We would like our readers to know about The Law of Moore, and the possibility we are outgrowing it technologically and financially. However, first, we should define this law. Plus, we need to inform you why this law is relevant to your life, and our business.
Since ER Precision Optics are in the business of growing silicon, we are very connected to semiconductors. As we have explained previously, silicon wafers are sliced into the precious bottom layer, the substrate, for the semiconductors “sandwich.”
Additionally, you know semiconductors will run your phone, your computer, and countless other devices of the 21st century.
A Little Back Story On The Law of Moore or Moore’s Law: The Definition
How Many Transistors Can You Fit Onto a Microchip? Moore’s Law Says Twice as Many as Last Year.
There are many scientific rules for crystal growing, silicon processing, and manufacturing semiconductors. This article will detail Moore’s Law, perhaps the most famous “law” for the growth of technology.
And perhaps it is the most challenging law as technology and economics lunge forward into the future.
The Basics: Defining Moore’s Law
Although he never intended it to become a law, Gordon E. Moore created an amazing prediction for the progression of technology.
As the co-founder of Intel, in 1965, he started a two-part concept that has ruled the progression of technology for 50 years.
- First, he explained that “the number of transistors that can be packed into a computer processor of a given size” should double every two years…”
- And he added, that at the same time, “the cost of said computers is halved.”
Over the passage of time, Moore’s Law proved to be correct. Not only that, it but the rate of doubling sped up. “Today, the doubling rate for transistor capacity is around 18 months.”
However, in 2005, Moore himself stated that his law “can’t continue forever.” And now many experts believe “the physical limits of transistor technology should be reached sometime in the 2020s.”
In other words, minuscule ultra-microscopic transistors can lead to problems. What Happens Then?
A Little Trouble for Moore’s Law
If a Microchip is Only One Atom Thick, How Do the Transistors Behave?
Thus, Moore’s Law has limits—at least for our current technology. You see, some transistors are getting close to the size of a single atom. At that size, computing problems begin to occur. The functionality begins to degrade, “due to the particular behavior of electrons at that scale.” (Trust us, no one wants an errant electron wreaking havoc inside their computer.)
Research and Development: New Attempts to Conquer the Law of Moore
Now, scientists, technologists, and R+D experts are in the process of developing new ways to circumvent the physical limits of Moore’s Law. New ways of thinking and new technologies are awakening in the not-so-distant future.
At every level of scientific research, we hear the question, “What happens when we hit a physical barrier with traditional transistors?”
We find one amazing answer in Quantum computing, which is not subject “to many of the limitations of normal transistors.”
New Discoveries Mean New Rules for the Progress of Technology
New Technology, Like Quantum Computers, Will Break Moore’s Law.
Let’s look at the reason this progression of technology cannot continue forever.
1. Experts tell us that computer chips are complicated. They contain many layers of transistors.
2. Likewise, we crave more transistors in a computer because they increase the speed of complex calculations. Scientists have thus tried to make each transistor smaller and smaller.
3. Hence, by making them smaller, we can fit more of them on each individual chip.
4. Realizing this truth of Moore’s Law, we can see why making smaller transistors has served us well thus far. Making them smaller and fitting more into a single chip has become critical to progress in technology.
Do you remember how large mobile phones were? Have you seen pictures of the size of early home-based PC computers?
With these 4 points in mind, we can perceive how Moore’s Law helped to make research and development advancements possible in technology. Fortunately for us, the law has also kept technology affordable.
More About Why Moore’s Law Cannot Continue Infinitely
Let’s take a closer look at the reason this progression of technology can not continue forever.
5. Experts tell us that computer chips are complicated. They contain many layers of transistors.
6. Likewise, we crave more transistors in a computer because they increase the speed of complex calculations. Scientists have thus continued to strive to make each transistor smaller and smaller.
7. Hence, by making them smaller, we can fit more of them on each individual chip.
Realizing this truth of Moore’s Law, we can see why making smaller transistors has led us to progress. We begin to understand two reasons we have made incredible strides in technology:
- Making transistors smaller has empowered portability and affordability for modern devices.
- Likewise, fitting more transistors into a single chip has become critical to progress in technology. Do you remember how large mobile phones were? Have you seen pictures of the size of early computers?
Staying True to the Law of Moore
Researchers and manufacturers worked extremely hard to fulfill Moore’s Law. With the above four points in mind, we can perceive how Moore’s Law helped to make research and development advancements possible in technology. The law has also kept technology affordable.
Terrific Take-Aways from Moore’s Law
No One knows What New Science Awaits Us in the Progression of Technology. However, it’s Sure to Change Our Lives.
In summary, “Moore’s law predicted that technology would continue to shrink at a rate that meant every year, twice as many transistors would be able to fit into a single computer chip…”
Moore’s Law Is Dead. Now What?
We have recently heard that MIT has developed an exciting new way to enhance the substrate of silicon in order to get around the limits of Moore’s Law with previously unknown technology.
However, that is another blog, Part II of our two-part series on Moore’s Law, coming soon.
Once again, we thank you for reading the ER Precision Optics Blog. And we invite you to watch for exciting information about the progression of technology in Part Two.
