Future of Moore's Law, Physics, and Nano Devices

In summary, the conversation discusses Moore's Law and its potential limitations due to advancements in technology and physical laws. There is speculation that meeting expectations set by Moore's Law may hinder innovation, but it has been consistently met through various methods. Currently, the smallest transistors are 20nm and it is predicted that they will reach atomic size by 2020. However, there are already limits in terms of processor performance. It is unlikely that devices can be built at the size of electrons. The current technology can potentially reach 5nm, but scaling down further may be costly and take a long time.
  • #1
lp100
3
0
Hi!

The other day, I read about Moore's Law. To me it seems a miracle how one could predict in 1965 that the number of transistors would double every two years.
However, there has to be an end to this exponential growth due to limits of nano technology, fabrication of semiconductors, fundamental physical laws, and so on.

How small can transistors be nowadays? What might be the future of nano devices? Any thoughts?

I'd like to hear what you guys think!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Every year that I recall in the past 40 years, pundits predicted the end of Moore's Law. They were always wrong.

A partial explantion is that Moore's Law sets expectations. Industry players expect that if they don't meet Moore's Law improvement levles that they won't survive. Conversely, advances that exceed Moore's Law may be held back as a cushion to meet next year's expectations. I don't think you'll find hard evidence of these things, it is just a reasonable speculation.

Expectations have been met using more than just making things smaller. Ingenuity and innovations of all kinds have been used.

I will not attempt to predict which innovations will prove dominent in the future. But I have confidence that Moore's Law expectations will continue to be met for some time to come.
 
  • #3
The wiki article on the subject has all the relevant details. Currently, the smallest are 20nm and if the trend holds, they will be atomic size in 2020. So I would say that's the limit under a basic interpretation.

Note however that by some related measures and interpretations, limits have already happened. Processor performance used to scale with Moore's law, but that ended 10 years ago, for example.
 
  • #4
Thank you!

That would mean that devices cannot become smaller than the size of an atom, using the current techniques. Since electrons are much smaller than atoms, would it even be possible to design devices at the size of electrons?
 
  • #5
There's no way to build devices at the size of electrons.
 
  • #6
Intel has 14nm production yields, 10nm in pilot and 7nm in R&D. Most in the industry expect 5nm is possible using current silicon technology. Scaling down past Silicon will be a long time coming due to the costs.
 

What is Moore's Law?

Moore's Law is an observation made by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965 that states the number of transistors on a microchip will double approximately every two years, leading to exponential growth in technology and computing power.

Will Moore's Law continue in the future?

There is much debate over whether Moore's Law will continue to hold true in the future. Some experts believe that the physical limitations of silicon chips will eventually make it impossible to continue doubling the number of transistors. Others argue that new technologies, such as quantum computing, may lead to a new version of Moore's Law.

How will the future of Moore's Law affect physics?

The future of Moore's Law will have a significant impact on the field of physics. As technology continues to advance and computing power increases, physicists will be able to simulate and study more complex systems, leading to new discoveries and advancements in our understanding of the universe.

What are nano devices and how are they related to Moore's Law?

Nano devices are electronic devices that are on the nanometer scale, typically made up of individual molecules or atoms. They are closely related to Moore's Law as they are able to pack more transistors onto a chip, leading to smaller and more powerful devices. However, the fabrication and control of these devices pose significant challenges and may be a limiting factor in the future of Moore's Law.

How will the future of Moore's Law impact everyday technology?

The future of Moore's Law will continue to shape and advance everyday technology. We can expect to see smaller, faster, and more powerful devices, as well as new technologies emerging due to the increased computing power. This may include advancements in artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and the Internet of Things.

Similar threads

End of Moore's Law? Future of Transistors & Computing Tech
    • Electrical Engineering
Replies
13
Views
2K
B Need help with understanding time travel
    • Other Physics Topics
Replies
8
Views
1K
Engineering Future of the solid state electronics industry
    • STEM Career Guidance
Replies
7
Views
2K
Admissions Comments on PhD Statement of Purpose
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
6
Views
859
Current and Future AI Threats to Humanity and the Human Response
    • Computing and Technology
Replies
10
Views
2K
Chemistry Nanotechnology careers with biology and chemistry?
    • STEM Career Guidance
Replies
9
Views
2K
Courses Berkeley Courses for an Engineering Physics Grad
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
2
Views
2K
Moore's law is quickly becoming obsolete, what will they to next?
    • Computing and Technology
Replies
11
Views
6K
What will be the next step after reaching the limit of Moore's Law?
    • Programming and Computer Science
Replies
5
Views
10K
Programs Change of Major from Mechanical Engineering to Material Science
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
8
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top