MIT Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MTL VLSI SEMINAR

Tuesday
December 6, 1994
3:30 Reception
4:00 Lecture
Room 34-101
50 Vassar Street

Leading-Edge Process Technology Enables High-Performance Microprocessors

Joseph D. Schutz
Intel Corporation
Aloha, Oregon
The microprocessor business is characterized by the insatiable demand for higher computing performance. Advances in computer architecture combined with evolution in silicon process technology have permitted very rapid advances in microprocessor performance. This presentation will explore the interaction between architecture and process technology, focusing on the way the process technology evolution has been guided to achieve the highest possible performance.

The impact of various features of silicon technology on clock rate will be analyzed. The clock rate of a microprocessor is collectively dependent on the performance of transistors, parasitic capacitances and resistances, and the interconnect system. The impact on each of these elements on performance will be described.