Posted 10/06/09 at 08:42:29 PM by Ryan Whitwam

A newly announced partnership between ARM and GlobalFoundries could mean the next generation of mobile devices will be faster than anyone expected. The project will focus on the ARM Cortex-A9 chip. The current Cortex-A8 powers the iPhone 3GS and the Palm Pre. The new chip will be based on a 28nm process.

According to GlobalFoundries, the 28nm parts will take advantage of the manufacturer’s High-K Metal Gate semiconductor. The HKMG technology is known as “Gate First”, meaning that it should allow high performance with minimal leakage.

ARM CEO, Warren East, said of the collaboration, “This announcement reflects our business value and strategy of providing best in class processor implementation by marrying our own processor and physical IP with world class manufacturing semiconductor technology.” So get ready, the next round of ARM chips could blow your socks off.

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Posted 04/17/09 at 09:19:50 AM by Paul Lilly

IBM this week announced that members of its Bulk Process Alliance -- Globalfoundris, Chartered Semiconductor, Sasmung Electronics, ST Microelectronics, Infineon Technologies -- have begun jointly developing 28nm, high-k metal gate, low-power bulk complementary metal oxide semiconductor process technology (forgot about saying that three times fast, try doing it just once!).

"Clients can begin their designs today in leadership 32nm HKMG technology and then transition to 28nm technology for density and power advantages, without the need for a major redesign," IBM said. "By assuring a path from 32nm to 28nm technology, this migration methodology offers clients lower risk, reduced cost, and faster time-to-market."

The move to 28nm is an important one that purports to provide 40 percent better performance than current 45nm parts, while also reducing power consumption by 20 percent. Moreover the HKMG technology offers better power leakage characteristics for longer battery life, which added altogether will be a boon for mobile devices.

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Posted 02/17/09 at 01:50:41 PM by Paul Lilly

Most of the talk involving 32nm usually includes an Intel or AMD processor roadmap, but in the mobile world, it's ARM who is garnering the attention. The company this week demonstrated its first 32nm mobile chip. The Cortex processor is built on IBM's high-k metal-gate technology and boasts reduced power consumption to the tune of 10 percent, ARM says.

Developers will have access to the 32nm Cortex design starting this year, but ARM doesn't expect production to ramp up until sometime in 2010. And while no potential customers for the new chip have yet been named, ARM regularly licenses its chip designs to several processor makers, including Samsung, Freescale, Texas Instruments, and Toshiba. Because Samsung supplies the current iPhone CPU, there has already been speculation that ARM's new 32nm chip could be used in the next generation of iPhones.

"This silicon proof is a key step in our roadmap to demonstrate the technical synergy between leading ARM processors, ARM Physical IP, and the Common Platform process technology that delivers best-in-class performance, lowest power consumption and rapid time-to-market," said Ian Drew, EVP Marketing, ARM. "It also shows that we are fully committed to affording our Partners the earliest possible opportunity to deploy ARM technology, in particular the Cortex-A9 processor and future processors, on the 32/28nm process."

ARM's new chip comes as part of a previously signed three-way deal with IBM, Samsung, and Singapore-based Chartered Semiconductor to not only develop low-power 32nm chips, but 28nm as well.

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Posted 10/03/08 at 11:27:33 AM by Paul Lilly

In the world of CPUs, die shrinks are usually precursors to a better all around chip, whether that means it runs cooler, overclocks higher, or races faster. Intel, AMD, and IBM are constantly at work trying to hit that next milestone, but what about consumer gadgets?

Shrunken dies are particularly important for portable electronics and handheld gadgets, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world's largest contract chip makers, says its on the ball. The company announced plans to start using 28nm technology in its fabrication plants by 2010.

"Product differentiation, faster time-to-market and investment optimization are the three most important values TSMC delivers to our customers," said Jason Chen, TSMC's VP. "In support of these values, we are developing this comprehensive 28nm technology family so that it offers choices, depending on the customer applications and performance requirements."

According to TSMC, its upcoming 28nm chips will run 50 percent faster while consuming anywhere from 30 to 50 percent less power than current generation 40nm parts. The main target for these new chips will be the cellular industry, but both Nvidia and Texas Instruments also have a close relationship with TSMC. If TSMC's claims hold true, that could be good news for Nvidia and the future of its graphics cards.

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