It will continue to progress at the current pace for the next four to five years, but toward 2010 some problems will arise in lithography and defining patterns. Gordon Moore, creator of Moore's Law, identified the underlying driving force behind these trends. Semiconductor manufacturers use optical lithography in a highly specialized printing process used to put detailed patterns onto silicon wafers. An image containing the desired pattern is projected onto the silicon wafer, which is coated with a very thin layer of photosensitive material called resist. After development, the resist forms a stenciled pattern across the wafer surface that matches the pattern of a circuit.
Manufacturers already are able to place millions of transistors per square centimeter.
Last year, researchers started patterning features smaller than the wavelength of light being used to set the pattern. However, as features get smaller, peculiar optical effects arise. Isaac projects that in five to 10 years, the normal light currently being used for lithography will hit a dead end. New sources such as X-ray, scalpel and extreme ultraviolet will need to be explored. Lithography today uses a deep ultraviolet light source.