First 32nm Microprocessors -- From the Intel Fab to IDF09

posted by Ken Kaplan on September 13, 2009

Anyone attending or tuning into the Intel Developer Forum knows what to look for — firsts. First time tech demos, first look at new chip designs or features…

Here’s a first look at Intel rock star Sanjay Natarajan, director of logic technology development for the world’s first microprocessors built with 32 nanometer process, codenamed Westmere.

I first pointed to Westmere’s role at the upcoming IDF09 in a blog post a few weeks ago, when I first learned that we got the green light to capture video with many of the Intel rock star engineers who’ve been working on Westmere.

Dr. Sanjay — a one-take wonder — is inside his white Intel Fab bunny suit, riffing scientific about the making of the first 32nm microprocessor. If you’re interested, here are more facts about Intel’s new 32nm process.

He proudly shares how Intel has reinvented the transistor again, improving upon Intel’s leading 45nm processor by creating smaller gate pitch and higher drive performance. He talks about using immersion lithography technique for the first time, and how different teams across Intel optimized new energy efficiency and performance features that will be available inside all new Intel Core microprocessors in 2010.

At IDF09, we’ll learn how Intel improved “gate pitch,” the measure of how close two transistors fit side by side on a microprocessor, allowing for more performance and integration of features like graphics. Achieving 30-percent smaller gate pitch compared to today’s leading edge 45nm process is exactly the kind of miniscule innovation that makes a huge impact on extending Moore’s Law into the future.

Sanjay also talks about making transistor improvements to achieve 20-percent higher drive performance compared with the 45nm process, resulting in lower energy leakage.

These are the kinds of challenges Intel engineers are talking in order to create microprocessors that have the best balance of performance and energy efficiency.

From here moving forward, watch for news and announcements about IDF09 can be seen inside the Intel Pressroom.

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tagged: 32nm, Core, Core 2010, Core2010, IDF09, Innovation, Integration, Intel, microprocessor, Westmere