EE Times reports Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC) has announced their 32-nm and 28-nm processing rollout. However, EE Times notes the technologies being used at 32-nm is not as advanced as their rivals and observes the scaling technology being used by their rivals as sub 40-nm processing will only be implemented by TSMC on 28-nm chips. EE Times comments TSMC may be stalling for time and may have fallen behind in the development of the latest technologies. As EE Times notes, this will be the first time in a long time TSMC have fallen behind, if indeed they have.
According to EE Times:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) has rolled out its 28-nm process and revealed a surprise: It has pushed out--or delayed--its initial high-k/metal-gate offering until 28-nm, putting it slightly behind its rivals in Chartered, IBM and Samsung. TSMC was originally supposed to have its high-k/metal-gate offering at the 32-nm node.
Silicon foundry giant TSMC (Hsinchu, Taiwan) also provided details of its yet-to-be-introduced 32-nm process. The 32-nm process is a cost-down version of its 40-nm technology, while 28-nm is considered by TSMC as a ''full-node'' offering. As expected, both the 32- and 28-nm processes make use of 193-nm immersion lithography, copper-interconnects, ultra low-k dielectrics, strained-silicon and other features.
At 28-nm, TSMC plans to offer two separate options for the gate stack: conventional silicon oxynitride (SiON) and a newfangled high-k/metal-gate technology. It will offer two 28-nm versions with high-k and metal gates: a low-power and high-performance technology.
But at 32-nm, the company will only offer a SiON for the gate stack, which appears to be a change in direction for TSMC.
Earlier this year, TSMC CEO Rick Tsai vowed that the company would bring out its initial high-k/metal-gate technology at the 32-nm node. Now, TSMC's high-k/metal-gate offering has been pushed out to 28-nm. High-k and metal gates are key building blocks for scaling the critical gate stack, enabling the next-generation transistor.
TSMC declined to comment on the specifics of the technology. Perhaps the Taiwanese company is still developing high-k and is stalling for time. But in any case, TSMC is slightly behind its rivals for the first time in recent memory.
Of course TSMC have denied they are falling behind and suggest the strategy is a repositioning of their product. EE Times continues:
"I would not say we're behind" the competition, said John Wei, TSMC's senior director of the Advanced Technology Marketing Division.
"During the course of TSMC's advanced technology development, we concluded that we could now offer our customers a full-node 28-nm process with both high-k/metal-gate and silicon oxynitride at the same time as our competitor's 32-nm," Wei said.
"TSMC's 32-nm is re-positioned as a cost-down solution for customer 40-nm products and really does not need high-k/metal-gate," he said. "We are offering customer a choice at" 28-nm.
Despite their denials TSMC's main competitors have expressed surprised. In a second article EE Times says:
>TSMC's foundry rivals are scratching their heads about the announcement. Gary Patton, vice president of IBM's Semiconductor Research and Development Center, raised questions here about TSMC's strategy to extend and scale SiON to 28 nm or even at 32 nm.
"I was confused about [TSMC's] announcement," Patton said. Even at 40 nm, silicon dioxide--or its SiON variant--for the logic gate stack "is running out of gas," Patton told EE Times.
TSMC's strategy to extend SiON is "a risky proposition," he said. The problem with SiON at 40 nm and below is "short channel control" and "VT variability," he said.
In contrast, IBM and its partners plan to offer what they claim is a better gate-stack solution at 32 nm. As previously reported, IBM, Chartered and Samsung plan to offer a high-k and metal-gate solution for 32 nm. The companies in IBM's "fab club" will not offer a SiON option at 32 nm and beyond, Patton said.
I am sure these companies are not writing off TSMC just yet. TSMC have proved themselves to be adept competitors in a very tough industry and are by far and away the leading pure-play foundry in the world. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the coming months. Can TSMC maintain a competitive advantage at a lower processing technology with older processing methods, or will this be an opportunity for IBM, Chartered and other to gain traction in the market and eat up some of TSMC's market share. Only time will tell!
EE Times: TSMC pushes out high-k in 28-nm rollout
EE Times: IBM questions TSMC's 28-nm strategy
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