Armonk (NY) - IBM announced yesterday a new toolset solution capable of creating chip features at the 22nm process node due out in 2011.  Today's 45nm chips use a type of lithography which is not compatible with the 22 nm process node and that won't scale to such small levels.  IBM's solution has turned away from strict optics into complex mathematics and promises to address the chip making needs of 2011 and beyond.

The new process is called Computation Scaling (CS) and is "a process that enables the production of complex, powerful and energy-efficient semiconductors at 22 nm and beyond."  According to IBM's Semiconductor Research and Development Center VP, Gary Patton, "The traditional scaling approach is optical-resolution centric.  IBM's CS approach is focused on advanced mathematical techniques encapsulated in software tools that use high performance computing systems.  This technique also makes technology complexity transparent to the designer and maximizes flexibility through integrated flows and automation."

According to Patton, IBM has developed an entire production toolset which allows designers to do their magic creating the innards of CPUs, memory chips, DSPs and whatever else is required, and do so logically.  Then, the tools convert and optimize everything specifically for this new manufacturing process that is not simply an optical shrink.  This may be what IBM was referring to when they made their recent 22 nm SRAM announcement and promised a type of high-k metal gate technology that no one else is using.  It may not have been strictly the materials involved that is unique, but also the entire process.

IBM's CS solution includes many stages or processes.  These are "a new resolution enhancement technique, source mask optimization, virtual silicon processing with TCAD, predictive process modeling, design-rule generation and corresponding models, design tooling, design enablement, complex illustration, variance control and mask fabrication, along with necessary partnerships," the company said.

Will Ibm will own Intel?

Sep 18, 2008 17:12     

or is this a PR release to up the stock?
Sorbitol report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -3

no they wont

Sep 19, 2008 03:34     

IMB only develops most of the technology behind the chips we use. They don't actually manufacture them. And increasingly the CPU manufacturers of today will outsource the actual fabrication of chips to third party mega-factories.
The_Trutherizer report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

IBM

Sep 19, 2008 05:50     

IBM seems to release new tech every year well ahead of the rest including Intel but we never see anything or have to this day and poor AMD has its hopes high in IBM. AMD should by now have learned to not rely on IBM. they are the biggest lies i have ever come across honestly, i have totally lost all my respect for IBM.
x1reme report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -3

AMD

Sep 19, 2008 21:39     

Hopefully AMD will be able to benefit from IBM's semiconductor fabrication technology. Although we should be seeing 45nm Barcelona at the end of the year, IBM needs to help AMD get their 32nm launch moved up in order to effectively compete with Intel. Nehalem is looking to be a beast of a processor -- let's hope AMD is frantically working to get the Bulldozer core finished!
Loosely_coupled report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0