Chipmeykerov Battle for the development of 22-nm production methods
March 12, 2009, 9:26 am
Despite the fact that many skeptics are already quite a long time predict the death of Moore`s Law - the miniaturization can not continue indefinitely, and at a rate that kept today - yet the law formulated by some half a century ago is still true. The next stage, which allows to say that in the next few years, electronics will be developed to target scenario is the development of advanced manufacturing technology of integrated circuits with 22 nm design rule. Today, there are several centers of development of advanced manufacturing technology of semiconductor devices. The first is the company IBM, which cooperate with AMD and Freescale Semiconductor. It is they who so far managed to create a chip static memory (SRAM), produced by 22-nm production methods. In this case, the memory cell is composed of six transistors, with a minimum width of 22 nm gate. The distance between two adjacent transistors with a 90 nm. These figures, according to engineers, currently a record low and as a result, a record low and the area is a static memory cell - only 0, 09 Blvd. microns. Unfortunately, the characteristics derived devices do not permit to start commercial application of technology, in particular, refers to the very low productivity. However, at this stage of research engineers have not taken a variety of technologies such as strained silicon technology, which allows for further optimization of circuits. The second center of the development of the semiconductor industry is the company Intel, which first released on the world market for 45-nm integrated circuits, and, without doubt, the first to make the transition to 32-nm production methods. However, the world`s leading chipmeyker with confidence in the future - the company`s employees are actively developing technologies for making 22-nm chips. In doing so, the basic parameters such as transistor gate width and the distance between them, exactly match reached engineers IBM, AMD and Freescale Semiconductor. Recently by IBM with its partners and the company joined Intel and Taiwan company TSMC, also intends to become a leader in the development of advanced manufacturing technology of semiconductor devices. A few years ago, the Taiwanese chipmeykera publicly announced a 32-nm production methods, without the use of such innovations as higk-k-dielectrics and metal gate. However, TSMC recently announced pass this phase of its development, and move immediately to a 28-nm production methods. Apparently, TSMC has already created the first prototype 28-nm static memory - in relation to the following details:the width of the shutter is 24 nm, while working currents higher than for 32-nm devices, Intel. In October 2008, the company said that plans to begin serial production of advanced chips in the third quarter of 2010. That is to improve technology in engineering is about one and a half years.
