Globalfoundries plans to deliver a 7nm FinFET semiconductor process that it says will offer the ultimate in performance for the next era of computing applications. The move will require an ‘multi-billion dollar investment’ in Fab 8 in Malta, New York, to enable 7nm FinFET development and production.
According to the company, the process is expected to deliver more than twice the logic density and a 30% performance boost, compared to current 16/14nm foundry FinFET offerings. Because the process will be based on an industry standard FinFET transistor architecture and will use optical lithography – with EUV compatibility at key levels – the approach is likely to accelerate move from the company’s 14nm FinFET technology.
“The industry is converging on 7nm FinFET as the next long lived node, which represents a unique opportunity for Globalfoundries to compete at the leading edge,” said CEO Sanjay Jha. “We are well positioned to deliver a differentiated 7nm FinFET technology by tapping our years of experience manufacturing high-performance chips, the talent and know-how of our former IBM Microelectronics colleagues and the world-class R&D pipeline from our research alliance. No other foundry can match this legacy of manufacturing high-performance chips.”
The 7nm FinFET technology will be supported by a full platform of foundation and complex IP, including an ASIC offering. Test chips with IP from lead customers have already started running in Fab 8 and the technology is expected to be ready for customer product design starts in the second half of 2017, with ramp to risk production in early 2018.
Author
Graham Pitcher
Source: www.newelectronics.co.uk