Intel reinvents the transistor with Tri-Gate technology

Intel has revealed a revolutionary new transistor design that will be used in the company's forthcoming 22nm processors.

The Tri-Gate transistors are a step forward from 2D, or planar, transistors because they use a 3D architecture that allows the building of smaller and more efficient units. The transistors will be built into Intel's 22nm chips, expected next year.

"The gains they provide are unprecedented, allowing better performance and lower energy use," said Bill Holt, general manager of Intel's technology and manufacturing group.

"We'll extend this across whole product lines, which will enable us to continue Moore's Law in the foreseeable future."

The Tri-Gate transistors use over 50 per cent less power than previous planar models, Intel said, while giving a performance boost of 37 per cent.

The new 22nm chips will be built solely around the Tri-Gate systems, and Intel is converting all its chip fabrication plants to the new process.

"The general structure of the transistors is well known since we first published results in 2002," said Mark Bohr, Intel senior fellow, at the launch press conference.

"The real challenge is to make it manufacturable. We think this gives us a three-year lead on the rest of the industry, and we can scale this for 14nm production."

Intel said that the chips will initially be used for server processors, then client systems and finally the Atom processor, which the firm is hoping to make the processor of choice for tablets and smartphones.

Tri-Gate technology will give the company a significant advantage over ARM, according to Dadi Perlmutter, general manager of the Intel architecture group.

"This is one of the fundamental things that will keep us extremely competitive in our traditional space, if you can call it that, and definitely help us to move ahead in ARM ecosystems. It's a key foundation in us continuing to be successful," he said.