Actually, the increasing frequencies are not a big concern.  Processor die
sizes will have to substantially shrink for that to happen.  That's because
the very high frequencies that you're talking about are present only on a
portion of the processor die.

But there are some significant problems that do affect semiconductor
processing, and therefore CPUs.  The biggest is feature size.  Current
technology bottoms out at around .13 microns.  The problem that faces
manufacturers is that the light wavelengths necessary to process wafers
below that feature size isn't available from the common mercury vapor lamps
in use today.  Also, the photochemical agents used to mask the small
features are a lot more complicated and a lot less sensitive (not to mention
more expensive) than older materials.  X-rays, lasers and other sources of
small wavelength, high energy radiation are being looked at as replacements
for light, but there are drawbacks, particularly radiation damage to the
wafers and to the masks that help create the devices on the wafers.

And, of course, the smaller the feature size, the bigger the problem of
contamination.  Clean rooms are only so clean.  When Intel had to recall its
1.33GHz Pentium III's, one of the theories we discussed in the EE department
at my college was that they were contaminated by sodium or potassium.
That's a tough one to work around because the biggest source of sodium and
potassium is people.

I'm sure that there's nothing that can't be overcome, but current technology
is rapidly approaching its limit.

Drew Dunn
The NOSPIN Group

-----Original Message-----

Today we have up to 1.5GHz processors in our stores.

300,000000/15000000/4=0.05m  (~2 inches)
is a quarter of wave length.

I didn't hear something about 2GHz CPU are expected.
Maybe it is a limit or I missed something?

What are your info, guys?

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