Chip manufacturing race between Intel, ARM tightens

IDG News Service - The race to manufacture the most power-efficient and fastest chips is gaining momentum, with contract chip manufacturer GlobalFoundries on Thursday announcing technology advances that analysts said could allow the company to catch up with Intel's chip-making capabilities by 2014.

Smartphones, tablets and laptops get faster and more power-efficient as chip makers and fab companies implement new technologies to reduce the size of and leakage on chips. GlobalFoundries makes x86 and ARM chips for smartphones, tablets and PCs, and by 2014 will implement a manufacturing process that could be on par with Intel's longstanding manufacturing advantage.

Intel is the most advanced chip manufacturer in the world, making chips using the 22-nanometer process and implementing 3D transistor structures, which are more power efficient than the older 2D transistor structures. But GlobalFoundries said it will start volume production of chips using the 14-nm process by 2014, matching up with Intel's plans. The nanometer number refers to the size of the smallest circuits etched onto the chip.

By 2014, GlobalFoundries also hopes to implement 3D transistors, which could deliver a 40 percent to 60 percent boost to battery life on devices compared to chips based on the 20-nm process, which will have 2D transistors and be made in 2013. Intel was the first to implement 3D transistors in chips made using the 22-nm process.

Intel is about one to two years ahead of its manufacturing rivals, but GlobalFoundries is accelerating the implementation of its manufacturing technology to catch up with Intel, analysts said. If GlobalFoundries does succeed, the company will eliminate the delay ARM-based chip makers usually face on manufacturing and remain competitive with Intel. While Intel makes its own chips, ARM usually licenses processor designs to companies like Qualcomm or Nvidia, who get chips made from contract chip makers like GlobalFoundries and TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.).

ARM currently dominates the smartphone and tablet markets, while Intel is still trying to find its bearings there. Intel considers its advanced manufacturing process a strength, and has said it will overtake ARM on power efficiency in a few years, which will result in longer battery life on mobile devices. But ARM is working its way to designing processors with 3D transistor structures, and GlobalFoundries in August signed an agreement with ARM to deliver chips with 3D transistors to customers.

"Normally 14-nanometer would ramp to volume in 2015, but we are accelerating the schedule by one year," said Jason Gorss, a GlobalFoundries spokesman, in an email. The company usually advances the manufacturing process every two years, but is implementing tools at the 20-nm process for an easier transition to 3D transistors on the 14-nm process.