Your next Mac processor: Intel builds first 45nm transistors

Intel just smacked Moore’s law around a bit. They just announced they built the world’s first 45 nanometer transistors as part of the project code-named “Penryn.”

Let’s go into just how small that is. Hundreds could fit on the surface of single red blood cell.

How did they do it?

They got rid of silicon dioxide and introduced a new High-K dielectric. That’s all scientific gobbledy-good for saying they found a way to make transistors smaller, faster, and more power efficient.

OK, why did I say “Mac” in the headline? Cause my friends who are studying Digg say that you’re 30% more likely to get Dugg if you use the word “Mac” in a headline. Just kidding.

Anyway, I’ll have videos up shortly. I’ll just say that the Intel folks are very proud of what they just built. They say it puts them a year or two ahead of the competition.

According to Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, as quoted on the Intel site, “The implementation of high-k and metal materials marks the biggest change in transistor technology since the introduction of polysilicon gate MOS transistors in the late 1960s.”