The advancement of semiconductor technology kept pace with Moore's Law until around the year 2000, when physical limitations created a significant bottleneck. However, a 2007 breakthrough in three-dimensional semiconductor architecture broke open this bottleneck, and Moore's law has largely held true to this day.
Before passing away in March 2023, Moore said that his prediction was a lucky guess that was never meant to become known as a “law,” per se. However, he continued to advocate for silicone as the semiconductor vehicle through which Moore's Law would continue to hold.
Moore also expressed skepticism about quantum computing technology beyond niche applications, and the American engineer never gave public support to the idea of nanomaterials being the successor to silicon; downsizing would eventually push semiconductors to the atomic scale.
Today, it appears we are on the precipice of another bottleneck. Researchers are increasingly looking to nanotechnology as a way to extend Moore's law and continue advancing semiconductor technology. Some of the most popular efforts are focused on two-dimensional semiconductors, and the growing number of advocates for this technology now includes industry giants like Intel and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
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