0.13 micron process available for gfx now - what next ?

[eSa]

I was reading the PS3/Cell thread in Console forum and thinking about the IC processes available in near future... Does anyone have any roadmaps etc. to share about the subject ? Not just about the Sony's work, but overall state of the industry in say 5 years ?!

It seems that move to the 0.13 micron process has been really painful, do you think this willl continue ? If I remember correctly, there have been a lot of work already done with at least 0.065 micron process...

 

[RussSchultz]

TSMC already has schedules and shuttles running for their .09 process (Nexsys). Their roadmap has risk production starting in Q302.

 

[SA]

A good site to visit for the current seminconductor technology roadmap is the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors:

http://public.itrs.net/

The 2001 edition of the lastest roadmap for the next 15 years is at:

http://public.itrs.net/Files/2001ITRS/Home.htm

The executive summary will provide you with a quick overview.

 

[pascal]

The TSMC .09 micron process looks very good: http://www.tsmc.com/english/technology/t0113.htm

With 70-75% linear shrinkage and a two-times performance improvement, compared to TSMC's 0.13-Micron technology, Nexsys is poised to become the de-facto SoC process technology platform standard.

Two times performance improvment is a lot more. Probably we can expect sub $100 DX9 cards by 2004
I have heard people talking about .03 micron process by 2010.

 

[790]

Two times performance improvment is a lot more. Probably we can expect sub $100 DX9 cards by 2004

Heh.. We'll have $150 DX9 cards THIS year. From there it won't take long at all to drop 26%.

 

[pascal]

Yes, but I mean the initial target as the sub $100 like $80 or $50.

 

[Nappe1]

afaik, Matrox is already targeting their next gen to UMC's 0.09µm...
but not 100% sure if it's true. (quite possible because UMC has 0.13µm and 0.09µm much further than TMSC. so with July-August 2003 timeframe 0.09 could be viable.)

Another thing is NEC and it's eDRAM processes: 0.13µm up and running, 0.10 µm should be available on Q2/2003, if their comments on last news are still valid.

 

[psurge]

Will TSMC's 0.09 process be ready for mass production by the end of 2003?

 

[RussSchultz]

According to their roadmap, .09u mixed signal might be ready now and definately by the end of Q103.

How they're doing on the roadmap, I dunno.