11 nanometer
Encyclopedia
The 11 nanometer
(11 nm) node is the technology node following 16 nm
node. The exact naming of this technology node comes from the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
(ITRS). According to the 2007 edition of this roadmap, by the year 2022, the half-pitch (i.e., half the distance between identical features in an array) for a DRAM
should be 11 nm, although Intel's Architecture and Silicon Cadence Model
places its 11 nm node closer to the year 2015. Pat Gelsinger
, at the time serving as Intel's Chief Technology Officer, claimed in 2008 that Intel sees a 'clear way' towards the 11 nm node. At the 11 nm node in 2015, Intel expects to use a half-pitch of around 21 nm. However, in 2011, Intel updated its plans to suggest skipping 11/10 nm and going directly to 8 nm in 2015. Nvidia's chief scientist, William Dally, claims that they will also reach 11 nm semiconductors by 2015, a transition he claims will be facilitated principally through new electronic design automation
tools. How the use of such design tools will help Nvidia overcome the physical limitations of CMOS technology and conventional lithography is unclear. This design rule is likely to be realized by multiple patterning, given the difficulty of implementing EUV lithography by 2015.
While the roadmap has been based on the continuing extension of CMOS
technology, even this roadmap does not guarantee that silicon-based CMOS will extend that far. This is to be expected, since the gate length for this node may be smaller than 6 nm, and the corresponding gate dielectric thickness would scale down to a monolayer
or even less. Reported estimates indicate that transistors at these dimensions are significantly affected by quantum tunnelling
. As a result, non-silicon extensions of CMOS, using III-V
materials or nanotubes
/nanowires, as well as non-CMOS platforms, including molecular electronics
, spin-based computing
, and single-electron devices, have been proposed. Hence, this node marks the practical beginning of nanoelectronics
.
Due to the extensive use of ultra-low-k
dielectrics such as spin-on polymers or other porous materials, it is unlikely conventional lithography
, etch
, or even chemical-mechanical polishing processes can continue to be used, because these materials contain a high density of voids or gaps. At scales of ~10 nm, quantum tunneling, especially through gaps, becomes a significant phenomenon. Controlling gaps on these scales by means of electromigration
can produce interesting electrical properties themselves.
Photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM) data was used to show that low energy electrons ~1.35 eV could travel as far as ~15 nm in SiO2, despite an average measured attenuation length of 1.18 nm.
Nanometre
A nanometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one billionth of a metre. The name combines the SI prefix nano- with the parent unit name metre .The nanometre is often used to express dimensions on the atomic scale: the diameter...
(11 nm) node is the technology node following 16 nm
16 nanometer
The 16 nanometer node is the technology node following the 22 nm node. The exact naming of the technology nodes comes from the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors . By conservative ITRS estimates the 16 nm technology is projected to be reached by semiconductor companies in the...
node. The exact naming of this technology node comes from the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors is a set of documents produced by a group of semiconductor industry experts. These experts are representative of the sponsoring organisations which include the Semiconductor Industry Associations of the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea and...
(ITRS). According to the 2007 edition of this roadmap, by the year 2022, the half-pitch (i.e., half the distance between identical features in an array) for a DRAM
Dram
Dram or DRAM may refer to:As a unit of measure:* Dram , an imperial unit of mass and volume* Armenian dram, a monetary unit* Dirham, a unit of currency in several Arab nationsOther uses:...
should be 11 nm, although Intel's Architecture and Silicon Cadence Model
Intel Tick-Tock
"Tick-Tock" is a model, of Jones Farm 5 and adopted by chip manufacturer Intel Corporation since 2007 to follow every microarchitectural change with shrinking of the process technology. Every "tick" is a shrinking of process technology of the previous microarchitecture and every "tock" is a new...
places its 11 nm node closer to the year 2015. Pat Gelsinger
Pat Gelsinger
Patrick P. Gelsinger is the President and Chief Operating Officer, EMC Information Infrastructure Products at EMC Corporation. Before joining EMC, he was the first Chief Technology Officer of Intel Corporation and Senior Vice-president and General Manager of the Digital Enterprise Group at...
, at the time serving as Intel's Chief Technology Officer, claimed in 2008 that Intel sees a 'clear way' towards the 11 nm node. At the 11 nm node in 2015, Intel expects to use a half-pitch of around 21 nm. However, in 2011, Intel updated its plans to suggest skipping 11/10 nm and going directly to 8 nm in 2015. Nvidia's chief scientist, William Dally, claims that they will also reach 11 nm semiconductors by 2015, a transition he claims will be facilitated principally through new electronic design automation
Electronic design automation
Electronic design automation is a category of software tools for designing electronic systems such as printed circuit boards and integrated circuits...
tools. How the use of such design tools will help Nvidia overcome the physical limitations of CMOS technology and conventional lithography is unclear. This design rule is likely to be realized by multiple patterning, given the difficulty of implementing EUV lithography by 2015.
While the roadmap has been based on the continuing extension of CMOS
CMOS
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits...
technology, even this roadmap does not guarantee that silicon-based CMOS will extend that far. This is to be expected, since the gate length for this node may be smaller than 6 nm, and the corresponding gate dielectric thickness would scale down to a monolayer
Monolayer
- Chemistry :A Langmuir monolayer or insoluble monolayer is a one-molecule thick layer of an insoluble organic material spread onto an aqueous subphase. Traditional compounds used to prepare Langmuir monolayers are amphiphilic materials that possess a hydrophilic headgroup and a hydrophobic tail...
or even less. Reported estimates indicate that transistors at these dimensions are significantly affected by quantum tunnelling
Quantum tunnelling
Quantum tunnelling refers to the quantum mechanical phenomenon where a particle tunnels through a barrier that it classically could not surmount. This plays an essential role in several physical phenomena, such as the nuclear fusion that occurs in main sequence stars like the sun, and has important...
. As a result, non-silicon extensions of CMOS, using III-V
Compound semiconductor
A compound semiconductor is a semiconductor compound composed of elements from two or more different groups of the periodic table . These semiconductors typically form in groups 13-16 ,...
materials or nanotubes
Carbon nanotube
Carbon nanotubes are allotropes of carbon with a cylindrical nanostructure. Nanotubes have been constructed with length-to-diameter ratio of up to 132,000,000:1, significantly larger than for any other material...
/nanowires, as well as non-CMOS platforms, including molecular electronics
Molecular electronics
Molecular electronics, sometimes called moletronics, involves the study and application of molecular building blocks for the fabrication of electronic components...
, spin-based computing
Spintronics
Spintronics , also known as magnetoelectronics, is an emerging technology that exploits both the intrinsic spin of the electron and its associated magnetic moment, in addition to its fundamental electronic charge, in solid-state devices.An additional effect occurs when a spin-polarized current is...
, and single-electron devices, have been proposed. Hence, this node marks the practical beginning of nanoelectronics
Nanoelectronics
Nanoelectronics refer to the use of nanotechnology on electronic components, especially transistors. Although the term nanotechnology is generally defined as utilizing technology less than 100 nm in size, nanoelectronics often refer to transistor devices that are so small that inter-atomic...
.
Due to the extensive use of ultra-low-k
Low-K
In semiconductor manufacturing, a low-κ dielectric is a material with a small dielectric constant relative to silicon dioxide. Although the proper symbol for the dielectric constant is the Greek letter κ , in conversation such materials are referred to as being "low-k" rather than "low-κ"...
dielectrics such as spin-on polymers or other porous materials, it is unlikely conventional lithography
Photolithography
Photolithography is a process used in microfabrication to selectively remove parts of a thin film or the bulk of a substrate. It uses light to transfer a geometric pattern from a photomask to a light-sensitive chemical "photoresist", or simply "resist," on the substrate...
, etch
Etching (microfabrication)
Etching is used in microfabrication to chemically remove layers from the surface of a wafer during manufacturing. Etching is a critically important process module, and every wafer undergoes many etching steps before it is complete....
, or even chemical-mechanical polishing processes can continue to be used, because these materials contain a high density of voids or gaps. At scales of ~10 nm, quantum tunneling, especially through gaps, becomes a significant phenomenon. Controlling gaps on these scales by means of electromigration
Electromigration
Electromigration is the transport of material caused by the gradual movement of the ions in a conductor due to the momentum transfer between conducting electrons and diffusing metal atoms. The effect is important in applications where high direct current densities are used, such as in...
can produce interesting electrical properties themselves.
Photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM) data was used to show that low energy electrons ~1.35 eV could travel as far as ~15 nm in SiO2, despite an average measured attenuation length of 1.18 nm.