22nm FD-SOI | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Tue, 14 Jul 2015 11:00:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png 22nm FD-SOI | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 GlobalFoundries introduces 22nm FD-SOI process technologies https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/globalfoundries-introduces-22nm-fd-soi-process-technologies/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/globalfoundries-introduces-22nm-fd-soi-process-technologies/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2015 20:04:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=258769 GlobalFoundries on Monday introduced a family of fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) manufacturing technologies designed for customers seeking high performance and low design costs. The new fabrication processes promise to deliver performance of next-generation technologies with FinFET transistors, but at costs comparable to those of existing processes. GlobalFoundries calls its new family of process technologies 22FDX and …

The post GlobalFoundries introduces 22nm FD-SOI process technologies first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
GlobalFoundries on Monday introduced a family of fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) manufacturing technologies designed for customers seeking high performance and low design costs. The new fabrication processes promise to deliver performance of next-generation technologies with FinFET transistors, but at costs comparable to those of existing processes.

GlobalFoundries calls its new family of process technologies 22FDX and will offer four versions of the process designed for different kinds of applications. Despite of the fact that GlobalFoundries classifies its technology as a “22nm”, the process has nothing to do with 22nm production process used by Intel Corp. or other chipmakers.

globalfoundries_semiconductor_fab1_cleanroom_space_1

The 22FDX uses back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect flow of STMicroelectronics’ 28nm FD-SOI as well as front-end of line (FEOL) of STM’s 14nm FD-SOI. GlobalFoundries’ 22FDX is a planar technology that sports 50 per cent fewer immersion lithography layers than foundry FinFET technologies. It also does not require double-patterning anywhere, which simplifies chip design. According to GlobalFoundries, the 22FDX platform delivers a 20 per cent smaller die size and 10 per cent fewer masks than 28nm.

Since 22nm FD-SOI is planar process and does not require double-patterning, it will be cheap enough even for small companies. One mainstrem FinFET IC [integrated circuit] costs $80 to $90 to design, which is a lot of money. By contrast, it will cost around $30 million to design a planar chip. It will also be less expensive to manufacture actual products using 22nm FD-SOI than using 16nm or 14nm FinFET processes.

An important feature of GlobalFoundries 22FDX is software-control of transistor characteristics to achieve real time tradeoff between static power, dynamic power and performance.

“The 22FDX platform enables our customers to deliver differentiated products with the best balance of power, performance and cost,” said Sanjay Jha, chief executive officer of GlobalFoundries. “In an industry first, 22FDX provides real-time system software control of transistor characteristics: the system designer can dynamically balance power, performance, and leakage. Additionally, for RF and analog integration, the platform delivers best scaling combined with highest energy efficiency.”

globalfoundries_semiconductor_wafer_300mm_foundry_1

The GlobalFoundries 22FDX family of process technologies consists of four options:

  • 22FD-ulp: Designed for inexpensive system-on-chips used for mobile applications. The process uses body-biasing, and delivers greater than 70 per cent power reduction compared to 0.9V 28nm HKMG. Moreover, select chips made using 22FD-ulp will be able to operate at 0.4V.
  • 22FD-uhp: Designed for networking applications with analog integration. The manufacturing tech offers forward body-bias, application optimized metal stacks, and support for 0.95V overdrive.
  • 22FD-ull: The process tech is aimed at Internet-of-Things devices and features leakage of as low as 1pa/um. The manufacturing tech sports flexible body-biasing and other capabilities designed to reduce power consumption.
  • 22FD-rfa: The process tech developed specifically for radio frequency and analog applications. The technology will be used to make high-volume RF applications such as LTE-A cellular transceivers, high order MIMO WiFi combo chips, and millimeter wave radar.

GlobalFoundries’ 22FDX process technologies are expected to be used by multiple designers of chips and are supported by various IP providers. Among supporters of the manufacturing processes are ARM, Imagination Technologies, Freescale, IBS, STMicroelectronics, VeriSilicon and other. Design starter kits and early versions of process design kits (PDKs) are available now with risk production starting in the second half of 2016. Mass production of 22FDX chips will start in the second half of 2017.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: As expected, GlobalFoundries’ 22nm FD-SOI process technology will not be suitable for microprocessors, graphics processing units or high-end mobile application processors. While smaller vendors will probably take advantage of increased performance, low power consumption and low cost of design, leading chip designers will hardly ever use 22nm FD-SOI for their mass products.

The post GlobalFoundries introduces 22nm FD-SOI process technologies first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/globalfoundries-introduces-22nm-fd-soi-process-technologies/feed/ 2
More details about GlobalFoundries’ 22nm FD-SOI emerge https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/more-details-about-globalfoundries-22nm-fd-soi-emerge/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/more-details-about-globalfoundries-22nm-fd-soi-emerge/#respond Fri, 26 Jun 2015 09:55:38 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=256231 GlobalFoundries has revealed additional details regarding its 22nm fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) fabrication technology. The manufacturing process will be ready for tape-outs in early 2016 and will be used for mass production of chips by late next year. While the tech has a number of advantages, the process is designed primarily for small high-volume chips and …

The post More details about GlobalFoundries’ 22nm FD-SOI emerge first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
GlobalFoundries has revealed additional details regarding its 22nm fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) fabrication technology. The manufacturing process will be ready for tape-outs in early 2016 and will be used for mass production of chips by late next year. While the tech has a number of advantages, the process is designed primarily for small high-volume chips and designers of larger ICs will hardly be interested in using it.

“We are developing 22nm FD-SOI process technology right now,” said Gerd Teepe, director and design engineering at GlobalFoundries, reports EETimes. “The plan is to qualify the process by early 2016 and start volume production by the end of 2016.”

GlobalFoundries 22nm FD-SOI will use back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect flow of STMicroelectronics’ 28nm FD-SOI as well as front-end of line (FEOL) of STM’s 14nm FD-SOI. Just like two aforementioned process technologies from STM, GlobalFoundries’ 22nm FD-SOI is a planar technology with fewer metal layers and mask steps compared to fabrication processes, which use FinFET transistors. However, unlike STM’s 14nm FD-SOI, the new tech from GlobalFoundries does not require double-patterning anywhere, which simplifies chip design.

“We are using STMicroelectronics’ 14nm FD-SOI in our frontend, while using 28nm FD-SOI in the backend,” explained Mr. Teepe.

globalfoundries_semiconductor_wafer_300mm_foundry_1

Since the 22nm FD-SOI relies on a 28nm BEOL, die sizes of chips produced using the technology will be similar to those made using 28nm nodes. As a result, it will not make a lot of sense for makers of large chips to transit to 22nm FD-SOI since they will increase their costs (FD-SOI wafers are more expensive than bulk wafers), but will not be able to introduce a lot of new features without considerably increasing their die sizes (which increases costs further). For makers of smaller high-volume ICs [integrated circuits] it makes considerably more sense to adopt 22nm FD-SOI since they keep their design costs and power consumption low, but will be able to increase performance.

Initially, GlobalFoundries will address its existing SOI customers with the technology, but eventually the tech and its successors may become economically feasible and will be offered to designers of chips for wearable and Internet-of-Things devices.

“We hope to be able to leverage FD-SOI’s super low-power strategy for wearables and other products, whose volume will start to emerge by then,” said Mr. Teepe.

GlobalFoundries’ 22nm FD-SOI is compatible with neither 14nm nor 28nm FD-SOI, hence, customers to STMicroelectronics and Samsung Foundry (which licenses 28nm FD-SOI from STM) will have to re-implement their chips for the new process.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While GF’s 22nm FD-SOI looks like a solution for very specific chips and customers, it generally looks like the company is a tad late with it. The technology will hardly be used by Advanced Micro Devices, GlobalFoundries’ largest customer, as well as makers of advanced system-on-chips for leading-edge mobile devices. GlobalFoundries should have offered the process several year ago.

The post More details about GlobalFoundries’ 22nm FD-SOI emerge first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/more-details-about-globalfoundries-22nm-fd-soi-emerge/feed/ 0
GlobalFoundries is evaluating 22nm FD SOI technology https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/globalfoundries-is-evaluating-22nm-fd-soi-technology/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/globalfoundries-is-evaluating-22nm-fd-soi-technology/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2015 22:59:59 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=255883 Modern FinFET process technologies help to reduce power consumption of modern chips while increasing their clock-rate potential. Unfortunately, it is extremely expensive to design FinFET chips, which is why many chip developers cannot afford creation of new solutions. In a bid to help such companies to release new chips, GlobalFoundries is evaluating 22nm FD SOI …

The post GlobalFoundries is evaluating 22nm FD SOI technology first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Modern FinFET process technologies help to reduce power consumption of modern chips while increasing their clock-rate potential. Unfortunately, it is extremely expensive to design FinFET chips, which is why many chip developers cannot afford creation of new solutions. In a bid to help such companies to release new chips, GlobalFoundries is evaluating 22nm FD SOI process technology, which will be cheaper than FinFET, but will offer similar performance.

22nm fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator process technology guarantees high clock-rates as well as minimal power consumption in idle mode, something tremendously important for Internet-of-Things and wearable devices. From design cost perspective, 22nm FD-SOI is comparable to 28nm planar technology and is dramatically more affordable than 14nm FinFET process. GlobalFoundries hopes that 22nm FD-SOI provides performance comparable to that of FinFET technologies.

globalfoundries_semiconductor_wafers_300mm

“We are evaluating an advanced node FD-SOI product offering, but we are not ready to disclose detailed plans at this time,” said Jason Gorss, a spokesman for GlobalFoundries. “We believe the right FD-SOI offering can enable significant customer value, especially in small-die, low-cost markets. FDSOI is gaining interest because it can approach FinFET-like performance, it has a cost per die comparable to 28poly/SiON, and it can be optimized with varying levels of performance and leakage to satisfy differentiated customer requirements. It also has low process complexity and significantly fewer mask layers than a FinFET process.”

At present it is unclear when GlobalFoundries will actually make its 22nm FD SOI fabrication process available to customers.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It makes a lot of sense for GlobalFoundries to offer one more node to customers, who cannot afford FinFET designs. However, it is important for the contract maker to offer the new tech rather sooner than later because chip designers need to introduce new chips in a timely manner.

The post GlobalFoundries is evaluating 22nm FD SOI technology first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/globalfoundries-is-evaluating-22nm-fd-soi-technology/feed/ 2