On-chip Networks for Manycore Architecture Myong ... - People - MIT

either of these two scenarios be the case in the near future?
As a matter of fact, good progress has been made in the research of non-silicon
based technologies in the hope that one such technology would eventually overcome
the speed limit of silicon-based computers. For example, field-e↵ect transistors
(FETs) that work with a cut-o↵ frequency as high as 100 GHz have been fabricated
on a graphene wafer [52]. However, none of the alternative technologies has yet
surmounted the hurdles of mass production to match the outstanding technological
maturity of silicon processes. As a result, it is expected to take another couple of
decades before such technologies reach to the consumer market [15, 30].
The number of transistors on a chip has kept increasing as well. In 2011, Intel
integrated 3.1 billion transistors on a 18.2⇥29.9mm 2 die using 32nm technology. One
year later, Intel put almost 5 billion transistors on the Xeon Phi coprocessor using
22nm technology [42]. In case of GPUs, NVIDIA crammed 7.1 billion transistors into
its GK110 chip using the 28nm node in 2012 [13]. As the current process technology
roadmap predicts [28], Moore’s law will continue for at least another half a decade,
until the point where transistors get four times smaller.
In summary, having more cores still remains a feasible and attractive solution
because the reasons why multicore processors came into place still hold. The lack of
alternatives urges researchers to address the technical issues of manycore processors
and extend its practicality. Section 1.1.2.3 illustrates recent e↵orts to transit from a
few cores to many cores.
1.1.2.3 Examples of Manycore Processors
Intel has long been trying to develop a practical manycore architecture; in 2008,
Intel demonstrated its 80-core Polaris research processor with simple VLIW cores
and a high-performance 8 ⇥ 10 2-D mesh network [89]. Two years later, the Single-
Chip Cloud Computer (SCC) followed, which contained 48 full-fledged P54C Pentium
cores [38]. Finally, the 60-core Xeon Phi coprocessor was released to the consumer
market in 2012 [12].
Tilera Corporation has focused on manycore general-purpose processors since its
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