'Where Tomorrow Begins': Intel's Components Research Labs

Components Research scientists and engineers invent and develop novel materials used in Intel microprocessors, system-on-chip products and 5G devices.

Intel Images: Intel's Components Research Labs in Oregon

Walk into Intel’s Components Research (CR) labs in Oregon and you see an overhead sign: “This is where tomorrow begins.”

CR scientists and engineers invent and develop novel materials used in Intel microprocessors, system-on-chip products and 5G devices. They are always improving transistor and system performance and overcoming the problems of physics that arise as chips’ features shrink to the atomic scale. That often requires inventing exotic materials – creating new chemical compounds, in some cases – to build the extremely thin computer chip layers that are crafted one atom or molecule at a time.

Over the years, CR staff helped introduce revolutionary technologies such as High-K metal gate technology, Tri-gate 3D transistors, strained silicon, embedded multi-die interconnect bridge (EMIB) package technologyextreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) technology and more. It’s their revolutionary process and package technologies that keep Moore’s Law moving forward. They don’t usually work on today’s problems — they work on tomorrow’s, searching for enabling solutions typically five to 10 years ahead of production.

“Our job is to invent, to demonstrate and to develop game-changing and revolutionary processing and packaging technologies to enable Intel’s process technology leadership,” said, Robert Chau, CR leader and Intel Senior Fellow.

More: All Intel Images | Intel’s Components Research Labs on the Ronler Acres Campus in Oregon (B-Roll)

» View video: Intel's Components Research Group Invents Revolutionary Process and Package Tech