Globalfoundries says it will match Intel in having 14nm finfet chips taped out next year and volume production in 2014.PDKs are available now.
The process is running in GF's new fab in Saratoga County near New York.
14nm is the node at which Intel will put mobile SoCs at the top of the node meaning that mobile SoCs will be the first chips to be made on that process.
So GF is laying down a significant challenge to Intel in saying that GF's customers will not suffer any disadvantage from process technology when it comes to the 14nm generation.
Intel had hoped that a lead in process technology for its mobile SoCs at 14nm would give it a power/performance edge on its mobile SoC competitors.GF has been working with ARM for several years developing optimised SoCs for ARM processor designs on finfet process technologies.which will promote rapid migration to finfets.
Through our early engagement and co-optimisation with Globalfoundries,we will provide our mutual customers with a new level of system performance and an easier path to the benefits from finfet technology,""says Dipesh Patel from ARM's physical IP division,"the result will be a platform which is well-suited for SoCs based on the next generation of ARM processors."
Finfet inventor Chenming Hu says he expects everyone to follow GF's hybrid approach.
GF's 14nm process is expected to deliver a 40-60%power saving compared with its 20nm planar process.
