, the more calculations can be performed with the same power.



Innumerable transistors are lined up on the silicon wafer, and it is like a 'high-tech cookie sheet'.



IBM has succeeded in developing the world's first 2nm process chip based on the technology that created the 5nm process chip four years ago in 2017.



Transistors manufactured by the 2nm process are said to be smaller than DNA strands.



IBM manufactured the 2nm process chip at its semiconductor research facility

in Albany, NY.



With the success of the 2nm process chip, it seems that it has become possible to fit as many as 50 billion transistors on a fingernail size (150 square mm) wafer, and the transistor density is 333 million transistors per square mm. ..



Due to the improved integration density of semiconductors, 2nm process chips have various advantages over past chips.



For example, 2nm process chips are expected to perform 45% better than 7nm process chips ...



Energy consumption in processors of the same performance is projected to be reduced by as much as 75%. As a result, the battery life of smartphones and other devices may be extended four times.



In addition to reducing carbon dioxide emissions in data centers and improving application, language translation, and Internet access by accelerating laptop functions, there are also potential benefits such as object detection and reaction time improvements for self-driving cars. That's right.



This breakthrough will help accelerate advances in AI, 5G, autonomous systems, and space exploration.



It is said that the development of the 2nm process chip was carried out by making use of the legacy that IBM has accumulated in the development of the 5nm process and the 7nm process.



Mukesh Khare, IBM's vice president of hybrid cloud, commented that IBM itself will not manufacture 2nm process chips, but will use partner companies, including Samsung, to manufacture processors. In the next three years, IBM plans to improve the 2nm process and fix potential defects, 'it will take a lot of effort from here to manufacturing,' Khare said.



It is clear that not only IBM is embarking on the development of the 2nm process, but TSMC is also proceeding with the research and development of the 2nm process.

TSMC's next-generation 5nm process & 3nm process is scheduled to start mass production in 2022, and 2nm process is also under research and development --GIGAZINE



in Hardware, Posted by log1h_ik