IBM Is Back To Forefront Of Research

Today, IBM announced it has successfully created a 2-nanometer manufacturing process. The most advanced process currently, is 5-nanometer, but most foundries are still using 7 and 10 nanometer processes.

A chip using the 2-nanometer process, will have 50 billion transistors. This translates into 45% performance and 75% lower energy consumption, over the existing 7-nanometer process.

IBM, once a research giant, experienced a massive decline with the arrival of the PC, but it's been recently trying to remake itself. IBM does not run a foundry, so it's expected to license the process to other companies. Chips using the new process, could be on the market as early as 2024.

The Biden administration is proposing investing $50B to grow US chip R&D and manufacturing.

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DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

Yeah but who are they likely to license it to..... 😔

Sure not anywhere in the US there's only one foundry in the US and that's Intel.

They never were at the best of terms, to put it politely.

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DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Northwest [big][b]IF![/b][/big]

As much as I would like it to happen, I don't see how that would go through congress. 😔

These bills are going to get reduced. That will probably be the first to go.

Northwest · M

@DeWayfarer Currently, our entire commercial supply of the most advanced CPUs, and memory chips, comes from TSMC (Taiwan) and Samsung (South Korea). Even a minor issue with China, KJU or both, can disrupt this. What's protecting us from political maneuvering, for now, is that China is just as reliant on TSMC as we are.

Congress needs to realize that this is an emergency situation.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Northwest oh I totally agree. Still don't see it happening. Even the majority is at stake on this bill though. Forget about any Republican support.

It's going to get reduced. 😔

checkoutanytime · M

IBM used to be cool, but it failed Vermont horribly

Northwest · M

@checkoutanytime The IBM Vermont factory, was sold to a California company, and there were no layoffs that I know of. GlobalFoundries continues to invest in that plant.

canusernamebemyusername · M

2nm? Shitttt that's small!

Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M

So, why can't there be larger rapid prototype circuits?

Northwest · M

@Tastyfrzz [quote]So, why can't there be larger rapid prototype circuits?[/quote]

That's what they have now. At this stage, yield should be less than 1%. Before the process can go mainstream, it should be 99.99%, and that's part of developing the proper manufacturing process. It takes about 8 quarters to get there.

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