Posted on 07/14/2014 10:34:48 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
IBM has provided an outline of its plans to invest $3 billion over the next five years. It hopes the cash injected into its R&D activities will help it find ways to make chips even smaller and more efficient and research into practical alternative materials which will prove superior to silicon.
Big Blue has observed the diminishing returns in the process reduction of silicon chips over recent years and has now decided it needs to bet big on the task of finding a suitable successor. Tom Rosamilia, Senior Vice President of IBM Systems & Technology Group said "We really do see the clock ticking on silicon". Looking about five years ahead he said "As we get into the 7 nanometer timeframe, things really begin to taper off." He reasons that processors will become unreliable when shrunk any further.
A commentator outside of IBM thought that the firm has timed its decision well, "You might say this is not a good time to be in the silicon chip business, but it is a great time to be ready for the next thing. This is the next thing," said Richard Doherty, who works as a research director at The Envisioneering Group in Seaford, New York. Doherty reminded us that Silicon chips waste a lot of their input power as heat rather than for computing purposes and "Silicon-electron mobility is like moving through snow. You can't run as fast," he explained.
The focus of IBM's research into new chip materials is expected to be upon graphene and carbon nanotubes, initially . Using these new materials it hopes to make computer chips fast, efficient and powerful enough to offer similar processing power to the human brain within the same size constraints.
IBM is also looking to exit the chip fabrication business, preferring to work simply on the IP behind processor technology. A deal with Globalfoundries Inc is rumoured to be close to completion.
Samsung is developing its own processors for its phones and tablets.
Silicon Age is ending!
Does this mean that all of the millionaires and billionaires will move to Graphene Valley?
Onto the Diamond Age
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From the link in the article about a deal with Global Foundaries:
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"Silicon-electron mobility is like moving through snow. You can't run as fast," he said.
One substance IBM has already done some research on is graphene, a pure carbon through which IBM says electrons can move 10 times faster than in silicon. The company plans to invest more on research in this area.
The new chips would allow for faster computing processes that could lead to artificial intelligence and high power cognitive computing. The company hopes the investment will lead to technology that allows computer systems to emulate the brain's efficiency, size and power usage, it said.
Might be in the State of New York!
The R&D and manufacturing to be done entirely overseas no doubt.
Box 1. [THE BASICS] SPIN AND ITS USES
2007 article.
With the US having the Highest corp tax rates in the World,....very likely!
It takes decades for these type of technologies to fully develop and replace earlier stuff.
Processors may need some new material.
Silicon will work just fine for other IC products for decades to come IMO.
Silicon is here to stay.
It takes decades for these type of technologies to fully develop and replace earlier stuff.
.............
The article notes that IBM will be focused on graphene and carbon nano-tubes. Graphene has been a hot topic of research for 10-15 years. Carbon nano-tubes have been a hot topic of research for about 25 years.
Both have a myriad of uses. My favorite application is for use as semipermeable membranes in water desalination. They would make desalinized water cheap enough for agriculture.
R&D would be a tax deduction would it not? Be honest. The real reason why IBM will do all the R&D overseas is because the salaries are cheaper.
The R&D will likely be done in New York but since IBM is fabless they will work with a fab company. Not to mention most equipment for fabs are made in Europe..especially the lithography machines. What IBM wants is the lucrative patent rights.
Not likely. The US for all its faults still dominates the chip space for a reason. The intellect is here. Besides wages would be a very minor part of the RD..the cost goes into making the machines.
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