Samsung joins IBM 65nm R&D team
PrintLicenses 90nm fab tech too
Posted in Channel, 5th March 2004 15:23 GMT
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Samsung has joined an IBM-hosted project to develop next-generation 65nm and 45nm chip fabrication technologies.The South Korean giant also said today that it has licensed IBM's 90nm process technology.
The next-gen development effort is backed by founder members Infineon and Chartered Semiconductor, which signed up with IBM last July, though the project was not announced to the public until the following month.
The alliance's work centres on 65nm technology - 45nm work comes later - and is geared toward defining "next-generation logic technologies" for CMOS processes. All four companies will use the results of the R&D in their respective fabs.
The research is conducted in IBM's 300mm Advanced Semiconductor Technology Center, part of East Fishkill, New York facility, which punches out G5-class processors for Apple and top-of-the-range graphics chips for Nvidia. It's also the home of IBM and AMD's joint undertaking in developing the 65nm.
Separately, Samsung will use IBM's 90nm technology to build future system-on-a-chip parts. However, the deal paves the way for future PowerPC production. Last November, it emerged that IBM has offloaded some 180nm PowerPC production to Samsung.
Indeed, Samsung has the right to sub-license the 90nm process, IBM said in a statement. The "advanced logic technology will be available to Samsung's internal and external customers, expanding IBM-based technology sourcing." ®
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