Intel's Foundry Technology Research team unveiled groundbreaking advances in semiconductor technology at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) 2024, showcasing innovations that could shape the future of computing.
The company presented research across three key areas: atomically-thin 2D transistors using novel materials beyond traditional silicon, enhanced chip interconnects, and revolutionary packaging methods.
A major highlight includes Intel's work on gate-all-around transistor technology, which explores both silicon-based and experimental 2D materials at an atomic scale. This research aims to push the boundaries of transistor miniaturization while maintaining or improving performance.
In the interconnect space, Intel introduced a new subtractive Ruthenium technology that allows for smaller wires between transistors. This advancement tackles one of the industry's persistent challenges - maintaining signal integrity as components shrink.
The team also revealed a breakthrough in chip packaging that accelerates chip-to-chip assembly speeds by 100 times compared to current methods, potentially transforming how future processors are manufactured.
These developments come from Intel's Technology Research team, which has a 50-year legacy of pioneering semiconductor innovations. The group, previously known as Components Research, operates within Intel Foundry and focuses on near-term commercialization opportunities.
The research builds upon Intel's recent innovations, including PowerVia backside power delivery and RibbonFET gate-all-around architecture, both of which originated from this research group.
Intel plans to present seven papers detailing these advances at IEDM 2024, along with two additional papers developed in partnership with industry collaborator imec, demonstrating the company's commitment to pushing semiconductor technology forward.