https://www.overclock3d.net/news/misc_hardware/intel_next-generation_nanoribbon_transistors_are_coming_within_in_the_next_five_years/1 Intel's planning to move beyond its FinFET transistor layouts, hoping to transition to a new transistor layout called GAAFET, which aims to deliver heightened efficient levels and enhanced silicon performance. Intel's GAAFET is 'nanoribbon', a new design which enables improved design characteristics over today's FinFET transistors. Samsung has already revealed its own GAAFET-style transistors with their planned
3nm MBCFET (Nanosheet) designs, which are due to enter risk production in 2020.
So what is a GAAFET, a Gate-All-Around transistor? The simple answer is that it takes the idea behind FinFET transistors to the next level, building upon its 3D nature to offer all-around (hence GAA, Gate-All-Around) coverage of the transistor's channel. FinFET, in a basic sense, places a fin within the GATE that has three out of four sides covered, whereas GAAFET transistors have all sides covered. This improved coverage can help lower power losses and increase a transistor's performance/watt characteristics.
Intel's Nanoribbon approach also offers the company the opportunity to widen their Nanoribbons to alter the characteristics of their transistors, granting Intel a useful optimisation option. This alternation allows the transistors to be scaled to meet size, power efficiency and performance requirements. With Nanosheet stacking and width alteration, Intel has a lot of versatility with their GAAFET transistors.
The benefits of GAAFET transistors have the potential to transform the computing market, enabling increased performance levels, heightened efficiency levels and increased density for future processors. These new transistors will help power the next generation of mobile, desktop and datacenter computing devices, which is great news for chipmakers and their customers. Intel has no intention to leave the foundry market. They are gearing up to deliver 7nm next year and move beyond FinFETs within the next five years. Intel may be behind with their 10nm node, but they are far from finished. The future is bright for all players within the foundry market.
Intel has fallen behind AMD in my opinion on CPU efficiency. At least they are making efforts to overcome this.