Latest news with #18A-P
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Intel might axe the 18A process node for foundry customers, essentially leaving TSMC with no rival — Intel reportedly to focus on 14A (Updated)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Lip-Bu Tan, the chief executive of Intel, is considering stopping the promotion of the company's 18A fabrication technology (1.8nm-class) to foundry customers, instead shifting the company's efforts to its next-generation 14A manufacturing process (1.4nm-class) in a bid to secure orders from large customers like Apple or Nvidia, reports Reuters. If this shift in focus occurs, it would be the second node in a row that Intel has deprioritized. The proposed adjustment could result in major financial consequences and alter the trajectory of Intel's foundry operations, as it will effectively withdraw the company from the foundry market for several years. Intel informs us that the information is based on market speculation. However, the spokesperson provided some additional insight on the company's roadmap, which we've added further below.'We are not going to comment on market rumors and speculation," an Intel spokesperson said to Tom's Hardware. "As we have said previously, we are committed to strengthening our roadmap, delivering for our customers and improving our financial position for the future." After taking the helm in March, Lip-Bu Tan announced intentions to cut costs in April, which is expected to involve layoffs and the cancellation of certain projects. According to the new report, by June, he began sharing with colleagues that the 18A manufacturing process — a technology designed to showcase Intel's manufacturing prowess — was losing appeal to outside customers, which is why he believed it made sense for the company to shift away from offering 18A and its performance-enhanced 18A-P version to foundry customers. Instead, Lip-Bu Tan proposed directing more resources to the completion and promotion of 14A, the company's next-generation node, which will be ready for risk production in 2027 and for volume production in 2028. Given the timing of 14A, it is now time to start promoting it among potential third-party Intel Foundry clients. Intel's 18A fabrication technology is the company's first node to utilize its 2nd-generation RibbonFET gate-all-around (GAA) transistors, along with a PowerVia backside power delivery network (BSPDN). By contrast, 14A utilizes RibbonFET 2 transistors, PowerDirect BSPDN, which delivers power directly to each transistor's source and drain through specialized contacts, and features Turbo Cells for critical paths. In addition, 18A is Intel's first leading-edge technology that is compatible with third-party design tools and can be used by its foundry customers. Dropping external sales of 18A and 18A-P would require Intel to account for a substantial write-off reflecting the billions it spent developing the manufacturing technologies, according to individuals familiar with internal deliberations cited by Reuters. Depending on how you count development costs, the resulting charge could total hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars. Both RibbonFET and PowerVia were initially developed for 20A, but that technology was cancelled for internal products last August in a bid to focus on 18A for both internal and external products. Intel's rationale behind the move may be rather simple. By limiting the number of potential customers for 18A, the company may potentially cut its operating costs. The majority of tools required for 20A, 18A, and 14A (except for High-NA EUV equipment) are already in place at its Fab D1D in Oregon, as well as at Fabs 52 and 62 in Arizona. However, once these tools are formally put into operation, the company will have to report their depreciation as a cost. Not putting them online potentially enables Intel to cut its costs amid uncertainties with orders from third-party clients. In addition, by not offering 18A and 18A-P to external customers, Intel may save money on engineers dedicated to supporting the sampling, ramp, and mass production of third-party circuits at Intel fabs. Obviously, this is speculation on our side. However, by ceasing to offer 18A and 18A-P to external clients, Intel will be unable to demonstrate advantages of its fabrication nodes to a broad range of customers with various designs, which would leave them with a single choice for next two or three years: go with TSMC and use N2, N2P, or even A16. Although Samsung is set to formally start making chips on its SF2 (also known as SF3P) node later this year, that node is expected to be behind Intel 18A and TSMC's N2 and A16 in terms of power, performance, and area. Essentially, Intel would not be showing up to its fight against TSMC's N2 and A16, which will certainly not help to gain the confidence of potential clients towards other Intel offerings, namely 14A, 3-T/3-E, Intel/UMC 12nm, and others. Reuters' sources familiar with the matter explained that Lip-Bu Tan had asked Intel's specialists to prepare proposals for discussion with Intel's board this fall. Options could include ceasing efforts to sign up new clients for 18A, though given the scale and complexity of the issue, the decision might not be finalized until the board meets again later this year. Intel itself reportedly declined to discuss hypothetical scenarios but confirmed that the main customer for 18A has always been its own Products division, which plans to begin producing codenamed Panther Lake CPUs for laptops in 2025 using this technology. Eventually, 18A and 18A-P will be adopted by Clearwater Forest, Diamond Rapids, and Jaguar Shores products. Intel's push to attract large-scale external clients to its Intel Foundry fabs remains critical to its turnaround, as only with high volumes the company will be able to pay off for its process technologies that cost billions to develop. However, in addition to Intel itself, only Amazon, Microsoft, and the U.S. Department of Defence have formally confirmed plans to use 18A. While Broadcom and Nvidia are also reportedly testing Intel's latest process technology, they have yet to commit to using it for actual products. Intel's 18A has one key advantage over TSMC's N2: it features backside power delivery, which is particularly useful for power-hungry processors aimed at AI and HPC applications. TSMC's A16 with Super Power Rail (SPR) will only enter mass production in late 2026, so 18A will maintain the advantage of offering backside power delivery for Amazon, Microsoft, and potentially other customers for a while. However, N2 is expected to offer higher transistor density, which is beneficial for the vast majority of chip designs. Furthermore, while Intel has been running Panther Lake silicon at its D1D fab for quarters (so, currently Intel is still in risk production using 18A), the company's high-volume Fab 52 and Fab 62 started to run 18A test silicon this March, so they will start producing commercial chips only late in 2025, or rather in early 2025. Intel's external customers are, of course, interested in producing their designs at high-volume fabs in Arizona rather than at development fabs in Oregon. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan is reportedly considering halting the promotion of the company's 18A fabrication process to external clients and instead focusing on the next-generation 14A production node, aiming to attract large customers such as Apple and Nvidia. The move could trigger massive write-offs, as Intel has spent billions developing 18A and 18A-P process technologies. Shifting focus to 14A could help cut costs and better prepare the node and operations for third-party clients, but the move risks undermining customer confidence in Intel's foundry capabilities ahead of 14A's planned production in 2027–2028. While the 18A node remains critical for Intel's own products, such as Panther Lake CPUs, limited demand from third parties — so far, only Amazon, Microsoft, and the U.S. Department of Defense have confirmed plans to use it — has raised concerns about its viability. The potential decision — which will essentially withdraw Intel from the broad foundry market until 14A comes to market — will be reviewed by Intel's board later this year. Even if Intel eventually chooses to remove 18A from its foundry offerings, aimed at a broad range of applications and clients, the company will still manufacture chips using 18A for its own products, which are already designed for the process. It also intends to fulfill limited orders it has already committed to, including supplying chips for the aforementioned clients. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Intel CEO Lip Bu Tan may be planning this 'big change' in company's chip manufacturing business
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan is reportedly planning a 'big change' to the company's chip manufacturing business to attract major customers. This potential shift deviates from his predecessor's plans and could involve substantial investment. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, two sources familiar with the matter revealed that this new strategy for Intel's foundry business would involve offering outside customers a newer generation of technology. Analysts also reportedly believe that this next-generation chipmaking process would position Intel more competitively against Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) in securing large clients like Apple or Nvidia. Why Intel's new CEO may not be 'happy' with chipmaking process promoted by ex-chief After taking over as the company's new CEO in March, Tan has been reassessing the company's investment in its 18A chip manufacturing process, which was promoted by former CEO Pat Gelsinger . The Reuters report cited sources to claim that Tan has expressed concerns that 18A is not attracting enough external clients and may result in a major financial write-off if Intel stops marketing it to new customers. Intel has already spent billions on developing 18A and its variant, 18A-P. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo While Intel continues using 18A for in-house chips and select commitments to companies like Amazon and Microsoft , Tan may be shifting focus to the 14A process, the Reuters report claims. Intel believes 14A could offer a stronger competitive position against Taiwan-based rival TSMC, whose N2 and N3 technologies are already in production or close to it, the report adds. As per the Reuters report, Tan is expected to present strategic options to Intel's board, potentially by this month. However, a final decision may not come until later in the year due to the high stakes involved. Meanwhile, Intel continues restructuring under Tan's leadership, with steps including new engineering hires and streamlined management. Last year, Intel posted a net loss of $18.8 billion, which was its first unprofitable year since 1986, as it works to regain ground lost in past tech transitions. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Key Takeaways From Intel Foundry Direct Connect 2025
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan On Stage At Direct Connect. Day one of Intel Foundry's Direct Connect event, which is currently underway in San Jose, California, just wrapped and I wanted to share some thoughts. The day was filled with interesting developments from both Intel itself and its diverse array of ecosystem partners. There was a time when no one in the semiconductor industry could build transistors like Intel, but a series of missteps and changes in strategy spread out over the better part of the last decade shifted that paradigm. Now, Intel is attempting to propel its manufacturing processes back into a leadership position, while simultaneously trying to woo fabless semiconductor customers to manufacture their chips in Intel's fabs. To do that, Intel has to establish more trust in the industry and not only prove the competitiveness of its processes, but also that partners can make the chips with familiar and established workflows, consistently and with high reliability. Just about everything I heard today made me believe Intel is on track to do just that. Intel's Dr. Naga Chandrasekaran Holding A Intel 14A Test Wafer. The day began with a keynote address by newly-minted CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Lip-Bu was refreshingly direct and to the point. He outlined a number of Intel Foundry's challenges, and what moves the company was making to address them and chart a successful course for Intel Foundry's future. What I found most assuring during Lip-Bu's time speaking, however, was the parade of partners he brought out on stage and what they had to say. In today's advance semiconductor market, there is no single entity that can be successful on its own – there are simply too many technologies and packaging innovations at play in modern multi-chiplet devices. To that end, Lip-Bu brought out the CEOs of essentially all of the leading EDA tools providers. Sassine Ghazi, Synopsys CEO, At Intel Foundry Direct Connect. Sassine Ghazi of Synopsys, Cadence's Anirudh Devgan, Mike Ellow of Siemens EDA, and PDF/Solutions' John Kibarian came out in succession and all explained how their tools, IP and/or flows have been optimized for Intel's upcoming 18A process and the work is underway for future nodes, like 18A-P, 14A and its derivatives (among others). This strong commitment from Intel's ecosystem partners should carry a lot of weight; the overwhelming majority of fabless semiconductor players will be familiar with these tools, which should facilitate transitions to Intel Foundry's manufacturing processes. All of the EDA providers also voiced their impressions of Intel 18A, which were universally positive. In fact, the scuttlebutt amongst industry insiders has been mostly positive regarding 18A for quite a while. Multiple conversations I've had with trusted folks from the automotive, mobile, and processor industries have all suggested Intel 18A is a highly competitive process. That said, there weren't any new customer announcements today. I suspect there will be more coming soon, however, once Intel Foundry begins talking more about Intel 18A-P, which is a higher performance derivative of 18A that's better suited to a wider array of applications. 18A is already a competitive process and Intel will be shipping its next-generation Panther Lake-based processors built on 18A in volume later this year, but 18A-P addresses some technical issues that should make it a better fit for a more diverse array of architectures. Cadence President & CEO Anirudh Devgan At Direct Connect. Anyone scrutinizing and paying close attention to Intel and its moves with Intel Foundry needs to understand some fundamental realities related to 18A. In addition to being a leading-edge process, with smaller features, it introduces two innovations – Ribbon FETs and PowerVia backside power delivery. It's hard enough to bring a new manufacturing process to market, let alone one with two new key technologies. And to realize the full capabilities of 18A requires chip designers to make specific considerations from the start. To move an existing design or a design that was already in-flight that was originally slated for an existing process to18A is possible, but it may not benefit from Ribbon FETs and to utilize backside power delivery, can incur additional cost. However, optimizing a design for 18A from the start will offset most of the cost related to backside power delivery by easing density requirements and eliminating the need for some metal layers on the frontside. It will also enable designers to realize the maximum benefits of Ribbon FETs, and optimize power, performance, and area. Of course, chip designs don't happen overnight, so it's going to take some time for Intel Foundry's future customers to navigate these waters and decide if 18A, one of its derivatives, or a future process will be the best fit. Intel 18A Details. As for the processes themselves, Intel made plenty of encouraging claims. 18A has already achieved 95%+ of its targets and the optimization areas have already been identified to tweak the process to hit or exceed 100% of those targets next quarter. Intel 18A should deliver a >15% improvement in performance per watt, with 1.3x improvement in chip density versus Intel 3, with an additional ~8% improvement in perf-per-watt coming with 18A-P, along with support for 3D die stacking. Intel 14A Disclosures. Intel Foundry also disclosed some numbers related to its future 14A process. 14A is looking particularly strong at this early stage; Intel is expecting a 15-20% performance per watt increase versus 18A, with another 1.3x increase in density, and a 25-35% reduction in power. Intel 14A will also make use of High NA EUV and introduce second generation Ribbon FETs and PowerDirect. PowerDirect is an evolution of PowerVia that enables direct contact power delivery. Intel Foundry Process Roadmap There was a lot more disclosed during Intel Foundry Direct Connect, including a number of advancements in packing technology that improve interconnect density and performance, but it's just too much to cram into this report. Suffice it to say, after digesting day one's disclosures, my confidence in Intel's foundry efforts has reached a new high. The innovations, technologies, and tools to enable them appear to be in place. Now it's a matter of bringing in new customers, executing, and getting new products to market. Considering the company's huge investments, and the geopolitical pressures to bring more advanced semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S., I think Intel Foundry can pull this off.
