Each of the 820 million transistors on Intel's three-gigahertz quad-core processor is only 45 nanometers across, 30 percent smaller than those on previous commercial chips. Smaller transistors need thinner layers of electrical insulation--or dielectrics--which is hard to acheive with the traditional insulator, silicon dioxide. With its 45-nanometer chips, however, Intel has begun using a new insulator, hafnium oxide. The quad-core processor (shown here) will probably be used in network servers; a smaller, dual-core processor could turn up in high-end desktop computers.
Product: Intel Core2 Extreme quad-core processor
Cost: $999 in quantities of 1,000
Source: www.intel.com/products/processor/core2XE/
Company: Intel
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