Samsung, IBM, Chartered and Infineon Partner for Process and Design Readiness for Silicon Circuits on 45nm Technology

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Samsung Electronics, IBM, Chartered and Infineon have announced 1st silicon-functional circuits and made design kits based on their collaboration for 45nm low-power process technology available. The early characterization of key design elements in silicon, coupled with the availability of early design kits, provide designers with a significant head start in moving to the latest process from CMOS technology research and development alliance.

The first working circuits in 45nm technology, targeted at next-generation communication systems, were proven in silicon using the process technology jointly developed by the alliance partners and were produced at the IBM 300-millimeter fabrication line in East Fishkill, NY, where the joint development team is based. Among the successfully verified blocks are standard library cells and I/O elements provided by Infineon, as well as embedded memory developed by the alliance. Infineon has included special circuitry on the first 300mm wafers to debug the complex process and to gain experience in product architecture interactions. The development of the design kits incorporates design expertise from all four companies in order to facilitate earlier transition to the new process by chip customer designers, as well as to continue to drive single-design, multi-fab manufacturing capability for maximum design leverage and to bring about ultimate consumer benefit. The 45nm low-power process is expected to be installed and fully qualified at Chartered, IBM and Samsung 300mm fabs by the end of 2007.

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