July 27, 2021
Intel’s first customers as it launches its new foundry business will be Qualcomm and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Qualcomm will use Intel’s upcoming 20A process technology, which is expected to hit the market in 2024.
Intel 20A uses two new technologies, RibbonFET and PowerVia.
RibbonFET is Intel’s first new transistor architecture since FinFET in 2011. It offers higher transistor switching speeds with the same drive current as multiple fins in a smaller footprint.
PowerVia is Intel’s industry-first implementation of backside power delivery, which improves signal transmission by eliminating the need for power routing on the front of the wafer.
AWS, meanwhile, will be the first customer to use Intel Foundry Services’ packaging solutions.
Below is more information about Intel’s roadmap, including brand new node names and innovations. Intel is introducing a new structure for node naming, as the traditional nanometer-based process node naming has not matched the actual gate length since 1997.
- Intel 7 delivers a performance increase of approximately 10% to 15% per watt over Intel 10nm SuperFin based on FinFET transistor optimizations. Intel 7 will be included in products such as Alder Lake for customers in 2021 and Sapphire Rapids for the data center, which will be in full production in the first quarter of 2022.
- Intel 4 relies on EUV lithography to print small functions with ultra-short wavelength light. With a performance increase of about 20% per watt and area improvements, Intel 4 will be ready for production in the second half of 2022.
- Intel 3 uses further FinFET optimizations and increased EUV to achieve an improvement in power per watt of about 18% over Intel 4, along with additional improvements in the areas. Intel 3 will be able to start producing products in the second half of 2023.
- Intel 20A is expected to hit the market in 2024.
For more information, read the original story in ZDNet.
