Or put another way, it was all vapourware!

Intel even dragged out a comment from Gordon Moore—I can only assume to add weight to its claims, or better appeal to the non-tech press that indeed lapped it up!

Intel, like IBM, have once again gone for sensationalism and are now so comfortable with this approach that backing up any statement with common ‘engineering' data is simply not required. In fact, it just gets in the way of the hype, and the non-tech press would have little or no understanding of it anyway, so they simply don't bother.

In the past, the tech-press would get a slightly more ‘enhanced' level of information to feed our needs but neither company can be bothered with that anymore. We have to feed off what everyone else is fed and the taste, I am afraid, is simply disgusting.

I have commented before that Intel is treating us like idiots by providing no evidence to support its technical claims. Unlike MPU benchmarks, in which Intel can load the dice in its favour and get some press spouting their leadership, it's a lot harder to load process technology in your favour.

Not only that, but the semiconductor processing tech-press are a small breed and getting smaller each day, so they probably feel they can just ignore us and hope we all fade away.

It has been a laugh-a-minute here today, as I trawl through some mainstream press stories regarding Intel & IBM's claims. On these occasions I remind myself that I can read these newspapers or watch these TV programs covering non-tech stories and yet we tend to believe the ‘facts' and ‘details' are in balance and more than likely ‘correct'!

WHY?

Why, when they regurgitate these unsubstantiated announcements as if Moses himself is speaking! Then, we get the calls from some of the more astute thinking mainstream media (there are a few around) asking us ‘what does this all mean'?

Of course we can't actually say anything as the companys haven't actually said anything that can be backed up!

On these occasions I tend to revert to the old story of IBM and low-k dielectrics with FT and a few US-based daily papers getting the ‘scoop' on its breakthough. Just mentioning the word ‘failed' to make a breakthrough is usually a sufficient response and on this occasion I see no reason not to dig up an old but true technology story.

A little observation in the Intel release noted that the metal gates and high-k material would give an approximate 20 percent increase in drive current or more than.

Is that all?

I could have sworn that many, many other chip manufacturers at events such as IEDM were talking about double that figure? Otherwise why bother? Especially when straining has yet to reach its limits?

This could mean that Intel has rushed in dual metal gates and made some significant performance compromises. Only last year, Intel was touting more strain over high-ks and metal gates and even tri-gate structures for the 45nm node. I doubt very much that Intel's 45nm process will be anchored; rather it is going to float around a while before a better integration scheme can be utilized, perhaps at the 32nm node and the real benefits of this approach could possibly be seen.

Though saying that, it might be a completely different design structure, as tri-gates may be the in-thing then, but who knows?

The little bit that intrigued me about the IBM hype was that they plan production in 2008.  No other time frame reference point, just 2008. Being that this is still just January 2007 it might not see the light of day for almost another two years! However, based on the low-k debacle it might never happen! Again, who knows?

Intel is trying to claim a lead in this area of process technology by being an early adopter (NEC is using high-k at the 45nm node) over its rivals. This just doesn't ride, especially when other process enhancements at this stage of real 45nm process developments could easily compete with metal gates.

I really hope Intel gets the integration schemes and process flows right in the real-world manufacturing environment, as this could become the best news IBM and AMD have ever seen!