Correlation between nanometers and GHz speeds in modern silicon chips and moore's law
The correlation between nanometer (nm) size and GHz speed in modern chips is no longer a simple, direct relationship , as it was in the early days of Moore's Law. Below I explain the relationship, why the correlation has weakened, and how this all relates to Moore's Law. 1. The Original Correlation: Moore's Law In the past (until around 2005), there was a strong, almost direct correlation between shrinking the nanometer size and increasing the clock speed: Parameter Impact of Shrinking Nanometer Size (nm) Decreases. (This is the geometric scaling). Transistor Density Increases. (More transistors fit on the same chip, the essence of Moore's Law). Clock Speed (GHz) Increases. (Transistors are closer together, shortening the electron travel distance, allowing the frequency to increase). Power Consumption Decreases. (The smaller transistors required less energy to switch). In short: Smaller transistors were faster and consumed less power. This was the basis for the f...