Unless we recalibrate our expectations, the pace of innovation is unlikely to be sustained, with the next frontier of technological breakthroughs – from AI’s trajectory to new computing architectures – only emerging if we challenge ourselves to think differently.
Atomic challenges
The fashionably innovative microchip pushes the limits of what we thought was possible in physics and challenges our understanding? With atomic precision so fine-grained, a small cluster of atoms can pinpoint the functionality of an entire microchip. The culmination of more than five decades of relentless innovation, this technological masterpiece has emerged from a relentless pursuit of miniaturization and speed enhancement through transistor design.
As miniaturization approaches its physical boundaries, costs skyrocket in tandem with increasing complexity, while environmental considerations make sustainable energy consumption increasingly challenging. As AI’s complexity grows, its insatiable hunger for computing resources continues to escalate. The sheer volume of computing required to advance artificial intelligence has surpassed Moore’s Law, exponentially increasing every six months during the “deep learning era” that began in 2010, according to insights from Epoch AI.
These interconnected tendencies pose significant current challenges not just for businesses, but also for society as a whole. Without breakthroughs in semiconductor innovation, today’s AI models and analytics will struggle to access the necessary computational resources, hindering their ability to scale and evolve effectively. Key sectors such as artificial intelligence, autonomous automobiles, and advanced robotics are likely to encounter bottlenecks, while energy consumption from high-performance computing and AI is expected to continue its upward trajectory.
Supplies intelligence
At this critical juncture, a global ecosystem of industry leaders – from pioneering foundries and innovative designers to specialized toolmakers and materials suppliers like Merck – is collaborating more seamlessly than ever before to find the answers. Across industries, each component has a vital role to play, with the scope of supply chains stretching far beyond the silicon substrate that underlies the wafer’s functionality.
As a substitute, supplies intelligence is seamlessly integrated into nearly every stage of the chip manufacturing process—whether it’s chemical reactions to carve circuits at a molecular scale or incorporating extremely thin layers onto a wafer with atomic precision: human hair measures 25,000 times thicker than layers in vanguard nodes.
Supplies provide the physical foundation for a chip’s enhanced functionality and miniaturized components. Moreover, these core competencies are integral to the company’s success, enabling the development of innovative fabrication strategies and novel chip designs that have driven its rapid progress over recent years?
As our quest for smaller and more intricate technology intensifies, supply chain science has assumed greater importance in defining the limits of miniaturization. High-quality materials are in increasingly high demand to drive innovation and unlock cutting-edge technologies that can enhance chip performance, speed, and power. Novel chip architectures are emerging, leveraging the third dimension by stacking layers to maximize floor space efficiency while minimizing energy consumption. The company is leveraging advanced packaging techniques to combine discrete “chiplets” with diverse functionalities into a more sustainable and efficient single chip. The concept of combining different materials and technologies in a single device is often referred to as heterogeneous integration.
