Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Semi Equipment Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Gottfried who wrote (15764)	6/16/2004 11:51:41 PM
From: The Ox	Respond to of 95572

Interesting...more "inexpensive" speed on it's way: Intel to push copper interconnects, downplays optical IC links By Mark LaPedus EE Times June 16, 2004 (1:00 PM EDT) SANTA CLARA, Calif. — During the 2004 Symposium on VLSI Technology in Honolulu, Intel Corp. is expected to unveil a technology that could push out the need for chip-to-chip optical interconnects to at least the 15-nm node. Intel will present a paper at the meeting on Wednesday (June 16) describing a high-speed signaling technology based on a combination of copper interconnects and CMOS. The chip-to-chip technology is a 130-nm, 8-Gbit/s source-synchronous I/O link. Using "inexpensive" digital logic circuits to overcome channel/circuit impairments, the technology also makes use of analog signal processing, digital adaptive control and built-in-self-test. The company's I/O signaling technology is in the R&D phase, but it demonstrates that copper will remain viable for chip-to-chip interconnect applications for the foreseeable future, said Shekhar Bokar, Intel Fellow and director of Intel's Circuit Research Lab in Oregon. "Ten years ago, people said copper was no good," Bokar said. "Our job is to keep copper alive." Copper will also push out the need for optical technology in chip-to-chip interconnect applications, he said. "I don't see optical as a solution for the foreseeable future," he said during a conference call. Optical interconnects for chip-to-chip applications involves the conversion of electrical signals into photons, which is unstable and expensive, he said. Today, chip makers are using 3-Gbit/s I/O links at the 90-nm node. By the 32-nm node, chip makers will use links at speeds of 6-to-8-Gbits/s, according to Bokar. At the 22- to 16-nm node, Intel predicts that I/O signaling links based on copper will operate at speeds up to 20-Gbits/s. The chip giant also dropped hints that I/O links could operate between 25-to-30-Gbits/s by then.