Intel completes 32nm development process

Bigs up tiny circuitry plans

By Kelly Fiveash • Get more from this author

Posted in PCs & Chips, 10th December 2008 12:40 GMT

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Intel has completed development of its next-generation production process that shrinks chip circuitry to 32 nanometres.

The chipmaker said yesterday that it was “on track for production readiness of this future generation [of transistors] in the fourth quarter of 2009.”

Chipzilla’s current processors are made on circuitry with dimensions measured at 45nm.

As we reported in October, Intel plans to reveal more technical details about the 32nm process tech at the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) in San Francisco on 15 December.

It’s also hoping to turn up the heat on AMD. However, Intel’s struggling rival will, in partnership with Big Blue, show off what the two firms claim is the "smallest functional SRam [Static Ram] cell ever made" – a 22nm high-k and metal gate part with a cell density of 0.1μm² next week at the IEDM.

Intel said completion of the 32nm process development phase meant it remained “on pace” with its so-called “Tick, Tock” strategy to introduce a new processor microarchitecture.

Assuming it delivers on target, the company said: “Producing 32nm chips next year would mark the fourth consecutive year Intel has met its goal.” ®

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