IBM creates first 7nm test silicon

[aphexcoil]

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/...ilds-first-test-chips-on-new-process-with-euv

Today, the firm is announcing the first test silicon on the 7nm process node. The new chips were built in partnership with GlobalFoundries, Samsung, and IBM’s equipment providers at the SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. Not only are these the first 7nm chips that we’ve heard of, they’re the first to use Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) and the first to use silicon germanium (SiGe).

 

[DejaWiz]

First 7nm test silicon publicly announced.

Single atom transistors have been around for quite some time, and it would be foolish to deny that companies such as AMD and Intel have smaller than 7nm test silicon in-house and under tight wrap.

Nevertheless, kudos to IBM for getting it out first. Seriously cool stuff.

 

[pxc]

"and the first to use silicon germanium (SiGe)."

SiGe dates to the 1980s and has been used for many years in specific circuit types (high speed radios especially and commonly used in cell phones and GPS receivers). I guess the article's author isn't familiar with that.

IBM is a bit vague about its test. It doesn't seem to be the standard demonstration of a process using an X cell sram with Y (billion) transistors or IBM would be crowing about that breakthrough. IOW, this is nothing nearly ready for production and is basically a lab experiment with nothing but "firsts" to brag about.

 

[melk]

Uhh yup... nothing but "firsts" to brag about. lol. how crappy for them.

 

[sethk]

First 7nm test silicon publicly announced.

Single atom transistors have been around for quite some time, and it would be foolish to deny that companies such as AMD and Intel have smaller than 7nm test silicon in-house and under tight wrap.

Not to be pedantic, but AMD doesn't own any fabs. They spun off GlobalFoundries, which also got some ex-IBM foundries and that's where IBM could potentially build these chips (they said they will license the tech to GloFo). But AMD does not have any foundries anymore to be making 7nm or smaller chips, they need to wait for GloFo or someone else to make that tech available.

 

[DejaWiz]

So, they can't contract with a fab facility (either specialty non-mass-production or the usual go-to fabs that have test capability) for making excruciatingly low yield small process test samples? OK, got it.