Understanding Moore's Law

Classic.Ars: Understanding Moore's Law (6 web pages) dated September 27. 2008.

The sections of this article are:
Introduction
Economies of scale in silicon chip manufacturing
Rebalancing all the variables
The cost/integration abstraction
One option for smaller feature sizes: added functionality
Frequency and power dissipation: caveats and nuances

-- Tom

P.S. For anyone seeking a peek at the next decade, look at the web pages starting at Wikipedia 65 nanometer and follow the links down to 11_nanometer paying attention to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS). New materials will be needed to break through the quantum tunneling barrier (silicon won't cut it) - and graphene appears currently to be the most qualified to assume this role - we shall have to wait and see what happens.