Future development of semiconductors

The development of the third generation semiconductor materials and devices represented by GaN (Gallium nitride) is the core and foundation of the emerging semiconductor industry, and its research and development is showing a rapid development trend. After the successful development of blue LED and LD, the direction of scientific research has shifted to GaN ultraviolet light detectors. GaN materials also have a considerable application market in microwave power. Gallium nitride semiconductor switches have been hailed as a new milestone in semiconductor chip design. Scientists at the University of Florida have developed an important device that could be used to create a new type of electronic switch that provides a smooth, uninterrupted power supply.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Moore's Law, a milestone in the history of semiconductor technology, the switching regulator.

For 50 years, Moore's Law has been the guiding light for the development of information technology. The computer has gone from a mysterious, inaccessible behemoth to an indispensable tool for most people, information technology has moved from the laboratory into countless homes, the Internet has connected the world, and multimedia audio-visual devices have enriched everyone's lives. This law determines that the change of information technology is accelerating, and the change of products is getting faster and faster. People have seen that the innovation of technology and products roughly follows its rhythm, and most of the former become pioneers, while the laggards are easy to be eliminated.

The driving force behind it all is the semiconductor chip. If transistors, resistors and capacitors had been mounted separately on circuit boards in the old way, not only would personal computers and mobile communications have been impossible, but new technologies such as genome research, computer-aided design and manufacturing would have been impossible. Experts point out that Moore's Law is no longer just a law for chip technology; In the near future, it is possible to expand to wireless technology, optical technology, sensor technology and other fields, and become the guiding ideology for people to explore and innovate in unknown fields.

There is no doubt that Moore's Law has profound implications for the world. However, as transistor circuits gradually approach the performance limits, this law will come to an end. When does Moore's Law expire? Experts have different opinions. Back in 1995, at the International Symposium on Information Technology in Chicago, American scientist and engineer Jack Kilby said that the advent of the 5-nanometer processor could put an end to Moore's Law. Zhou Haizhong, a Chinese scientist and futurist, predicted at the symposium that Moore's Law is likely to be invalid in 30 years due to the rapid development of nanotechnology. In 2012, Michio Kaku, a Japanese-American theoretical physicist, told Thinktank that "within 10 years or so, we will see Moore's Law collapse." Moore himself recently argued that the rule would be eclipsed by 2020. Some experts point out that the pace of information technology will not slow down even if Moore's Law ends.