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GlobalFoundries Inc. and ARM Holdings plc have detailed two 28nm manufacturing process technologies for wireless products. They also claim to have a mobile SoC "platform" based on the Cortex-A9 processor core. The collaboration covers a 28nm "super" low-power process for mobile and consumer applications and a 28nm high-performance process. GlobalFoundries said it expects to start manufacturing the high-performance process technology at Fab 1 in Dresden, Germany, in the second half of 2010 and the super low power process, aimed at mobile applications about a quarter later at the start of 2011. The two companies announced their collaboration in October 2009. GlobalFoundries claimed its 28nm processes would allow a 40 percent increase in computing performance and a 30 percent improvement in power efficiency for mobile computing devices which in turn could translate to a 100 percent improvement in battery life. GlobalFoundries made the comparison with the 40/45nm process generation but did not make any reference to particular manufacturers. "We are working closely with ARM to optimize the physical IP and implementation of the Cortex-A9 processor with our proven manufacturing experience in high-volume, advanced technology products, to deliver a fully integrated platform for leading-edge wireless products and applications," said GlobalFoundries chief operating officer Chia Song Hwee, in a statement. The SoC platform is based on the Cortex-A9 processor core, optimized physical IP and GlobalFoundries' 28nm gate-first high-k metal gate (HKMG) process. Going high-k GlobalFoundries received its base-line technology from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. which began work on 32nm process technology in 2007 in alliance with IBM, Samsung and Chartered Semiconductor. Chartered is now also part of GlobalFoundries. However, Intel has been using HKMG for a couple of process nodes. GlobalFoundries is due to begin shipping chips made on the 32nm SOI process, which also includes HKMG, to AMD at mid-year 2010. The combined benefits of ARM IP and GlobalFoundries 28nm HKMG process enables up to a 30 percent reduction of power consumption and 100 percent increase in standby battery life compared to 40-/45nm. "The transition to the 28nm technology node will be an important inflection point for wireless technology," said ARM president Tudor Brown. "Our collaboration with GlobalFoundries will enable customers to rapidly bring high-performance, low-power ARM technology-based designs to market on a 28nm HKMG technology that is ready for high-volume implementation. The combination of GlobalFoundries technology, our leading physical IP solutions, and the full internet capabilities delivered by ARM processors results in a powerful integration of processing, graphics and power efficiency." Although Intel has more experience with HKMG process technology GlobalFoundries becomes the leading foundry able to supply processors using HKMG technology. ARM joined the IBM joint development alliance in 2008 to enable the development of optimized processor and physical IP tuned to the HKMG process. - Peter Clarke EE Times Europe |
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GlobalFoundries debuts in top foundry list Most foundries lost share amid the downturn, according to IC Insights Inc.'s rankings for the top 17 foundries in terms of sales in 2009. GlobalFoundries Inc. entered the rankings picture at the No. 5 spot while IDM foundries, namely IBM, Samsung and Texas Instruments, lagged the field. The pure-play vendors in Taiwan led the field. "TSMC's sales in 2009 were more than 3x that of UMC, which in turn had more than the combined foundry sales of Chartered and SMIC in 2009," according to IC Insights. "In 2007, SMIC moved past Chartered in sales and took over third place. However, with SMIC's exit from the DRAM foundry business in 2008, coupled with Chartered's acquisition of the Hitachi fab in Singapore, Chartered once again seized the third place ranking from SMIC in 2008. In 2009, Chartered's sales were 43 percent greater than fourth-ranked SMIC," according to the report. "AMD spin-off GlobalFoundries acquired Chartered in 4Q09 and combined, would have had sales of just over $1.6 billion in 2009," according to the report. "The combined sales of Chartered and GlobalFoundries would have been just over $2.6 billion in 2009, enough to put the combined company's sales only 8 percent behind second-ranked UMC." In 2008, the new silicon foundry spinoff from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. opened for business, disclosed its corporate name and unveiled its strategy. GlobalFoundries is a joint venture between AMD and the Advanced Technology Investment Co. (ATIC) of Abu Dhabi. Under the current plan, AMD owns a 34.2 percent stake of the foundry venture, while ATIC will own the remaining shares. Last year, TowerJazz gained share. More than one year after buying Jazz Semiconductor Inc., Israel's Tower Semiconductor Ltd—or TowerJazz—is now taking steps to reach its two main goals in its ongoing turnaround efforts. It hopes to finally reach profitability and become the world's largest player in the wide-open specialty foundry business in 2010. The IDM foundries are lagging, including IBM and Samsung. For years, Samsung has been in the foundry business and claims it wants to become a major player in the arena. Samsung entered the foundry business in 2006 with sales of about $75 million. In 2007, it had sales of $385 million, according to IC Insights, although this was behind other leading IDMs that are in the foundry arena. Samsung, which is spending a ton in R&D, was in the ninth place in 2009. Its 2008 foundry sales were $370 million. Its 2009 foundry sales were $325 million, down 12 percent. Who's on top? The rankings include the company, followed in parentheses by 2008 sales, followed in parentheses by 2009 sales and percentage growth. 1. TSMC—(2008—$10.556 billion)(2009—$8.989 billion -15%) 2. UMC—(2008—$3.070 billion)(2009—$2.815 billion -8%) 3. Chartered*—(2008—$1.743 billion)(2009—$1.540 billion -12%) 4. SMIC—(2008—$1.353 billion)(2009—$1.075 billion -21%) 5. GlobalFoundries—(2008—$0)(2009—$1.065 billion N/A) 6. Dongbu (2008—$490 million)(2009—$395 million -19%) 7. Vanguard (2008—$511 million)(2009—$382 million -25%) 8. IBM (2008—$400 million)(2009—$335 million -16%) 9. Samsung (2008—$370 million)(2009—$325 million -12%) 10. Grace (2008—$335 million)(2009—$310 million -7%) 11. He Jian (2008—$345 million)(2009—$305 million -12%) 12. Tower**(2008—$252 million)(2009—$292 million 16%) 13. HHNEC (2008—$350 million)(2009—$290 million -17%) 14. SSMC (2008—$340 million)(2009—$280 million -18%) 15. TI (2008—$315 million)(2009—$250 million -21%) 16. X-Fab (2008—$368 million)(2009—$223 million -39%) 17. MagnaChip (2008—$290 million)(2009—$220 million -24%) *Purchased by GlobalFoundries in Q4 09. **Tower bought Jazz in 2008. - Mark LaPedus EE Times |
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搞點中文的撒 英文的看著太累了 |
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GlobalFoundries和ARM周一在“2010年移動世界大會”上，公布了雙方合作開發的系統芯片(System-on- Chip，SoC)平臺技術的最新細節，該技術可以用于下一代無線產品和應用。 最新的芯片生產平臺可以將計算性能提高40%，并降低30%的能耗，將待機電池壽命提高一倍。新平臺包括GlobalFoundries的兩款處理器，分別是針對移動和消費應用的28納米超低能耗處理器和針對需要最高性能應用的28納米高性能處理器。 GlobalFoundries COO謝松輝(Chia Song Hwee)表示：“下一代移動產品的成功將更多地依賴于其是否可以提供PC級別的性能，將豐富的媒體體驗與更長的電池壽命進行高度整合。”“這種需求要求強大的技術基礎以及行業領先者間的緊密協作，以讓越來越多的設計公司突破創新。” |
