Jul 28 2010
UBM TechInsights has announced Intel Corporation as the winner of the Most Innovative Logic Process award in TechInsights' 9th Annual Insight Awards.
Intel's 32nm process was utilized in the Clarkdale/Westmere processors analyzed by UBM TechInsights.
Carl Wintgens, Senior Process Analyst at UBM TechInsights showed in his EETimes article that Intel has continued to deliver their major process nodes at a schedule that adheres to Moore's Law despite the serious challenges in sub-sub-micron process technology. Competitors have also been able to conform to the law, so far, but it appears schedules are slipping and Intel's technology lead is increasing. Wintgens commented, "We completed the analysis of a 2nd generation HKMG process from Intel without having yet seen a 1st generation process in production from anyone else."
Far from being a simple shrink, there are noticeable improvements in Intel's 32nm devices over the 45nm generation, including transistor drive current (with PMOS approaching NMOS capabilities), reduced leakage current, and higher speed/performance all traced to process technology changes.
UBM TechInsights completed a Logic Detailed Structural Analysis including Gate Dielectric Analysis of the Intel 32nm "Clarkdale/Westmere" CPU and a Multi-Temperature Transistor Characteristics Report to consider the process for the award. Also, a Process Comparison of the Intel 45nm "Penryn" and the 32nm "Clarkdale/Westmere" CPU was created to point out the significant differences between the 1st and 2nd generation processes.
Some other nominees considered (and analyzed) for the logic process award include:
-- 40nm TSMC (AMD/ATI GPU from Radeon HD4770)
-- 45nm Samsung process (Apple A4 & Samsung S5PC110)
-- 45nm Freescale process (QorIQ Communications Processor)
UBM TechInsights annually recognizes companies for technical achievements in the semiconductor industry and has begun accepting nominations for the 10th Annual Insight Awards. The 10th annual awards will kick-off by recognizing the Most Innovative Mobile Processor late this summer.
Source: http://www.ubmtechinsights.com/