> logic technology can extend for the first time below the 1 nm node, advancing the era of angstrom-level scaling, where dimensions approach the size of individual atoms. While transistor nodes now refer to a generation of manufacturing technology versus an exact physical dimension, IBM’s 0.7 nm technology—also referred to as 7 angstroms—demonstrates how continued scaling remains possible.
Continuing the well established trend of making bold claims about physical dimensions that have nothing to do with any of the structures in the chip, and the name scales better than the tech.
What they actually deliver is a "nanostack architecture" built with ~5nm features that according to them is comparable to a hypothetical real sub-1nm chip.
It's an impressive achievement nonetheless but it looks like the industry has a few too many marketers.
pseudosavant 5 minutes ago [-]
My read on it was that they are trying to imply a transistor density (in a 2D plane sense) that is comparable to a 1nm process? But they achieve that through stacking (3D, not 2D) since the features aren't actually anywhere near 1nm?
roflmaostc 1 minutes ago [-]
yeah, where on the pictures is the 0.7nm feature?
The linespacing is around 5nm. Is it the white line which is 0.7nm?
cyanydeez 23 minutes ago [-]
On the otherhand, no investor really cares what it's called, they just need to know it's next gen.
22 minutes ago [-]
petcat 30 minutes ago [-]
> IBM and its partners conduct this work at a leading semiconductor research facility in Albany, New York, which will soon be home to a High Numerical Aperture Extreme Ultraviolet (High NA EUV) lithography tool, essential for the future of logic scaling. Developed by ASML, this technology enables ultra‑precise circuit printing, supporting the creation of smaller, more powerful chips.
I'm guessing that this is the technology that is developed by Cymer (ASML subsidiary) in California, correct? Is there competing technology? I know xLight is trying to make some inroads on their own version of this EUV tech. I have not heard about any progress though.
How does IBM commercialize this? Do they license this out to fabs?
drob518 2 minutes ago [-]
I’m sure they will license it. It’s better for them if everyone in the industry can innovate on everything around it. All the process tech companies will make it more cost effective, for instance, which helps IBM as well.
wmf 41 minutes ago [-]
They licensed 2 nm to Rapidus so yes.
WaxProlix 46 minutes ago [-]
Sit on a patent and try to scrape earnings from others, maybe? That is, license or litigate.
evanjrowley 28 minutes ago [-]
boost sales for their systems division, POWER CPUs, mainframes, maybe Quantum stuff
TallGuyShort 1 minutes ago [-]
I always feel like I'm not quite getting quantum stuff no matter how much I read and learn: what does this advancement have to do with quantum computers?
ginko 48 minutes ago [-]
IBM regularly announces silicon breakthroughs like this but I'm not aware of those ever becoming products. Is IBM mainly in the business of licensing their technology to big silicon manufacturers with stuff like this? Is it just marketing for their consulting business?
vessenes 46 minutes ago [-]
My understanding is they are largely an IP business. That said this release mentioned an ASML machine on prem, so?
ijidak 32 minutes ago [-]
IBM's contributions to computing hardware and software are incalculable.
So many breakthroughs in hard drives, chips, transistor density, and other aspects of computing have come out of their labs.
Great to see them continuing to innovate.
But, yeah, usually they partner and license. Over the years, they've spun off more and more of their hardware businesses.
AnimalMuppet 32 minutes ago [-]
I believe that IBM makes the chips for their Z Series mainframes. I mean, that's low volume production, but they need small feature size.
nradov 17 minutes ago [-]
IBM Z series mainframe Telum CPUs are designed by IBM but manufactured by Samsung. IBM no longer owns any fabs. I assume they have some kind of technology licensing deal.
For anyone who needs it, a friendly reminder that CPU nm marketing is a complete fabrication and the physical size of transistors has zero relation to the marketing claims. These are not, in fact, physically sub 1 nm, despite the bombastic claims.
wmf 4 minutes ago [-]
The marketing nm better represent the density and performance of the transistors than the actual feature size, especially in this case.
micw 18 minutes ago [-]
So the title should be corrected. The did not debut sub nm chips at all.
mxuribe 35 minutes ago [-]
A little bit of a nitpick, but wouldn't that be a picometer instead of angstrom node? Like, isn't a "pico-" the next magnitude smaller than "nano-", or am i wrong?
Otherwise, that chip tech sounds really awesome - at least for the future!
saulpw 20 minutes ago [-]
There are 3 orders of magnitude between nano (^-9) and pico (^-12). An Angstrom is ^-10m.
mxuribe 12 minutes ago [-]
Aaahhh, ok, thanks!
applfanboysbgon 4 minutes ago [-]
You had the right idea. Angstroms are not an SI unit. The SI units jump by three orders of magnitude at this scale: picometer, nanometer, micrometer, millimeter.
(In the same way that meter jumps three orders of magnitude to kilometer[1], or millions to billions to trillions, etc.)
[1] Technically there are intermediate SI units between meter and km but nobody typically uses them. There are not intermediate SI units between the tiny ones.
Rendered at 17:56:16 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) with Vercel.
Continuing the well established trend of making bold claims about physical dimensions that have nothing to do with any of the structures in the chip, and the name scales better than the tech.
What they actually deliver is a "nanostack architecture" built with ~5nm features that according to them is comparable to a hypothetical real sub-1nm chip.
It's an impressive achievement nonetheless but it looks like the industry has a few too many marketers.
I'm guessing that this is the technology that is developed by Cymer (ASML subsidiary) in California, correct? Is there competing technology? I know xLight is trying to make some inroads on their own version of this EUV tech. I have not heard about any progress though.
Cymer builds the EUV light source.
So many breakthroughs in hard drives, chips, transistor density, and other aspects of computing have come out of their labs.
Great to see them continuing to innovate.
But, yeah, usually they partner and license. Over the years, they've spun off more and more of their hardware businesses.
https://www.ibm.com/products/z/telum
Otherwise, that chip tech sounds really awesome - at least for the future!
(In the same way that meter jumps three orders of magnitude to kilometer[1], or millions to billions to trillions, etc.)
[1] Technically there are intermediate SI units between meter and km but nobody typically uses them. There are not intermediate SI units between the tiny ones.