Forget Moore’s Law, focus on “technology scaling” instead, says TSMC
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For decades, Moore’s Law has been the semiconductor industry’s staple, predicting a doubling of transistor count every two years. However, the industry is undergoing a shift. TSMC, the world’s leading chipmaker, is leading the charge in challenging this long-held belief. Not surprising when you consider Nvidia’s Jensen Huang pronounced the law “dead” nearly two years ago.
In a recent interview with Dr. Kevin Zhang, TSMC’s SVP and Deputy Co-COO declared that the company is less concerned with adhering to Moore’s Law and more focused on driving “technology scaling.” This means finding innovative ways to improve chip performance, efficiency, and functionality without solely relying on shrinking transistor sizes.
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Still potential for growth despite ‘Moore’s Law is dead’ notion
While Moore’s Law emphasized a narrow focus on two-dimensional scaling, TSMC is exploring a broader spectrum of advancements. By integrating more features into smaller chips and enhancing performance while reducing power consumption, the company is demonstrating that there’s still immense potential for growth beyond the traditional metrics. TSMC’s recent transition from 5nm to 3nm process nodes is a prime example of this progress. The company achieved a remarkable 30% improvement in energy efficiency without sacrificing performance, a testament to its innovative approach.
Moreover, TSMC’s CoWoS (Chip on Wafer on Substrate) packaging technology is emerging as a critical component of the AI revolution. With a staggering 60% compound annual growth rate, CoWoS is becoming the backbone for high-performance AI accelerators.
End of an era?
These developments signify a departure from the era dominated by Moore’s Law. The semiconductor industry is now focused on a holistic approach to innovation, encompassing not only transistor size but also chip architecture, packaging, and materials. As TSMC and other industry leaders continue to push the boundaries of technology, we can expect to witness even more groundbreaking advancements in the years to come.
While Moore’s Law may be fading into the rearview mirror, the semiconductor industry is far from slowing down. With companies like TSMC at the helm, the future of computing promises to be even more exciting and transformative.
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