Globalfoundries plans to develop 10nm process technology in-house instead of relying on licensing from Samsung, according to industry sources.
In April 2014, Globalfoundries and Samsung jointly announced their collaboration to deliver production capacity for 14nm FinFET process technology, which was developed by Samsung and licensed to Globalfoundries.
Globalfoundries and Samsung have teamed up to successfully grab 14nm chip orders from Apple, Qualcomm and AMD, said the sources. The pair once stood a good chance of obtaining orders from Nvidia, which is still sticking with TSMC for 16nm FinFET production, the sources indicated.
However, Globalfoundries has moved to develop its next-generation 10nm process technology internally, after finding that partnering with Samsung is not quite a cost-effective strategy, the sources observed.
In fact, the partnership between Globalfoundries and Samsung has begun to lose its competitive advantage, the sources said. Though the pair beat TSMC in the 14/16nm FinFET race, TSMC has improved the yield rate of its 16nm FinFET fast and is ramping up the process production quickly. The smooth ramping and stable yield performance could help TSMC win back orders from Qualcomm and AMD, the sources noted.
For Globalfoundries, paying Samsung licensing fees will be more expensive than using IBM's IPs to develop its own technology, the sources suggested. Besides, Globalfoundries recently completed its acquisition of IBM's microelectronics business. The addition of engineering workforce from IBM's chip-manufacturing unit will surely make a positive contribution to Globalfoundries' development of 10nm and more advanced process technologies in-house, the sources said.
Rumors circulated previously that a group of China-based investors supported financially by the government is eyeing Globalfoundries because of the acquisition target's 14nm FinFET technology. But the sources noted that since Globalfoundries' 14nm FinFET technology is licensed by Samsung, the Korea-based vendor would not allow its technology to be sold through such a deal.
I'm sure they will have just as much success as they did with their in-house 14XM.
Did they ever get 20nm going? Seems their last 2 inhouse nodes failed.
I mean developing a 7nm process myself. I am betting I'll be just as successful as gf.Did they ever get 20nm going? Seems their last 2 inhouse nodes failed.
It would be particularly impressive given the increasing complexity:But it would be a first for GloFo if they can deliver and deliver on time.
Cliff Hou, vice president for design technology at TSMC, estimated engineers working in the 10nm node will face more than 5,000 design rules compared to 4,000 at 16nm and less than 2,000 in the 28nm node.
EE Times: For 14nm node, Globalfoundries depended on the technology licensed from Samsung. What’s your plan for 10nm and 7nm? Will you develop your own technologies?
Jha: We’re developing our own technologies for the next nodes. The whole point of the IBM Microelectronics business acquisition is to leverage IBM’s technologists and technology to accelerate our own development of leading-edge process technologies.
Hardly... the PC and laptop industry is slowly dieing...I actually would really love to see a successful development of 10 nm and 7 nm by GF. I would also love to see a Zen die-shrink to 10 nm after the 14 nm version is launched.
These developments might save AMD, if they arrive quickly enough and if AMD's CFO can keep the company afloat until Zen arrives. One never knows, but hopes.
If ARM is partnering with GF in development of an in-house 10nm process, then that would imply that someone wants to produce ARM chips on said process in the same fashion that TSMC is producing chips like the A9.
So what ARM-based company wants to use GF for 10nm?
I didn't bother posting this 2 weeks ago because I assumed it was common knowledge even at the time, but this has already been stated (publicly) by Sanjay Jha, Globalfoundries CEO, as reported by EETimes on Sept 16 from Junko Yoshida.
(note there is a bunch of nice stuff in the same EETimes article regarding FDSOI as well)
Did they ever get 20nm going? Seems their last 2 inhouse nodes failed.
Can't wait for the torrent of powerpoints.
For Globalfoundries, paying Samsung licensing fees will be more expensive than using IBM's IPs to develop its own technology, the sources suggested. Besides, Globalfoundries recently completed its acquisition of IBM's microelectronics business. The addition of engineering workforce from IBM's chip-manufacturing unit will surely make a positive contribution to Globalfoundries' development of 10nm and more advanced process technologies in-house, the sources said.
It would be particularly impressive given the increasing complexity:
Hardly... the PC and laptop industry is slowly dieing...
ARM are working with Global Foundries, along with Samsung and TSMC; they are developing 'Physical' IP at 10nm scaling, and also 7nm scaling. This suggests that 10nm is advancing towards production.
Given that ARM finished development of 16nm Physical IP with TSMC one year ago, and that they started working on 10nm with them a year ago, the subsequent success of TSMC suggests that the parnership is successful; this also suggests to me that Global Foundries will succeed at 10nm.
Some commentators are overly sceptical, having dismissed TSMC in the recent past, but the facts speak for themselves; do not be too ready to dismiss other ARM partners.