Scientists build a 3D computer chip that fuses logic and memory

by Mark Tyson on 6 July 2017, 13:31

Tags: MIT

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A new type of computer chip, built to tackle huge amounts of data, has been designed by researchers at Stanford University and MIT. It aims to revolutionise computing by combining breakthrough nanotechnologies in an innovative 3D structure.

A great deal of time and energy is wasted in computer systems, shuttling data back and forth between storage to processing. Furthermore, Silicon is reaching the limits of its scope to be miniaturised. Thus the scientists at Stanford University and MIT have been testing a new prototype chip with an innovative computer architecture to address both the aforementioned concerns.

The prototype combines 2 million carbon nanotube field-effect transistors and over 1 million RRAM nonvolatile memory cells into "the most complex nanoelectronic system ever made with emerging nanotechnologies," reports the MIT News Blog.

It is explained by the blog that "The RRAM and carbon nanotubes are built vertically over one another, making a new, dense 3-D computer architecture with interleaving layers of logic and memory. By inserting ultradense wires between these layers, this 3-D architecture promises to address the communication bottleneck." Such an architecture would not be possible with existing silicon-based technology, asserts the lead author of the research paper, Max Shulaker.

Interestingly one of the key benefits of fabricating the new computer chips stems from the much lower temperatures involved in fabrication. Silicon chip creation requires temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Celcius, so it's difficult to make multi-layers and 3D structures without damaging prior layers. However "carbon nanotube circuits and RRAM memory can be fabricated at much lower temperatures, below 200°C", says Shulaker.

The result is that Stanford University and MIT's prototype chip and its 3D architecture will be able to be made denser, more efficient, and without the associated bottlenecks in todays silicon-based computer systems. Despite the differences, professor Roger Howe from Stanford says that the chip that was demonstrated "is compatible with today’s silicon infrastructure, both in terms of fabrication and design".



HEXUS Forums :: 5 Comments

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Hmm, interesting…ever since stacked RAM I have been wondering when the first stacked CPU would come to fruition…..
The prototype combines 2 million carbon nanotube field-effect transistors and over 1 million….comparable to a Pentium 1 @ 166mhz?
So this is memputer as described or instancec by Scientific American last year?
lumireleon
The prototype combines 2 million carbon nanotube field-effect transistors and over 1 million….comparable to a Pentium 1 @ 166mhz?
A sily comparison. Remember this is just an early prototype, a proof of concept.
lumireleon
The prototype combines 2 million carbon nanotube field-effect transistors and over 1 million….comparable to a Pentium 1 @ 166mhz?

If you go purely by transistor numbers, which is like going back to comparing purely by megahertz.
There also is the bottleneck also arising from the physical separation.

Friesiansam
A sily comparison. Remember this is just an early prototype, a proof of concept.

This too.