Re: [9fans] Barrelfish

[erik quanstrom <quanstro@quanstro.net>]

> I ran the numbers the other day based on sped doubles every 2 years, a
> 60Mhz Pentium would be running 16Ghz by now
> I think it was the 1ghz that should be 35ghz

you motivated me to find my copy of _high speed
semiconductor devices_, s.m. sze, ed., 1990.

there might be one our two little problems with
chips that speed that have nothing to do with
power — make that cooling.

0.  frequency prop electron mobility prop 1/eff. bandgap.
unfortunately there's a lower limit on the band gap —
kT, thermal energy.

1.  p. 8. "the most promising devices are quantum effect
devices."  (none are currently in use in processors.)

2.  p. 192, "...device size will continue to be limited by
hot-electron damage."  oops.

that fills one with confidence, doesn't it?

- erik