It is not clear to me why the term “technology node”, certainly useful reference to the progress in digital IC technology, continues to be expressed in nanometers.

Was it somewhere around 14 nm that the number in nm defining “technology node” and actual physical length of the transistor’s gate parted ways? Or was it even earlier than that? In any case, without some connection to the improved transistor's performance or architecure modifications we, casual observers, can understand, but are unaware of, technology node expressed in nanometers does not seem to serve a constructive purpose.

May be the concept of the Equivalent Gate Length (EGL) I proposed in blogs #379 (12/3/2017) and #422 (8/9/2020) would help establish connection between business terminology and physical reality and give us some sense of continuity in the progress of digital ICs technology? Term “X nm EGL Technology Node” where X would be defined by modelling and simulation could do the trick in my mind. 

 P.S. All what I am saying above was not occurring to me three years ago when I was writing a section on integrated circuits in my book published in early 2020. Well, technology is plowing ahead and on occasion we are late seeing things the right way…