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Published on September 25, 2007

The company hopes that the 32-nanometre chip will come out for commercial use in the next two years.

Meanwhile the company has announced a plan to launch the world's first high-volume 45-nanometre processor, code-named Penryn, in November. Paul Otellini, Intel's president and chief executive officer, said Intel's 32-nanometre technique represented the industry's latest silicon technology with the product being launched in 2009.

The 32-nanometre test chips incorporate logic and static random access memory to house more than 1.9 billion transistors. The 32-nanometre process uses the company's second-generation high-k and metal-gate transistor technology.

"We can build a mainstream microprocessor for computer devices in two years from now," said Otellini.

The world's first 300-millimetre wafer was built using next-generation 32-nanometre technology.

The development of advanced test chips serves as a critical milestone in the company's plan for high-volume 32-nanometre process technology.

Also, at the 10th Intel Developer Forum, Intel unveiled the next-generation chip architecture code-named Nehalem, which is on track for delivery in the second half of next year. Its architecture will extend Intel's leadership in computer performance and performance-per-watt benchmarks, and will be the first Intel processor to use the QuickPath Interconnect system architecture.

Quickpath will include integrated memory controller technology and improved communication links between system components to improve overall system performance.

"Nehalem is an entirely new architecture that takes advantage of Intel's Core Micro architecture, bringing performance advantages, power efficiency and important new server features to market just a year after Intel leads the industry into 45-nanometre technology," said Otellini.

He added that these two extreme technologies for today will become mainstream in the near future, in about two years.

"Extreme technology for today is to become mainstream technology for tomorrow driven by Intel's innovation," said Otellini.

The 45-nanometre silicon processor code-named Penryn will be launched in November, especially for desktops and servers, before moving to mobile computers in the second quarter of 2008. Penryn processors will increase performance by up to 20 per cent while improving energy efficiency.

"The 45-nanometre silicon processor technology allows us to provide low-cost, extremely low-power processors for small form factor devices while delivering high-performance, multi-core, multi-featured processors for use in the most advanced systems," said Otellini.

Next year, Otellini said, Intel will launch an enhanced 65-nanometre Sunta Rasa, a code name for Centrino Duo processor technology, as part of the 45-nanometre Penryn processor family. Next year the company will also launch the next generation Centrino Duo Processor technology, code-named Montevina, that will be part of the Penryn processor family and have WiMAX capability built-in.

For mobile Internet devices, Intel also plans to launch a new 45-nanometre processor, code-named Sioverthorne, and the 45-nanometre chip architecture, code-named Menlow, for these devices.

Stephen Smith, corporate vice president for Intel's digital enterprise group, said the 45-nanometre processor would overtake the existing 65-nanometre processor in the third quarter of next year.

The first two products in the 45-nanometre processor line  include the Xeon 5400 server formerly code-named Harpertown, and Intel Core 2 Extreme processors that are scheduled to launch in the last quarter of this year.

Asina Pornwasin

The Nation

San Francisco