Intel is all set to initiate production for its 20A (2nm process) next year, as revealed in an interview (via Nikkei) by the company's Senior Vice President.
Intel Foundry Joins The Likes of Samsung & TSMC To Compete In Cutting-Edge Semiconductors, 20A Aims 2024 Mass Production Target
The competition in the semiconductor industry is heating up with the likes of TSMC and Samsung Foundry, announcing their plans to commence 2-nanometer production somewhere in 2024. However, Intel Foundry has reportedly joined the bandwagon, as the firm reveals plans for cutting-edge semiconductor production. Intel's Senior VP, Sanjay Natarajan, has disclosed the fact that the company will "lead the way in miniaturization" through its 20A process, which will see production next year.
Let's take a quick recap on Intel's 20A node, which is expected to revolutionize both the portfolio of IFS and the semiconductor industry. The 20A node is expected to feature brand new RibbonFET transistors that will replace the existing FinFET architecture and deliver new interconnect innovations, one known as PowerVia. Arrow Lake will be among the biggest product family that makes use of the 20A process node and we can also expect a few 3rd party clients leveraging this node through IFS.
The company expects to achieve manufacturing readiness for 20A within the first half of 2024 as planned with Arrow Lake being the lead product which is expected to launch in the second half of 2024. During SemiCon Japan, Intel Vice President John Guzek, also confirmed that the development line of the Glass Substrate technology for next-gen chips will become operational in 2025 so we can expect chips utilizing the new solution in the second half of this decade.
Intel Foundry, particularly with its semiconductor, hasn't seen much success in terms of industry adoption in recent times however, things look to change, especially with how the markets are evolving with the influx of AI. An interesting opportunity to unfold is the potential inclusion of Intel Foundry in Team Green's ecosystem of foundry partners since NVIDIA's CFO has hinted towards the fact that the company still has a place for a foundry.
With the initiation of 20A (2nm) production in 2024, foundries are competing with each other to get a hold of orders from key players in the industry. With TSMC and Samsung Foundry already announcing plans on next-gen semiconductors, the inclusion of Intel Foundry in the list means that the upcoming semiconductor race will indeed depend on yield rates, overall utilization costs, and the supply of cutting-edge semiconductor chips.
Intel Process Roadmap
| Process Name | Intel 14A-E | Intel 14A | Intel 18A | Intel 20A | Intel 3 | Intel 4 | Intel 7 | Intel 10nm SuperFin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | 2027 | 2026 | 2H 2024 | 1H 2024 | 1H 2023 | 2H 2022 | In Volume (Now) | In High-Volume (Now) |
| Perf/Watt (over 10nm ESF) | TBA | TBA | TBA | >20%? | 18% | 20% | 10-15% | N/A |
| EUV | TBD | High-NA EUV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Transistor Architecture | TBD | TBD | Optimized RibbonFET | RibbonFET | Optimized FinFET | Optimized FinFET | Optimized FinFET | FinFET |
| Products | TBD | TBD | Nova Lake Panther Lake Clearwater Forest Diamond Rapids? Foundry Partner | Lunar Lake Arrow Lake Diamond Rapids? | Granite Rapids Sierra Forest Foundry Partner | Meteor Lake Xe-HPC / Xe-HP? | Alder Lake Raptor Lake Sapphire Rapids Emerald Rapids Xe-HPG? | Tiger Lake |
News Source: Nikkei
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