PROCESS SHRINK AND PHOTO MICROGRAPHY
Ultimately the introduction of the transistors facilitated a process called process shrink bases on projecting an image onto a large circular wafer, using acids to remove the unwanted conductive materials, and over time continuing to shrink more and more the image projected. The smaller the image the less distance the electricity had to travel and the less electricity was required. This resulted in greater processing speed and greater performance. A final note before moving on is that once chip designers and manufacturers took on the entire process of designing and manufacturing the chips. Today it is far too expensive to perform all the Research & Development needed for leading edge manufacturing. So Taiwan Semi Conduction today is the world’s leading chip manufacturer with Samsung in second place not too far behind. Intel’s manufacturing today is badly broken and at least 3 or 4 generations behind.
A METAPHOR TO HELP UNDERSTAND PROCESS SHRINK
In the beginnings of 2010 the world had achieved 22nm (nanometer or one billionth of a meter – very small) to 28 nm. Intel was the first company to achieve 14 nm. This is analogous to you running in a track and field race. And if you had 28 nm technology you would have to run 280 meters, If you had 22 nm you had to run 220 meters. And if you were Intel with 14 nm you would have to run 140 meters. So no matter how good your Nike tracks shoes were or how aerodynamic you track suit was, you would not be able to overcome the difference in distance you would have to run. So back then Intel had a monopoly on 14nm and they were gauging everyone with their enormous margins. But then TSMC, Samsung, Global Foundries all achieved 14 nm and it was an even playing field except that Intel had a bit more maturity at 14 nm. But then TSMC and Samsung achieved 7 nm leaving Intel back in the dust and not able for years to solve all their technical problems.