Intel 3D Tri-Gate Transistor Design Wins Annual Scientific Innovation Award

The Wall Street Journal recently announced the 2011 "Technology Innovation Award". Intel's 3-D Tri-Gate Transistor Design won the Semiconductor Category Innovation Award. Intel's 3-D tri-gate transistor structure represents a fundamental shift from the 2-D planar transistor structure. The key to this revolutionary result is that Intel is able to put new 3-D tri-gate transistor designs into mass production, opening another new era of Moore's Law, and opening the door to next-generation innovations of various types of equipment. .

The Wall Street Journal commented on this technology in its 2011 Technology Innovation Awards report: “Intel has won the top spot in the semiconductor category with its 3-D tri-gate transistor design. 3-D tri-gate transistors make manufacturing even smaller. Semiconductors have made it possible to increase performance while reducing energy consumption. The chip giant in Santa Clara, Calif., is expected to start production of the processor using this new technology at the end of the year, putting its first 3-D tri-gate transistor design into operation. Mass production. This technology will be used in Intel's next-generation Ivy Bridge, and devices using this chip are expected to be available next year."

3-D tri-gate transistors have revolutionized transistors. Traditional "flat" 2-D planar gates are replaced with ultra-thin, 3-D silicon fins erected vertically from a silicon substrate. Current control is achieved by mounting a gate on each of the three sides of the fin (one gate on each side and top) rather than having only one gate on top, as is the case with 2-D planar transistors. More control allows the transistor to pass as much current as possible in the "on" state (high performance), while in the "off" state it allows the current to be as close to zero (low power consumption) as possible, while still allowing Rapid switching between states (this is also to achieve high performance). Compared to previous 32-nanometer planar transistors, the 22-nanometer 3-D tri-gate transistor offers a 37% improvement in performance at low voltage, while the new transistor consumes less than half the charge to reach the 32-nm chip. The same performance as the 2-D planar transistor.

3-D tri-gate transistors will be used in Intel's next-generation 22-nanometer process technology.