Technology is in take off mode and changing the world. In 1947 the first transistor transisted. It led to integrated circuits with a few transistors on a chip of silicon; then onto multimillion transistor devices. This process is not going to stop any time soon. This gives us the computer. Add in the laser and fibre optics to get a huge increase in Telecommunications. The speed and versatility are much greater. One of the spin offs is the Internet which started life as ARPANET then given to the world by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the United States Department of Defense. Since which time things have moved on. Herewith is commentary.
MakerBot
The MakerBot is a three dimensional printer which makes devices out of plastic. You want it; you make it. Easy peasy.
Talk's cheap for the disciples of Skype [ 21 April 2006 ]
If you have a computer and broadband Skype makes calls free to others on the Internet. It sounds good to me. It works well too. So well that EBay bought the company for an upfront payment of $US2.6 billion. Their sales were $US60 million last year and rising. eBay may have been over confident.Skype is the brain child of Niklas Zennstrom, a Swede. He and Friis created Kazaa, a peer to peer file sharing programme that helped millions to share their music. This annoyed the music firms and they got it made illegal. They moved on. Skype will make telephone firms redundant but the line providers will survive and prosper. His software writing is done in Estonia.
Skype Security
The security was pretty good too, unless there are back doors. This is very possible. The answer today in 2019 is go for WhatsApp.
Integrated Circuits
Put several transistors on a piece of silicon to make an IC, an integrated
circuit. How big are individual transistors? Small, far smaller than you can see
with the naked eye. They keep getting smaller. The criterion that is used to
judge integration is the spacing of each part. Some years ago one micron was
where it was. A micron is a millionth of a metre; much less than a hair's
breadth. Now the leading companies are getting nearer to one nanometre, one
thousandth of a micron. The technology is leading edge based one serious
research and development.
Perhaps the leading company in the field is the #Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company or TSMC. They have produced chips with 3 nanometre geometry using #X-Ray Lithography
X-Ray Lithography ex Wiki
X-ray lithography, is a process used in electronic industry to selectively remove parts of a thin film [ of silicon ]. It uses X-rays to transfer a geometric pattern from a mask to a light-sensitive chemical photoresist, or simply "resist," on the substrate. A series of chemical treatments then engraves the produced pattern into the material underneath the photoresist.Mechanisms
X-ray lithography originated as a candidate for next-generation lithography for the semiconductor industry[1], with batches of microprocessors successfully produced. Having short wavelengths (below 1 nm), X-rays overcome the diffraction limits of optical lithography, allowing smaller feature sizes. If the X-ray source isn't collimated, as with a synchrotron radiation, elementary collimating mirrors or diffractive lenses are used in the place of the refractive lenses used in optics. The X-rays illuminate a mask placed in proximity of a resist-coated wafer. The X-rays are broadband, typically from a compact synchrotron radiation source, allowing rapid exposure. Deep X-ray lithography (DXRL) uses yet shorter wavelengths on the order of 0.1 nm and modified procedures such as the LIGA process, to fabricate deep and even three-dimensional structures.The mask consists of an X-ray absorber, typically of gold or compounds of tantalum or tungsten, on a membrane that is transparent to X-rays, typically of silicon carbide or diamond. The pattern on the mask is written by direct-write electron beam lithography onto a resist that is developed by conventional semiconductor processes. The membrane can be stretched for overlay accuracy.
Most X-ray lithography demonstrations have been performed by copying with image fidelity (without magnification) on the line of fuzzy contrast as illustrated in the figure. However, with the increasing need for high resolution, X-ray lithography is now performed on what is called the "sweet spot", using local "demagnification by bias".[2][3] Dense structures are developed by multiple exposures with translation. The advantages of using 3x demagnification include, the mask is more easily fabricated, the mask to wafer gap is increased, and the contrast is higher. The technique is extensible to dense 15 nm prints.
X-rays generate secondary electrons as in the cases of extreme ultraviolet lithography and electron beam lithography. While the fine pattern definition is due principally to secondaries from Auger electrons with a short path length, the primary electrons will sensitize the resist over a larger region than the X-ray exposure. While this does not affect the pattern pitch resolution, which is determined by wavelength and gap, the image exposure contrast (max-min)/(max+min) is reduced because the pitch is on the order of the primary photo-electron range. The sidewall roughness and slopes are influenced by these secondary electrons as they can travel few micrometers in the area under the absorber, depending on exposure X-ray energy.[4] Several prints at about 30 nm have been published.[5]
Another manifestation of the photoelectron effect is exposure to X-ray generated electrons from thick gold films used for making daughter masks.[6] Simulations suggest that photoelectron generation from the gold substrate may affect dissolution rates.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSMC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSMC
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company ex Wiki
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Limited (TSMC; Chinese: 台灣積體電路製造股份有限公司; pinyin: Táiwān jī tǐ diànlù zhìzào gǔfèn yǒuxiàn gōngsī, also called Taiwan Semiconductor)[4][5] is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company. It is the world's most valuable semiconductor company,[6] the world's largest dedicated independent (pure-play) semiconductor foundry,[7] and one of Taiwan's largest companies,[8][9] with its headquarters and main operations located in the Hsinchu Science Park in Hsinchu. It is majority owned by foreign investors.[10]Founded in Taiwan in 1987 by Morris Chang, TSMC was the world's first dedicated semiconductor foundry and has long been the leading company in its field.[11][12] When Chang retired in 2018, after 31 years of TSMC leadership, Mark Liu became Chairman and C. C. Wei became Chief Executive.[13][14] It has been listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2330) since 1993; in 1997 it became the first Taiwanese company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TSM). Since 1994, TSMC has had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.4% in revenue and a CAGR of 16.1% in earnings.[15]
Most of the leading fabless semiconductor companies such as AMD, Apple, ARM, Broadcom, Marvell, MediaTek, and Nvidia, are customers of TSMC, as are emerging companies such as Allwinner Technology, HiSilicon, Spectra7, and Spreadtrum.[16] Leading programmable logic device companies Xilinx and previously Altera also make or made use of TSMC's foundry services.[17] Some integrated device manufacturers that have their own fabrication facilities, such as Intel, NXP, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments, outsource some of their production to TSMC.[18][19] At least one semiconductor company, LSI, re-sells TSMC wafers through its ASIC design services and design IP portfolio.
TSMC has a global capacity of about thirteen million 300 mm-equivalent wafers per year as of 2020, and makes chips for customers with process nodes from 2 micron to 5 nanometers. TSMC is the first foundry to provide 7 nanometer and 5 nanometer (used by the 2020 Apple A14 and M1 SoC) production capabilities, and the first to commercialize extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology in high volume.
America currently is not able to make its own.
Typical of a moron like Fred. TSMC gets designs from American companies and makes their chips because the cost of maintaining your own foundry has become too expensive for all but the biggest chip makers. However, if we have to make them we certainly can.
IBM Unveils World's First 2 Nanometer Chip Technology [ 6 May 2021 ]
QUOTE
New chip milestone to propel major leaps forward in performance and energy efficiencyALBANY, N.Y., May 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today unveiled a breakthrough in semiconductor design and process with the development of the world's first chip announced with 2 nanometer (nm) nanosheet technology. Semiconductors play critical roles in everything from computing, to appliances, to communication devices, transportation systems, and critical infrastructure.
Demand for increased chip performance and energy efficiency continues to rise, especially in the era of hybrid cloud, AI, and the Internet of Things. IBM's new 2 nm chip technology helps advance the state-of-the-art in the semiconductor industry, addressing this growing demand. It is projected to achieve 45 percent higher performance, or 75 percent lower energy use, than today's most advanced 7 nm node chipsi.
This is an IBM press release, which accounts for the tone. But there will be a solid basis in fact. When will they start producing? Real Soon Now? No because their research department did it but they don't have the mass production foundries they need for the mass market. They do show the way things are going.
UNQUOTE
@MarkinLA
However, if we have to make them we certainly can.
No. According to the WSJ, a company would have to spend $30 billion/yr for at least five years to catch up to TSMC’s today’s state of the art. Meanwhile, TSMC is devoting $100 million over three years in new research and capital spending. The U.S. semiconductor company’s have only a 12% market share. I doubt they will devote or even have the capital to catch up.
TSMC gets designs from American companies and makes their chips
No, to imply the high-quality engineering is in those designs is backwards too. SoC design is not hard. It’s all done graphically. You merely take an IP core like ARM (used in almost all cell phones), then tack on additions. I’ve done an SoC design in under a week that worked well on an FPGA, yet that’s not even my field. The more difficult technology is semiconductor fabrication. But, that’s mostly a commodity business. America once was the best in the world in scientific research and engineering. Today, we are still world class, but just in pockets. Most engineering in this country has been hollowed out and done by foreigners who settled here. The old America has been fading away.
@ruralguy
>According to the WSJ, a company would have to spend $30 billion/yr for at least five years to catch up to TSMC’s today’s state of the art.
Completely wrong
SMIC is already ahead of TSMC, They are already at 3nm, but can only produce 7nm
TSMC is at 5nm
Samsung is at 5nm
Intel is at 10nm
The bottleneck that is holding china back is UV lithography which is a monopoly, and only one Dutch company knows how to make the machine, and the US Is blocking them from selling to China
If you look at what’s going on the key gut is
Liang mong song, he was the head of r&d and invented the process for 5nm at tsmc
He was later passed over for promotion, and left his wife is Korean and got him a position at Samsung where he brought Samsung from 10nm –> 5nm in 3 years, the later left to join smic where he brought smic to 3nm
• Replies: @ruralguy@MarkinLA
That news release you linked too claims only that IBM has developed a 2-naometer chip, it says nothing about producing such chip en masse, and that is because IBM currently has zero capability to manufacturer such ships en masse. Gee, weren’t flying cars “developed” back in the 1950s? Weren’t hydrogen fuel cells developed in the 1960s?
Why spend say $25 billion to create a first class chip manufacturing plant when you can blow that $25 billion on purchasing a packager of open source technologies that you can then (hopefully) sell to big customers (Red Hat). Service is where it’s at, man. Don’t you get it? Better yet, IBM could just close up manufacturing and production altogether and become an “incubator”, venture capitalist or (why not?) a hedge fund. All that matters is shareholder/management return. That’s where it’s at.
America can “design” and “develop” all she wants but if she can’t manufacture she is going to be second rate, or worse.
Once a major manufacturer of chips, IBM now outsources its high-volume chip production to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930. KS) but maintains a chip manufacturing research center in Albany, New York that produces test runs of chips and has joint technology development deals with Samsung and Intel Corp
@Donny D
I’ve a hunch that, that is a key factor in China’s desire in getting its “lost province” back?. Taiwan integrated into China proper would then have a huge share, even a near monopoly on certain high capacity chips. Since we’ve allowed a great bulk of our industrial/infrastructure base to be outsourced, we’ve become dangerously dependent on others to maintain this menagerie. We could eventually (maybe) rebuild our capacity but is the skill set even here anymore to do that or sustain it?. We may go berserk & launch a war against China but if China does indeed have those hypersonic missiles available then they could send much of the pacific fleet to Davy Jones’ locker. And since it takes years to build those naval vessels we, out of desperation may go nuclear?. Then it’s Adios Muchachos..
So, me thinks that we’re rapidly approaching a scenario that there is very little we can do about it. Accept that we screwed the pooch big time in allowing so much our productivity base to be so gutted & in doing so, hamstrung our very future (we’ll never admit that!). We can swallow our pride & acknowledge what we’ve done to ourselves? (fat chance!). Gracefully accept we’re a waning power? (fat chance!). Or, freak out & go berserk that we’re no longer the top dog & launch a conflagration that’ll turn this world into a charnel house? (Most likely).
I really don’t think most Americans realize how completely batsh*t insane & evil their leaders & the psychos in the Pentagon truly are?. Maybe sanity will prevail, but looking at the zio-America lunatic asylum, it doesn’t bode well..
There’s no need to invade, in 10 years china will have surpassed Taiwan
China already has all the tech that TSMC, their top guys who did all the research are now working for SMIC (Dr Chiang former head of R&d and Liang mong song to name a few they not only jumped ship but took their entire teams with them along with the brightest employees) , there’s only one bottleneck
The EUV lithography machines made by ASML
China can already make 7nm chips while being unaffected by sanctions, the smallest tsmc can fabricate is 5nm
The most likely scenario is China perfects its EUV technology in 2030, the by 2040 surpasses ASML sending them into bankruptcy by beating them to the next level, beyond EUV
TSMC goes out of business, the chips they are making are still the same ones they are making today, constant brain drain and competition has killed them along with the incompetent government failing to invest in the next gen due to handouts in exchange for goods
And with TSMC dead, Taiwan pretty much loses 50%-60% of its exports gets sent to 3rd world status
Reunification with china gains appeal, and either a civil war breaks out in Taiwan or they rejoin peacefully
Nvidia Buying ARM, From Japs - UK Regulator Is Concerned
QUOTE
LONDON—The U.K. government said it was considering an in-depth probe of
Nvidia Corp.
NVDA 5.14% ’s
proposed $40 billion takeover of Arm Holdings after the nation’s
antitrust regulator found the deal raised serious competition concerns, the
latest challenge for a merger that would
reshape the global computer-chip industry.
Nvidia’s acquisition of Arm would lead to a realistic prospect of less competition, a stifling of innovation and more expensive or lower-quality products, according to a summary of the regulator’s report published Friday. The antitrust concerns were part of a broader report that also addressed national-security concerns, which the government didn’t make public.
U.K. Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said he was now considering asking the antitrust regulator to conduct a more-thorough investigation of the proposed merger. There is no timetable for that decision. The digital secretary could eventually decide whether to nix the merger or to approve it, with or without conditions.
An Nvidia spokesman said the company looked forward to addressing the antitrust regulator’s “initial views” and resolving any concerns from the U.K. government. Nvidia’s chief financial officer said earlier this week that while discussions with regulators were taking longer than they had initially expected, the company was confident that the deal would go through.,,,,,,,,,,,,
Based in Silicon Valley, Nvidia makes chips for video gaming, data centers and other businesses. It is now the largest U.S. semiconductor company by value after overtaking Intel Corp. INTC -0.82% by that measure. Last year Nvidia proposed buying Arm, a U.K.-based subsidiary of Japan’s SoftBank Corp. 9434 -0.17% , that designs the basic blueprints for the chips in more than 95% of the world’s smartphones.
Arm’s business model has been to license its chip blueprints for modest licensing fees and partner with as many customers as possible. While Nvidia has said it supports keeping this open business model, its competitors have been skeptical.
The U.K. antitrust regulator said in the report summary published Friday that it received many concerns over the merger from Nvidia’s and Arm’s customers and competitors. It said that if Nvidia and Arm merged, the combined company would have incentive to restrict access to Arm’s products to benefit Nvidia, among other issues.
The regulator said that Nvidia proposed solutions to address its concerns, but believed that they wouldn’t be effective.
Several Nvidia rivals have raised concerns about the deal. They argue that Arm has been a successful business, becoming a leader in many sectors of chip-design from mobile phones to data centers, in large part by working with different chip-making partners. Having one chip maker buy Arm would jeopardize that role it plays in the semiconductor industry.
UNQUOTE
Given that ARM is owned by foreigners you might wonder quite the problem is.
It would make a lot more sense to actually make the chips. Designing them is
now just playing with graphics. Doing the
#X-Ray Lithography is another
matter. Having the only hi-tech foundries in Taiwan and Korea makes it
easier for China to knock them out using small nukes or even big ones.
Errors & omissions,
broken links, cock ups, over-emphasis, malice [ real or imaginary ] or whatever;
if you find any I am open to comment.
Email me at Mike
Emery.
All financial contributions are cheerfully accepted. If you want to keep it
private, use my PGP Key.
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Updated on Saturday, 21 August 2021 12:05:49