AMD Forges Ahead in New Chip Technology

SAN FRANCISCO -- Advanced Micro Devices(AMD Quote) may not know where its chips will be manufactured in the future, but the company is making strides in developing technology for factories to produce ever faster microprocessors.

On Tuesday, the Sunnyvale, Calif., company announced details of a working test chip it claims lays the groundwork for next-generation microprocessors featuring smaller transistors.

AMD produced the test chip in partnership with IBM(IBM Quote) using Extreme Ultra-Violet lithography, a type of lithography that uses a shorter wavelength of light than today's standard lithographic tools. The shorter wavelength means the circuits on a silicon wafer can be etched at a smaller size. ...