Microchip breakthrough could keep Moore's law intact (again)

We're pretty certain we'll be hearing this same story each year, every year for the rest of eternity, but hey, not like we're kvetching over that or anything. Once again, we're hearing that mad scientists have developed a breakthrough that makes Mr. Moore look remarkably bright, as a new approach to chip making could carve features in silicon chips "that are many times smaller than the wavelength of the light used to make them." Reportedly, the new method "produces grids of parallel lines just 25-nanometers wide using light with a wavelength of 351-nanometers," although the grids aren't functional circuits just yet. If you're interested in more technobabble on the matter, head on down to the read link, but we'd recommend against if you're easily frightened by terms like "photolithographic" and "nanotechnology."

[lil_azn_luvr @ Jul 11th 2008 11:57AM]

are they gonna make nano chips now?

[MioTheGreat @ Jul 11th 2008 12:23PM]

They're already 'nanotech'. Current microelectronic devices have features less than 100nm in size, which is the generally accepted definition of nanotechnology.

[Tony Rayo @ Jul 11th 2008 12:31PM]

Beware of the Sons of the Patriot... SOP!

[ez054098 @ Jul 11th 2008 1:36PM]

Don't you watch Star Trek: TNG? If you start building nano technology then they will become sentient beings, build a complex society and destroy us! Do you really want that? Well do you?

[Viru @ Jul 11th 2008 11:57AM]

Same crap different name

[Christian Martin @ Jul 11th 2008 12:01PM]

That pic is irritating and headache-inducing. I didn't know you guys knew my ex wife.

[Towncivilian @ Jul 11th 2008 1:03PM]

This one is much worse.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7216/1182276335363ef3.gif

[otterpop78 @ Jul 12th 2008 4:50AM]

thanks for that linky Towncivilian its now my desktop wallpaper... lol... i likes it :)

[JRock @ Jul 11th 2008 1:59PM]

Great image Scant, stare at for 30 second and then look around for a neat bloom effect. If you are photosensitive avoid it.

[Rick @ Jul 11th 2008 12:01PM]

We are not mad scientists!

We are just pissed off that we couldn't get our new 3G iPhones activated today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[skant @ Jul 11th 2008 12:16PM]

Can't we go one post without being reminded it's July 11th?
ffs enough already. The technological world does not stand still in the face of Apple.

[Fingal @ Jul 11th 2008 12:08PM]

"kvetching" is my new "hella"

it makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

[ddub @ Jul 11th 2008 1:05PM]

Kvetching and hella don't mean the same thing. And I don't think anyone outside of NorCal uses the term hella.

[Reader @ Jul 11th 2008 1:20PM]

It made its way up to Oregon a bit ago.

[JW @ Jul 11th 2008 3:47PM]

Oh, it's in Kansas. Fo Sho.

[Fingal @ Jul 11th 2008 1:54PM]

No they don't mean the same thing. But I hate them the same.

And anyone who watches SouthPark might use Hella.

[EI8HT @ Jul 11th 2008 12:09PM]

did someone say nanotech???

i love ratchet & clank!!!

[Danakin @ Jul 11th 2008 12:10PM]

nice

great game too

[Rick @ Jul 11th 2008 12:14PM]

I think it looks like something Wallace & Gromit cooked up in the basement.

[Kimleng @ Jul 11th 2008 12:09PM]

Is this the UPC code on the back of the iphones? No wonder they can't get em activated.

[saintchuck @ Jul 11th 2008 12:10PM]

I thought Intel already has 25nm on their roadmap.

[Darren @ Jul 11th 2008 12:10PM]

This can only mean one thing: Faster, more powerful iPhones are on the horizon.

[Josh L @ Jul 11th 2008 12:15PM]

"Faster, more powerful iPhones (that we can't use because the totally unnecessary activation process is broken due to Apple's ineptitude) are on the horizon."

T,FIFY

[redgar @ Jul 11th 2008 12:20PM]

That is a nice seersucker pattern. Change the black a light khaki and I'll take that in a 42 long.

[BigTeebo @ Jul 11th 2008 12:21PM]

And uh, what does this have to do with the IPhone? AHH, next gen iPhones could be faster. Got it.

[Dillon @ Jul 11th 2008 12:40PM]

Not only does your comment fail, but somebody already posted it a few posts before you. Way to fail at failing, and no, that does not mean you won.

[Josh @ Jul 11th 2008 12:32PM]

This technology is going to be huge.

[Dillon @ Jul 11th 2008 12:38PM]

no, it's going to be small. Incredibly small actually ;)

[Jeff @ Jul 11th 2008 1:04PM]

i see what you did there. :)

[Eric @ Jul 11th 2008 12:33PM]

There are many ways to make simple grid structures that small, not really that impressive. Making logic patterns or interconnects that small is the problem.

[Faar @ Jul 12th 2008 10:22AM]

Yeah, it would appear they're using wave interference to achieve their results, I wonder how well that setup can be translated into actual microcircuits, as most structures on an IC do not consist of long, straight, parallel lines... ;)

[Tim @ Jul 11th 2008 12:34PM]

yeah, because "nanotechnology" is such a big, bad, scary word . . .

[Jeff @ Jul 11th 2008 1:05PM]

no kidding... is "photolithographic" really the scariest word they could find in the article?

Photo. Lithograph. aren't most people familiar with those terms? but when you COMBINE 'em.... watch out! scary business.

[Alex Padilla @ Jul 11th 2008 12:40PM]

Has anyone ever wondered if Moore's Law was created/theorized/hypothesized solely to keep the technology industry from being complacent? Even if not, it's done a good job at it anyway.

[GhettoBanjo @ Jul 11th 2008 12:43PM]

If any of you had morals, you would not support nanotechnology!





lolz

[nxtiak @ Jul 11th 2008 12:48PM]

I see Ryan Block's name in there. The Fraternity is coming after him!

[Chase @ Jul 11th 2008 1:13PM]

ya, your tech geek readers are REALLY frightened by the word "nanotechnology"... lol

[Wwhat @ Jul 11th 2008 1:21PM]

As a representative of nvidia I'd like to say we need bigger chips, not smaller, what's this hangup with small other companies have? It's ludicrous.

(Oh nm, realised I'm not from nvidia, I was just channelling)

[erislover @ Jul 11th 2008 3:30PM]

Ludicrous? From the photo, it looks halfway to plaid!

[Andrew Lazetera @ Jul 11th 2008 5:01PM]

Prepare ship, for ludicrous speed!

Ludicrous speed, GO!

[mmh @ Jul 11th 2008 3:14PM]

I was going to look for the apple-less-engadget link, but after seeing some of the comments on recent articles completely unrelated to apples... fuck it.

[Starchsky @ Jul 11th 2008 5:08PM]

I'm getting a nice moire on my monitor from that pic :)

[Cassini @ Jul 12th 2008 3:36AM]

How does this relate to the iPhone?

LOL, just jokin'...

[tomokazu.osada @ Jul 15th 2008 3:00AM]

does moore's law take in to account population or interest?

idea-bot 9000