RSS Feed for the unit The incredible shrinking chip

Introduction

The Open University — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:07:34 GMT

This unit focuses on the creation of a semiconductor transistor – a versatile tiny transistor that is now at the heart of the electronics industry. In the video clips, the history of the incredible shrinking chip, its Scottish connections and an explanation of the physics that make chips work are accompanied by a reconstruction of making a transistor using the crude techniques of yesteryear.

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Learning outcomes

The Open University — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:07:34 GMT

After studying this unit, you should be able to:

understand the basic physics that make chips work;
define Moore's Law.

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1 The incredible shrinking chip

The Open University — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:07:34 GMT

Two Scottish computer engineers with little or no physics knowledge set out to make a semiconductor transistor. This was 50 years ago, and their efforts gained them the Nobel Prize. The versatility of that transistor is now at the heart of the electronics industry. Millions of transistor switches are shrunk down into the microprocessors that are found in computers, mobile phones and almost everything else electrical.

The first transistor took years to plan and make; today more are made every day than there are people on the earth. In the following video clips, volunteers struggle to make a transistor using crude technology. There is also an explanation of the remarkable scientific advances that have now made the chip ubiquitous. The two volunteers discover the past while the presenter looks to the future.

The video clips include an interview with Gordon Moore, a founder of Intel, about the law of computing that bears his name. It's a rule of thumb that says processor power doubles every eighteen months. The video footage shows how the industry has managed to keep Moore's Law going for nearly 30 years. It explains the physics that make chips work, and how the same physics will eventually trip up the industry.

It is predicted that silicon will run out of steam as early as 2012. By then the fundamental physical limit will be reached and a radical new technology will be needed.

The final part of the video returns to Silicon Glen and demonstrates how well the transistors built by the two volunteers actually work.

Activity

0 hours 40 minutes

As you watch the following video clips, make notes and list the issues described that affect the lifespan of the microchip.

Click to view the video extract (Part 1, 10 minutes).

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Click to view the video extract (Part 2, 7 minutes).

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Click to view the video extract (Part 3, 11 minutes).

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Click to view the video extract (Part 4, 3 minutes).

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2 Conclusion

The Open University — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:07:34 GMT

The versatile tiny transistor is now at the heart of the electronics industry. In the video clips you have seen the history of the incredible shrinking chip, its Scottish connections, and an explanation of the physics that make chips work as well as a reconstruction of making a transistor using the crude techniques of yesteryear.

Except for third party materials and otherwise stated (see terms and conditions), this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Licence

Next steps

The Open University — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:07:34 GMT

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Acknowledgements

The Open University — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:07:34 GMT

The content acknowledged below is Proprietary (see terms and conditions). This content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Licence

Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following sources for permission to reproduce material in this unit:

Video Materials

Unit image

Terry Whalebone Flickr.com[Details correct as of 9th June 2008 ]

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Except for third party materials and otherwise stated (see terms and conditions), this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Licence