Intel revealed some details about the manufacturing advancements it's working on, more information will follow at next week's IDF.
- Intel's 32nm CPU process is now certified and Westmere CPU wafers are moving through the factory in support of planned Q4 revenue production.
- Intel is now advancing to the second-generation high-k+ metal gate transistor formula, giving Intel a 3+ year advantage in addressing leaky and energy IN-efficient transistors. Intel has shipped >200 million 45nm CPUs using high-k+ metal gate transistors.
- For the first time, Intel has developed a full-featured SoC process technology to complement the CPU-specific technology. This version is for our smarter System on Chip (SoC) product efforts, which emphasize lower power transistors.
- These advances combine to deliver record performance in terms of the highest drive current (electricity that flows when a transistor is on); the lowest leakage currents (keeping a lid on wasteful or lost electricity) and the tightest gate pitch (how closely transistors can be pack in) versus any reported 32nm or 28nm technology in the industry.
- In addition, our NMOS transistors now have 19% performance improvement over their 45nm counterparts and our PMOS transistors now have a 28% performance improvement over their 45nm counterparts.
