Freaky. On May 5, Intel shared an announcement that the silicon transistor can be reproduced in the third dimension, not just the second. What does this mean? Intel’s “revolutionary” Tri-Gate transistor, first mentioneg by Intel in 2002, is constructed upward like a pyramid or a skycraper instead of the way other transistors, so it has the potential holding more volume or capacity.

“Intel’s scientists and engineers have once again reinvented the transistor, this time utilizing the third dimension,” said Intel chief executive Paul Otellini. “Amazing, world-shaping devices will be created from this capability as we advance Moore’s Law into new realms.”

What is Moore’s Law? It is number of transistors that can be placed rather cheaply on integrated circuit doubling approximately every two years

For the past 50 years since the silicon transistor was first invented by Texas Instruments in 1954, it is what has led to the making of netbooks, smartphones, tablets, and laptops have more power and often be less expensive while also becoming smaller, it seems, every time one blinks an eye.

The Tri-Gate transister is constructed at a 22-nanometer node which would be 1/1,000,000,000th of a meter. Some have said that this accomplishment was expected to be reached by semiconductor companies in the 2011–2012 timeframe, and this is 2011.

“The performance gains and power savings of Intel’s unique 3-D Tri-Gate transistors are like nothing we’ve seen before,” said Intel senior fellow Mark Bohr. “The low-voltage and low-power benefits far exceed what we typically see from one process generation to the next. It will give product designers the flexibility to make current devices smarter and wholly new ones possible.”

Why is the Tri-Gate transistor considered three dimensional? The switches are vertical and horizontal, but even so, the transistors are not stacked one on top of the other. The result is that the electrons can flow in three dimensions. What a highly sought dream for the microprocessor design industry! The new circuit design enables more transistors on much more minute areas is a huge move forward.

Read more on this topic at Intel’s site. Plus news about young scientists take on Hollywood!