IBM introduces 7-nm microchips
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029025
New York Times : Leading an international consortium, IBM has developed what will likely be the next generation of microchips. The superconductor industry had faced potential stagnation as the limits of advancements were reached on the current generation of 14-nm microchips and the upcoming 10-nm microchips. The size designation depends on the size of the transistors used on the chip. IBM’s 7-nm chips are still in the research stage, and much progress needs to be made before they are commercializable. The company was able to create 7-nm transistors on a functioning microchip by using silicon-germanium instead of pure silicon. According to IBM, the size of the transistors would allow the creation of microprocessors with more than 20 billion transistors each.
