TechInsights: Intel 10nm has 2.7x higher transistor density versus 14nm

It's an understatement that Intel is struggling immensely with its 10nm process. Chips based on this node should have been on the market years ago, but instead the chip giant saw itself forced to abandon its tick-tock model. Future CPU architectures got delayed as well, resulting in the current Coffee Lake lineup, which is basically a further optimization of an older design on an enhanced version of the 14nm process. The troubles with 10nm enabled AMD to catch up again, and more likely than not contributed to the ousting of CEO Brian Krzanich.

So far the only 10nm chip from Intel that hit the market is a low-end, dual-core laptop chip that is sold by Lenovo in some select markets. The chip doesn't even have working integrated graphics, so it doesn't really inspire a lot of confidence in the current state of Intel's 10nm technology.

TechInsights bought one of these laptops and disassembled it to analyze the 10nm Cannon Lake processor. The independent analysis confirms Intel's 10nm process indeed has a 2.7x increase in transistor density over the current 14nm process, allowing Intel to achieve a transistor density of 100.8 million transistors per square millimeter.

A 127 mm² die with nothing but a sea of transistors, could have 12.8 billion transistors. Intel 10 nm node also utilizes third-generation FinFET technology, with a reduction in minimum gate pitch from 70 nm to 54 nm; and minimum metal pitch from 52 nm to 36 nm. 10 nm also sees Intel introduce metallization of cobalt in the bulk and anchor layers of the silicon substrate. Cobalt emerged as a good alternative to tungsten and copper as a contact material between layers.

The jump in transistor density is larger than before. From 22nm to 14nm we saw a rougly 2.5x increase, from 32nm to 22nm we witnessed a 2.05x increase, and 45nm to 32nm was a 2.3x increase. However, this doesn't mean a lot of you can't actually make the chips.

Via: TPU