Posted on 7/31/2004, 1:28:41 AM by Ernest_at_the_Beach
EAST FISHKILL, NY, Jul. 30, 2004 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- IBM today revealed a breakthrough chip morphing technology, enabling a new class of semiconductor products that can monitor and adjust their functions to improve their quality, performance and power consumption without human intervention.
The patented technology, called "eFUSE," combines unique software algorithms and microscopic electrical fuses to produce chips that can regulate and adapt their own actions in response to changing conditions and system demands.
By dynamically sensing that a chip needs a "tune-up," eFUSE can alter the configuration and efficiency of circuitry to enhance performance or avoid a potential problem. This autonomic capability is expected to change the way chips are designed, manufactured and integrated into computers, cell phones, consumer electronics and other products.
"eFUSE reroutes chip logic, much the way highway traffic patterns can be altered by opening and closing new lanes," said Dr. Bernard Meyerson, IBM Fellow, vice president and chief technologist, IBM Systems and Technology Group. "Our work with innovative technologies like eFUSE is a result of IBM's commitment to investing in fundamental research and development, as well as to creating an environment that values and stimulates innovation."
eFUSE Enables Better Chips
eFUSE is part of a built-in self-repair system that constantly monitors a chip's functionality. If an imperfection is detected, this innovative technology "instinctively" initiates corrective actions by tripping inexpensive, simple electrical fuses that are designed into the chip at no additional cost. The activated fuses help the chip control individual circuit speed to manage power consumption and repair unexpected, and potentially costly flaws. If the technology detects that the chip is malfunctioning because individual circuits are running too fast or too slow, it can 'throttle down' these circuits or speed them up by controlling the appropriate local voltage.
The morphing technology also will optimize and tailor the performance and capabilities of a chip to meet an individual customer's product needs in response to changing end-user or software demand. Customers further benefit from the versatility of eFUSE as the morphing can be repeated several times -- even after the chip has been packaged and shipped in a product.
Invented and refined by IBM scientists and engineers, eFUSE achieves a goal pursued by chip designers for many years by putting to positive use the phenomena of "electromigration." This phenomena has traditionally been detrimental to chip performance and was avoided -- even at significant cost and effort. IBM has perfected a technique that harnesses electromigration and uses it to program a fuse without damaging other parts of the chip. Previous implementations of on-chip fuse technology in the industry often involved rupturing fuses, which had resulted in unwanted performance and reliability problems.
Both versatile and adaptable, eFUSE is being implemented to support a variety of applications, such as high-performance microprocessors based on IBM's Power Architecture, including POWER5 and other chips used in IBM eServer systems, as well as low-power IBM silicon germanium (SiGe) chips. eFUSE-enabled chips also are available to IBM foundry customers.
As the leading ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) supplier, IBM also is leveraging the self-managing function of eFUSE in all 90 nanometer custom chips, including those designed with IBM's advanced embedded DRAM technology. The combination of eFUSE and embedded DRAM helped the company achieve Frost & Sullivan's 2004 Award for Excellence in Technology, which is bestowed in recognition of the development and introduction of an innovative technology that has either impacted or has the potential to impact several market sectors.
eFUSE is technology independent, does not require introduction of new materials, tools or processes, and is in production today at IBM's 300 millimeter (mm) facility in East Fishkill, N.Y. and 200mm plant in Burlington, Vt.
IBM engineers hold dozens of fundamental eFUSE technology patents that led to this innovation.
About IBM
IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM is also a recognized innovator in the semiconductor industry, having been first with advances like more power-efficient copper wiring in place of aluminum and faster SOI and silicon germanium transistors. These and other innovations have contributed to IBM's standing as the number one U.S. patent holder for 11 consecutive years. More information about IBM semiconductors can be found at: http://www.ibm.com/chips.
IBM, eServer, Power Architecture, and POWER5 are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.
Contact: IBM Chris Andrews 845-892-5023 candrews@us.ibm.com
SOURCE: IBM
HAL is born
Nader Press Release: Giant Corporations Developing Genetically Modified Computer Chips! Cross-Contamination Feared!
How do they do that?
This seems like a major deal!
Open the frigging door or I'll rip every single one of your eFUSEs out one by one.
Skynet's DNA.
Will it be easier to set the time clock?
The precursor to this technology has been around for some time. In fact, I'm currently designing something using it. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). It's a collection of unconnected logic blocks on a chip. You write a "program" that defines the functionality you want, and translation software figures out how to implement it in the logic available on the chip. You program the chip with the connections the software creates for you and, presto, you've got a custom chip. You can create anything you want, within the limitations of the number of logic blocks available and the input/output pins. Some people have even implemented replacements for obsolete microprocessors so that old software can continue to run. Some really fancy designs will even load different connections "on the fly" so that the FPGA can take on different roles at different times. Very cool stuff.
See my reply #9. In the gate array chips, the human being who defines the chip connections via a high-level language like VHDL (for example) is the decision maker. Sounds like this new stuff is going to push that decision-making about internal connections down into the chip itself, no doubt with algorithms supplied by the designer. Very interesting idea, and I'll be watching to see how it develops.
Drop the balloons HAL!!! More balloons! More balloons! More balloons! Where are my goddamn balloons? What the fsck are you doing, HAL?!?
I'm sorry, Terry, I can't do that.
A preview of the new Macintosh ?!?!?
Very interesting!
Thanks for the ping.
I think calling them "thinking chips" is more than a bit of exaggeration, but it's still impressive that they can adapt to circumstances.
much funnier, and more topical than my effort!
Cool!
This is cool.
1's and 0's
I don't know if a user would even know anything was happening.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.