CLIENT/SERVER

September 29, 1997 (Vol. 19, Issue 39)

IBM, Intel look to copper chips

By Steven E. Brier

IBM has announced a way to use copper instead of aluminum as a conductor in computer chips, increasing the processing power of a chip while also allowing its size to be reduced.

The steps in making chips with the copper process are cheaper than the steps in the making of aluminum chips, further driving down the cost of chips.

"Aluminum is running out of gas," said Bill O'Leary, manager of media relations at IBM Microelectronics.

O'Leary said that there was a 40-percent improvement in performance when using copper instead of aluminum.

"We can go as low as .16 microns," O'Leary said. "Below .25 [microns], aluminum resistance is too high. Aluminum is fighting you."

IBM stated that the technology will lead to higher-performing microprocessors that use less energy and, in turn, will allow electronics manufacturers to build products that are smaller, lighter, and use less power.

Although chips made with the new process, called CMOS 7S, will first appear in IBM products such as processors and memory for the System 390 and AS/400 lines, this technology eventually will find its way across the product lineup, O'Leary said.

Intel representative Howard High said that although IBM's breakthrough may give it a slight advantage in working with the new technology, the rest of the industry will be there soon enough.

High also said that because Intel has been working with aluminum for 30 years and produces high volumes of aluminum chips, the company sees no reason to switch to copper until it introduces .13 micron processors in the year 2000.