IBM debuts sub-1 nanometer chip technology(newsroom.ibm.com)
337 points by porridgeraisin 21 hours ago | 182 comments
tl;dr: IBM unveiled a 0.7 nm ("7 angstrom") chip using a new "nanostack" 3D architecture that vertically stacks and staggers nanosheet transistors, fitting ~100 billion transistors on a fingernail-sized die. The company claims up to 50% better performance or 70% better energy efficiency over its 2 nm node, plus 40% SRAM scaling, with production possibly within five years. Work continues at IBM's Albany facility alongside ASML High-NA EUV and partners like Lam, TEL, and SCREEN.
HN Discussion:
  • Node naming is misleading; '0.7nm' doesn't reflect actual physical dimensions
  • Skepticism about IBM's marketing claims and credibility on such announcements
  • ~Questions about IBM's commercialization path given they sold off their fabs
  • Curiosity about physical/atomic limits to continued scaling
  • Appreciation for detailed technical analysis of the announcement