Intel Adds 14A Process Node To Its Roadmap, Updates To 18A & Intel 3 Nodes Unveiled at IFS Direct

Intel has unveiled its brand new roadmap for its next-gen process nodes at IFS Direct which now includes 14A & updates on already announced nodes.

Press Release: Intel Corp. (INTC) today launched Intel Foundry as a more sustainable systems foundry business designed for the AI era and announced an expanded process roadmap designed to establish leadership into the latter part of this decade.

The company also highlighted customer momentum and support from ecosystem partners – including Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, and Ansys – who outlined their readiness to accelerate Intel Foundry customers’ chip designs with tools, design flows and IP portfolios validated for Intel’s advanced packaging, and Intel 18A process technologies.

The announcements were made at Intel’s first Foundry event, Foundry Direct Connect, where the company gathered customers, ecosystem companies, and leaders from across the industry. Among the participants and speakers were U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Arm CEO Rene Haas, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and others.

The highlights of these announcements are listed below:

[Editor's Note] With its latest process node roadmap, Intel is unveiling new additions to its process roadmap which now include sub-variants of each node with the "E", "P" and "T" suffixes. All these suffixes represent a certain extension to either feature set, performance, or packaging technology. The "P" for the likes of 18A-P and 3-PT represents higher performance with up to 10% gains over its standard variant while the "T" represents the use of TSV's or Through-Silicon Vias which will be part of the 3D Foveros Direct technology. The "E" sub-variants represent an extension to the classic node which will target specific customers.

Additionally, the company also unveiled that it has already taped out its next-gen Clearwater Forest Xeon E-Core CPUs while 18A is ready for full product design in Q2 2024. Chipzilla also confirmed a few tidbits that about Clearwater Forest which we have been hearing for the past few weeks. It will be utilizing several technologies such as:

Process Roadmap Expands Beyond 5N4Y

Intel’s extended process technology roadmap adds 14A to the company’s leading-edge node plan, in addition to several specialized node evolutions. Intel also affirmed that its ambitious five-nodes-in-four-years (5N4Y) process roadmap remains on track and will deliver the industry’s first backside power solution. Company leaders expect Intel will regain process leadership with Intel 18A in 2025.

The new roadmap includes evolutions for 3, 18A, and 14A process technologies. It includes 3-T, which is optimized with through-silicon vias for 3D advanced packaging designs and will soon reach manufacturing readiness.

Also highlighted are mature process nodes, including new 12 nanometer nodes expected through the joint development with UMC announced last month. These evolutions are designed to enable customers to develop and deliver products tailored to their specific needs. Intel Foundry plans a new node every two years and node evolutions along the way, giving customers a path to continuously evolve their offerings on Intel’s leading process technology.

Intel also announced the addition of Foundry FCBGA 2D+ to its comprehensive suite of ASAT offerings, which already include FCBGA 2D, EMIB, Foveros, and Foveros Direct.

Microsoft Design on 18A Headlines Customer Momentum

Customers are supporting Intel’s long-term systems foundry approach. During Pat Gelsinger’s keynote, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella stated that Microsoft has chosen a chip design it plans to produce on the 18A process.

“We are in the midst of a very exciting platform shift that will fundamentally transform productivity for every individual organization and the entire industry,” Nadella said. “To achieve this vision, we need a reliable supply of the most advanced, high-performance, and high-quality semiconductors. That’s why we are so excited to work with Intel Foundry, and why we have chosen a chip design that we plan to produce on the Intel 18A process.”

Intel Foundry has design wins across foundry process generations, including 18A, 16, and 3, along with significant customer volume on Foundry ASAT capabilities, including advanced packaging.

In total, across wafer and advanced packaging, Intel Foundry’s expected lifetime deal value is greater than $15 billion.