Researchers Say Next-Gen Chips Must Resolve 'Dark Silicon'

摘要

Dark silicon refers to the underutilized transistors on a microprocessor. Those transistors are deliberately shut down during certain operations to contain the heat buildup that otherwise might fry the entire chip. Some experts now say up to one-fifth of the transistors on the higher-performing chips will need to "go dark" to stem the chances of incorrect results at the least and a fried chip at the worst.