Does IBM’s $3bn investment answer the sale question?
1 min read
In February, I noted – along with other industry watchers – that IBM had retained investment bank Goldman Sachs to help it determine the future for its microelectronics business. The question was whether there was a buyer or a potential joint venture.
Last week's announcement that it is to invest $3billion in two projects looking well into the future of semiconductor manufacturing probably answers the question.
In the first project, IBM will be looking at developing technology to manufacture chips at the 7nm node. According to the senior vp of IBM Research, it's not a question of 'if', it's more about 'how' and 'when', as well as 'how much?'.
But it's the second project which attracts the attention; what happens when silicon runs out of steam? It's going to be looking at such things as quantum computing, neurosynaptic computing, silicon photonics, carbon nanotubes, III-V technologies, low power transistors and graphene. Alongside that work, it's going to be looking at new devices. Included is what IBM calls tunnel FETs, which could cut power consumption by 100 times.
However, despite the investment, the uncertainty will linger until IBM says it's selling or not selling.
