The technology of microchip manufacturing moves at a breakneck speed compared to almost everything else – just when the latest and greatest technology reaches our hands, the next best thing is already starting to come to life. This is exactly what has happened today with IBM announcing that a 7 nanometer chip has successfully been created (albeit in a test setting). If you’re not wowed by that statement alone, know that this has been a $3 billion effort by various companies including Global Foundries, Samsung and the SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering to further microchip technology. IBM says that these 7nm chips could be 50% better at power conservation and general performance which is obviously a big deal for the future of mobile devices.
Some consider 7nm to be the limit of silicon based chips so it’s going to be a period of exciting technological progress the next few years – you’ll probably start hearing about new materials being used in microchips including, for example, graphene and carbon nanotubes. Of course, while this is a huge deal in the chip manufacturing industry, we’re probably still several months, perhaps even years, away from seeing these chips in mobile devices we can hold and touch, but it really puts into perspective just how quickly technology moves while we’re going about our lives.
What do you think about the creation of a 7 nanometer chip? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
