Even the most optimistic proponents of ICs believe that major innovations will be required to reach the ultimate operating limit of the silicon transistor: a length for functional features around 10 nanometers (nm), or about 30 atoms long.

• 即使是最乐观的IC拥护者也认为，得有重要的创新，才能达到矽电晶体操作的最小尺寸极限：接近10奈米的图案，或是差不多30个原子的长度。