In terms of photo-lithography , it is certainly a fact that using shorter wavelengths will give greater resolution . X-ray crystallography is good example , and was essential to the discovery of the structure of DNA. But with companies like Intel working on transistors that measure only 32 nanometers in width, it won't be long before the oxide layer becomes too thin to act as a gate for electrons ( using traditional transistors ) When a material is super thin ( the limit is probably 4 atoms ) it no longer behaves as a conductor ( or semi-conductor ), in the conventional sense . Electrons can tunnel right through it , and quantum effects then take over . ( For reference purposes , one nanometer is approximately 10 atoms , depending on the material in question ) I think it will be this that leads to the demise of Moore's Law , and not the limits of photo-lithography.
Contrary to popular belief - Moore's Law is not dead, but only slowing down with regard to existing technology limits, as quietman has explained above in message #2 with regard to tunneling. What is already in the pipeline for replacing conventional technology is optical computing via laser technology. See: Computing with Lasers Could Power Up Genomics and AI New technology is always the way to supercede the limits of existing technology until the limits of technology are reached, and then it is time to invent new science to continue the quest. -- Tom
