While US chip makers were calling for more investment and solutions from nanotechnology, their European counterparts were forging ahead with the next generation of materials.
The announcement this week of ST Microelectronics’ leadership of the PolyApply project, and the partnership of Merck, Philips, Motorola and even Lego in the project, coupled with use of the term ‘ambient intelligence’ gives an indication of the direction the industry is heading.
While the new architectures and devices made possible by nanotechnology, from MRAM to Plastronics will gradually penetrate the market, it is worth remembering that CMOS is cheap, well understood, and it works. Most of the new devices will be working alongside, or sitting on top of CMOS. Nobody ripped up all the telephone wires as soon as mobile phones became available, and no one is going to write off a $3 billion wafer fab because of nanotechnology. Its no coincidence that ST Microelectronics are also part of Europe’s NANOCMOS project. Perhaps you can have your cake and eat it.