Any Problems with Smaller Chip Process?

[msuffidy]

Are there any issues with making chips at smaller process? I am guessing cpus may have some sort of ESD protection? Could smaller transistors break down sooner?

[ataradov]

That's a pretty broad topic. As applied to the MCUs one of the issues is the leakage current. It goes up with smaller process. This increases static current consumption, and one of the bigger advantages and pushes for the MCU in recent years is the low current consumption and long run times with battery power.

ESD is not really an issue, since it is handled by the I/O pads and protection circuits there, which are already huge compared to the reset of the logic, and they are not getting smaller. There is no point in making them smaller as you are limited by the physical bonding pad size, which can't get any smaller.

Smaller node size devices are more susceptible to radiation, but for consumer applications that is rarely a concern.

[amyk]

Electromigration is another thing that becomes a significant life-limiting factor.c