Intel and UMC on Thursday mentioned they’d entered into an settlement to collectively to develop a 12 nm photolithography course of for high-growth markets akin to cell, communication infrastructure, and networking. Underneath the phrases of the deal, the 2 firms will co-design a 12 nm-class foundry node that Intel Foundry Providers (IFS) will use at its fabs in Arizona to supply quite a lot of chips.
The brand new 12 nm manufacturing course of can be developed in Arizona and utilized in Fabs 12, 22, and 32 at Intel’s Ocotillo Know-how Fabrication website in Arizona. The 2 firms will collectively work on the fabrication expertise itself, course of design equipment (PDK), digital design automation (EDA) instruments, and mental properties (IP) options from ecosystem companions to allow fast deployment of the node by prospects as soon as the tech is manufacturing prepared in 2027.
Intel’s Fabs 12, 22, and 32 in Arizona are at the moment able to making chips on Intel’s 7nm-class, 10 nm, 14 nm, and 22 nm manufacturing processes. In order Intel rolls out its Intel 4, Intel 3, and Intel 20A/18A manufacturing at different websites and winds down manufacturing of Intel 7-based merchandise, these Arizona fabs can be freed to supply chips on quite a lot of legacy and low-cost nodes, together with the 12 nm fabrication course of co-developed by UMC and Intel.
Whereas Intel itself has quite a lot of highly-customized course of applied sciences for inside use to supply its personal CPUs and comparable merchandise, its IFS division primarily has solely three: Intel 16 for cost-conscientious prospects designing cheap low-power merchandise (together with these with RF assist), Intel 3 for many who develop high-performance options but need to keep on with acquainted FinFET transistors, and Intel 18A aimed toward builders searching for for no-compromise efficiency and transistor density enabled by gate-all-around RibbonFET transistors and PowerVia bottom energy supply. To be a serious foundry participant, three course of applied sciences are usually not sufficient; IFS wants to deal with as many shoppers as doable, and that is the place collaboration with UMC comes into play.
UMC already has a whole lot of shoppers who develop quite a lot of merchandise for automotive, client electronics, Web-of-Issues, smartphone, storage, and comparable verticals. These prospects are fairly used to working with UMC, however the very best expertise that the foundry has is its 14 nm-class 14FFC node. By co-designing a 12 nm-class course of expertise with Intel, UMC will be capable of deal with prospects who want one thing extra superior than its personal 14 nm node, however with out having to develop an all-new manufacturing course of itself and procuring superior fabs instruments. In the meantime, Intel good points prospects for its totally depreciated (and presumably underutilized) fabs.
The collaboration on a 12 nm node extends the method expertise choices for each firms. What stays to be seen is whether or not Intel’s personal 16 nm-class course of expertise will compete and/or overlap with the collectively developed 12 nm node. To keep away from this, we’d count on UMC so as to add a few of its know-how to the brand new tech and make it simpler for patrons emigrate to this course of from its 28 nm-class and 14FFC choices, which ensures that the 12 nm node can be used for years to return.
Intel’s partnership with UMC comes on the heels of the corporate’s plan to construct 65nm chips for Tower Semiconductor at its Fab 11X. Basically, each collaborations permit Intel’s IFS to make use of its totally depreciated fabs, acquire relationship with fabless chip designers, and earn cash. In the meantime, its companions broaden their capability and attain with out making heavy capital investments.
“Our collaboration with Intel on a U.S.-manufactured 12 nm course of with FinFET capabilities is a step ahead in advancing our technique of pursuing cost-efficient capability enlargement and expertise node development in persevering with our dedication to prospects,” mentioned Jason Wang, UMC co-president. “This effort will allow our prospects to easily migrate to this important new node, and likewise profit from the resiliency of an added Western footprint. We’re excited for this strategic collaboration with Intel, which broadens our addressable market and considerably accelerates our growth roadmap leveraging the complementary strengths of each firms.”
