IBM is planning to spend US$3 billion over the next five years to thoroughly research and carefully develop a range of exotic computer chips that will replace silicon.

The multinational technology and consulting corporation said it wants to utilize the limits of standard semiconductors and accelerate the commercialization of their exotic new designs.

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IBM said its new computer chip research will be one of its largest research initiatives. It will spend US$6 billion annually for the research and development of the new computer chips.

John E. Kelly, senior vice president and director of research for IBM, said the investment will really push the potential of chip technology. He pointed out that IBM's research has two goals.

One goal is to make more improvements in existing silicon chip technology by compressing tiny circuits from 22 nanometers down to 7 nanometers. IBM also intends to make these circuits a few atoms wider.

The second goal of the research is to fast-track the progress of advances in quantum physics; research into chips that are brain-like and do more research on carbon nanotubes.

IBM will hire more scientists; invest in various industry partnerships and partner with the academe to get the project going.

IBM's announcement implements its new strategy in the chip business. This strategy will see IBM invest purely in research; push through with licensing and revenues and let other companies do the manufacturing.

IBM's focus on exotic chip technology shows that the end of the silicon era in computing is at hand. Although IBM will not totally abandon silicon, it will use other materials apart from silicon.

Tagscomputer chip research, chip technology, silicon era, research technology