A UK collaboration between Nottingham-based start-up, Search For The Next (SFN) and Glenrothes-based Semefab, may be set to disrupt the semiconductor industry by implementing a fundamental change at transistor level, reaching back to the early bipolar IC era before CMOS became mainstream, using a new process called Bizen. Bizen applies the principles of quantum tunnel mechanics to any computing or power technology. When compared to CMOS, Bizen results in a five-fold lead time reduction – down from 15 weeks to just three weeks. Moreover, the new process achieves a three-fold increase in gate density that produces a matching three-fold reduction in die size. Lastly, Bizen halves the number of process layers required.
David Summerland, CEO SFN explains: “The CMOS processing industry is hitting a brick wall as shrinking geometries bash up against the laws of physics. We went back to the very beginning and found a way to commercialie quantum tunnel mechanics in silicon or wide bandgap device manufacture. The result is ‘Bizen’ – Bipolar/Zener – which retains the advantages of traditional bipolar processing, while removing the disadvantages through Zener quantum tunnel mechanics. This results in lower dynamic power, higher speed and higher gate density, halving the number of process layers required, reducing material use by two thirds, and slashing manufacturing time.”
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