Posted on Wednesday, June 16 2010 @ 19:00 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
Intel revealed it has developed a new version of its 32nm process for SoCs and RF/mobile communication chips:
Intel is the only company in the world shipping products built on a 32nm (32 billionths of a meter) manufacturing process, and the only one with high-k/metal gate, a technology that delivers superior performance and energy efficiency. Now, Intel engineers have developed a new version of this process -- first created for CPUs - to make SoCs, particularly those requiring low power and RF (radio frequency)/mobile communications. A full array of features has been added, including a triple-transistor architecture with high frequency performance, low leakage power and good noise performance, and high breakdown power amplifier transistors. The latter is needed for CMOS power amplifiers in integrated radio applications such as Wi-Fi, WiMAX, cellular, and GPS. The process provides noise isolation through deep-n-well and high resistivity substrates, and includes high quality inductors, resistors, and varactors. Intel is describing this new technology at the 2010 Symposia on VLSI Technology and Circuits this week. Further details are available here (PDF 28KB).
