New microprocessor features for lower power and increased performance: doing "Moore's" with less

Abstract

Improvements in microprocessor performance over time have been expressed through the use of Moore's law, an observation that the number of transistors on a semiconductor device could be expected to double approximately every 18-24 months. Other performance indicators have focused on processing rates, for example, microprocessor clock speed expressed in megahertz or gigahertz. Today, energy efficiency has become a crucial aspect in the design and manufacturing of high performance microprocessor products. Limitations in current silicon manufacturing technology, as well as practical and environmental considerations are behind this change. This paper describes how new transistor designs and materials of construction are resulting in increased energy efficiency, and lower power in today's high performance microprocessors.