Common Platform technology founding members IBM, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that they have successfully produced 90-nanometer (nm) chips for QUALCOMM Incorporated in their respective 300mm fabs. Working with QUALCOMM, the Common Platform members have manufactured in volume leading-edge, low-power system-on-chip (SoC) products that support mobile telecommunications technologies. The QUALCOMM chips are being used in cellular phone chipsets and other devices to enable wireless communications worldwide. The Common Platform relationship with QUALCOMM extends past 90nm, to 65nm and beyond
The Common Platform is a game-changing business model jointly developed by IBM, Chartered and Samsung to enable synchronized manufacturing across 300mm fabrication facilities at 90nm, 65nm and 45nm process technologies. Using this new approach, a single design can be multi-sourced to any of the three facilities, making it possible to produce nearly identical chips from any one of several manufacturing facilities around the globe. Because Common Platform technology allows "multi-sourcing," clients are not tied to a single vendor, but rather have unprecedented flexibility and choice.
'Potential to transform the industry'
"As semiconductor real estate becomes more densely populated, the designs become exponentially more complex," said Dan Olds, principal, Gabriel Consulting. "The cost to redesign a chip so that it can be manufactured using a different process is considerable. The Common Platform has the potential to transform the industry by accelerating innovation and lowering costs for foundries, solution providers and customers."
The Common Platform, a commitment to collaborative innovation and openness, is gaining traction in the semiconductor industry. Essentially, the initiative signals that IBM, Chartered and Samsung have formally aligned their manufacturing facilities to create a one-team environment for maximum client value.
"Collaborative innovation means the sharing of intellectual capital as well as physical capital, of people as well as dollars," said Ana Molnar Hunter, vice president of technology for Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. "Accelerated learning and yield ramps lead to cost benefits for both customers and partners. The Common Platform works because all parties benefit by getting products to market faster at reduced cost."
In other news, ARM announced that it has been selected by the Common Platform to provide libraries for 45nm process technology. Libraries are the building blocks that help customers design and manufacture advanced semiconductor technology.
NOTE TO EDITORS: B-roll of IBM executives discussing today’s announcement as well as a photo of IBM’s 300mm East Fishkill, NY fab are available at the bottom of this page.
About IBM
For more information about semiconductors at IBM, please visit www.ibm.com/chips.
About Chartered
Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq: CHRT, SGX-ST: CHARTERED), one of the world’s top dedicated semiconductor foundries, offers leading-edge technologies down to 65 nanometer (nm), enabling today’s system-on-chip designs. The company further serves its customers’ needs through a collaborative, joint development approach on a technology roadmap that extends to 45nm. Chartered’s strategy is based on open and comprehensive design enablement solutions, manufacturing enhancement strategies, and a commitment to flexible sourcing. In Singapore, the company operates a 300mm fabrication facility and four 200mm facilities. Information about Chartered can be found at www.charteredsemi.com.
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2005 parent company sales of US$56.7 billion and net income of US$7.5 billion. Employing approximately 128,000 people in over 120 offices in 57 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.
About the Common Platform
IBM, Chartered and Samsung Electronics have broken new ground in the semiconductor industry with a unique collaboration focused on leading-edge, jointly developed digital CMOS process technologies and advanced manufacturing. The Common Platform model is further supported by a comprehensive ecosystem of design enablement and implementation business partners from the EDA, IP and design services industries. This ecosystem allows foundry customers to potentially source their chip designs to multiple 300mm foundries with unprecedented flexibility and choice. The Common Platform model features 90nm, 65nm and 45nm technologies. The Common Platform concept and initial collaboration began in November 2002 with an agreement between Chartered and IBM to jointly develop advanced technology and provide cross foundry manufacturing capacity to mutual customers. Samsung joined the initiative in March 2004. Since then the three companies have worked with some of the world’s leading electronics companies to provide access to the cutting-edge technology and seamless sourcing flexibility that Common Platform can enable.
Contact(s) information
The Common Platform is a game-changing business model jointly developed by IBM, Chartered and Samsung to enable synchronized manufacturing across 300mm fabrication facilities at 90nm, 65nm and 45nm process technologies. Using this new approach, a single design can be multi-sourced to any of the three facilities, making it possible to produce nearly identical chips from any one of several manufacturing facilities around the globe. Because Common Platform technology allows "multi-sourcing," clients are not tied to a single vendor, but rather have unprecedented flexibility and choice.
'Potential to transform the industry'
"As semiconductor real estate becomes more densely populated, the designs become exponentially more complex," said Dan Olds, principal, Gabriel Consulting. "The cost to redesign a chip so that it can be manufactured using a different process is considerable. The Common Platform has the potential to transform the industry by accelerating innovation and lowering costs for foundries, solution providers and customers."
The Common Platform, a commitment to collaborative innovation and openness, is gaining traction in the semiconductor industry. Essentially, the initiative signals that IBM, Chartered and Samsung have formally aligned their manufacturing facilities to create a one-team environment for maximum client value.
"Collaborative innovation means the sharing of intellectual capital as well as physical capital, of people as well as dollars," said Ana Molnar Hunter, vice president of technology for Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. "Accelerated learning and yield ramps lead to cost benefits for both customers and partners. The Common Platform works because all parties benefit by getting products to market faster at reduced cost."
In other news, ARM announced that it has been selected by the Common Platform to provide libraries for 45nm process technology. Libraries are the building blocks that help customers design and manufacture advanced semiconductor technology.
NOTE TO EDITORS: B-roll of IBM executives discussing today’s announcement as well as a photo of IBM’s 300mm East Fishkill, NY fab are available at the bottom of this page.
About IBM
For more information about semiconductors at IBM, please visit www.ibm.com/chips.
About Chartered
Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq: CHRT, SGX-ST: CHARTERED), one of the world’s top dedicated semiconductor foundries, offers leading-edge technologies down to 65 nanometer (nm), enabling today’s system-on-chip designs. The company further serves its customers’ needs through a collaborative, joint development approach on a technology roadmap that extends to 45nm. Chartered’s strategy is based on open and comprehensive design enablement solutions, manufacturing enhancement strategies, and a commitment to flexible sourcing. In Singapore, the company operates a 300mm fabrication facility and four 200mm facilities. Information about Chartered can be found at www.charteredsemi.com.
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2005 parent company sales of US$56.7 billion and net income of US$7.5 billion. Employing approximately 128,000 people in over 120 offices in 57 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.
About the Common Platform
IBM, Chartered and Samsung Electronics have broken new ground in the semiconductor industry with a unique collaboration focused on leading-edge, jointly developed digital CMOS process technologies and advanced manufacturing. The Common Platform model is further supported by a comprehensive ecosystem of design enablement and implementation business partners from the EDA, IP and design services industries. This ecosystem allows foundry customers to potentially source their chip designs to multiple 300mm foundries with unprecedented flexibility and choice. The Common Platform model features 90nm, 65nm and 45nm technologies. The Common Platform concept and initial collaboration began in November 2002 with an agreement between Chartered and IBM to jointly develop advanced technology and provide cross foundry manufacturing capacity to mutual customers. Samsung joined the initiative in March 2004. Since then the three companies have worked with some of the world’s leading electronics companies to provide access to the cutting-edge technology and seamless sourcing flexibility that Common Platform can enable.
Contact(s) information
