Science & Technology - overview
Semiconductor and related device technologies have underpinned the improvement of computer performance over the past half century, thanks to Moore's Law. Today, we need new breakthroughs because the scaling of CMOS devices is approaching physical limitations. Using our skills in basic physics, material properties, and other areas, IBM Research - Tokyo is conducting innovative device research that will have a major impact on future computer architecture. We are also collaborating with partners in Japan, such as materials, equipment and other manufacturers.
Competency fields
- Optical Interconnect Technology Data transmission bandwidth is increasing as computers exploit multicore architectures. Electrical interconnects are getting harder to implement for high bandwidth due to the limitations of power and packaging density. Optical interconnects promise to realize high-speed, low-power, and high-density channels, and more optical channels have been exploited into high-performance computers. We are developing low-power, high-speed optical interconnects for high-performance, low-power computers.
- 3D Chip interconnection The concentration of integrated circuits has been doubling every two years according to Moore's Law. However, it is now becoming difficult to sustain this growth rate because designs are approaching the physical limitations of the materials. 3D integration is expected to make it possible to prolong this growth rate for integration with higher circuit speeds and significant reductions in power consumption. IBM Research - Tokyo is working on chip stacking/bonding, inter-chip filling, mechanical analysis, and cooling for 3D packaging.
- Circuit & Systems As the exponential system performance growth leveraging the conventional CMOS scaling becomes more challenging, there is increasing attention and demand in optimizing the system performance at the level of circuits and systems to fulfill the ever-increasing gaps between technology constraints and SW application requirements. In particular, future computing systems need a roadmap for an order of magnitude improvement in energy per computation in coming decades. In circuits & systems group, we are conducting research on hardware technologies that are considered critical in leading the new era of computing.
- Millimeter Wave Technology The goal of our research project is to establish next-generation ultra-high-speed mmWave wireless communication technologies, working together with the T.J. Watson Research Center. We provide digital baseband technology with leading-edge modulation and coding algorithms, is building demonstration systems running at multi-Gbps data rates, and is participating in major standardization activities. We are also exploring how such high-speed wireless technologies can revolutionize future IT infrastructures and affect consumer and business applications.