Kal-EL
04-30-2009, 11:34 PM
Intel says no to 28nm, focuses on 22nm: Ivy Bridge/Haswell & Larrabee
4/16/2009 by: Theo Valich - Get more from this author (http://www.brightsideofnews.com/author/2009/4/16/intel-says-no-to-28nm2c-focuses-on-22nm-ivy-bridgehaswell--larrabee.aspx)
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/ThumbL.aspx?file=/Data/2009_4_16/Intel-no-to-28nm-focuses-on-22nm-Ivy-Bridge-Haswell-CPUs-Larrabee-GPUs\Intel_22nmFTW_215.jpg
With the release of 28nm toolkits to members of IBM Technology Alliance (http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2009/4/16/ibm-tech-alliance-announces-28nm-low-power-process.aspx), the attention turned to Intel and how Intel plans to counter the future 28nm chips from AMD/ATI [manufactured by GlobalFoundries] and other competitors.
We spoke with several sources close to the heart of the company, and unfortunately, we were able to get off-the-record statements only - hence the bracketing of this story as a "Rumor". According to one source, half-node such as 28nm process is typically never used with CPUs, due to custom libraries [transistor design] used in CPU manufacturing. It is too expensive to change masks in full-node/half-node/full-node rhythm, and Intel decided against it.
Intel's 32nm chips
According to the schedule, Intel's introduction of the 32nm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/32_nanometer) process technology will mostly depend on the existing inventory of 45nm chips. We do expect an introduction of 32nm in Q4 of this year, even though WW roadmaps still position chips such as Clarkdale in Q1'10. You can expect numerous 32nm chips being introduced over the next two years: Nehalem's die-shrink family is called Westmere and is consisted out of at least four chips: dual-core CPU [plus dual-core CPU+GPU], native quad-core, native octal-core and possibly a dual-die hex-core [16 core CPU].
This will be followed by Sandy Bridge, a new architecture [tick-tock]. Sandy Bridge will also consist out of native quad-core and octal-core chips, continuing in 2011. The destiny of Atom product line was not known at this time, since Intel isn't fond of using latest Fabs for a product with a pretty low ASP, hence the recent signing of an agreement with TSMC. This ends the 32nm cycle for CPUs.
Full Article here: http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2009/4/16/intel-says-no-to-28nm2c-focuses-on-22nm-ivy-bridgehaswell--larrabee.aspx
4/16/2009 by: Theo Valich - Get more from this author (http://www.brightsideofnews.com/author/2009/4/16/intel-says-no-to-28nm2c-focuses-on-22nm-ivy-bridgehaswell--larrabee.aspx)
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/ThumbL.aspx?file=/Data/2009_4_16/Intel-no-to-28nm-focuses-on-22nm-Ivy-Bridge-Haswell-CPUs-Larrabee-GPUs\Intel_22nmFTW_215.jpg
With the release of 28nm toolkits to members of IBM Technology Alliance (http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2009/4/16/ibm-tech-alliance-announces-28nm-low-power-process.aspx), the attention turned to Intel and how Intel plans to counter the future 28nm chips from AMD/ATI [manufactured by GlobalFoundries] and other competitors.
We spoke with several sources close to the heart of the company, and unfortunately, we were able to get off-the-record statements only - hence the bracketing of this story as a "Rumor". According to one source, half-node such as 28nm process is typically never used with CPUs, due to custom libraries [transistor design] used in CPU manufacturing. It is too expensive to change masks in full-node/half-node/full-node rhythm, and Intel decided against it.
Intel's 32nm chips
According to the schedule, Intel's introduction of the 32nm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/32_nanometer) process technology will mostly depend on the existing inventory of 45nm chips. We do expect an introduction of 32nm in Q4 of this year, even though WW roadmaps still position chips such as Clarkdale in Q1'10. You can expect numerous 32nm chips being introduced over the next two years: Nehalem's die-shrink family is called Westmere and is consisted out of at least four chips: dual-core CPU [plus dual-core CPU+GPU], native quad-core, native octal-core and possibly a dual-die hex-core [16 core CPU].
This will be followed by Sandy Bridge, a new architecture [tick-tock]. Sandy Bridge will also consist out of native quad-core and octal-core chips, continuing in 2011. The destiny of Atom product line was not known at this time, since Intel isn't fond of using latest Fabs for a product with a pretty low ASP, hence the recent signing of an agreement with TSMC. This ends the 32nm cycle for CPUs.
Full Article here: http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2009/4/16/intel-says-no-to-28nm2c-focuses-on-22nm-ivy-bridgehaswell--larrabee.aspx