Intel introduced its process node fabrication strategy a few years ago with an aggressive outline of hitting the 1nm process by 2025. The company has made many strides over the last year and a half, with the 7nm process available in the 12th and 13th generation core processors (Alder Lake and Raptor Lake series). The company has now revealed that it’s ready to begin production and manufacturing of the next process technology, Intel 4, starting immediately.
Intel 4 In Production, Intel 3 Enters Manufacturing Later This Year, 20A & 18A In 2024
President of Intel China’s Research Institute, Song Jiqiang, revealed at a recent meeting that the newest Intel 4 process is ready for manufacturing. Intel 4 is the successor to Intel 7 and will be incorporated into the next generation, codenamed Meteor Lake. The new 14th-generation core processors using the latest Intel 4 process technology are expected to be available in the second half of this year.
Song continued to discuss that Intel 3 process technology and the following 20A / 18A process technologies are proceeding forward as planned by the company in its attempts at providing swift competition to semiconductor leaders, such as TSMC and Samsung.
“The 3nm programs are on track, both that with TSMC as well as our internal Intel 3 programs Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest in particular,” said Gelsinger at the company’s Intel Capital Allocation Update conference call. “I am somewhat amazed by some of these rumor mill discussions that come out. You might notice there were similar ones on Intel 4 a few months ago, and also with some of our other TSMC programs, which were patently false at the time as well.”
Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger (via Tomshardware)
Intel 20A, which is the company’s 2nm process technology, and 18A, the lecture for the company’s 1.8nm process, are expected to enter the manufacturing phase next year in 2024. The 20A process node will present itself during the first quarter of 2024, followed by the 18A process in the second half. This move is crucial for Intel to reach the company’s semiconductor spot by 2025.
The Latest Intel roadmap shows 18A ready for risk production by 2H 2024, which is ahead of schedule.
It is unknown what chip series 18A will be incorporated within, but the company has officially confirmed that the 20A process technology will be used for the codename “Arrow Lake.” In the disclosed slide, 18A is shown to be incorporated into future client-based “Lake” series chips, “Rapids” series data center chipsets, and foundry chips for Intel clients. It is also reported that Intel has already produced the first test chips on the 20A and 18A process nodes but it is not mentioned if these chips are internally designed by Intel or for a 3rd party client.
The 20A and 18A process nodes will also introduce new RibbonFET and PowerVia technology for its chips. RibbonFET, known as ‘ribbon field effect transistors,’ succeeds FinFET technology. It is considered a gate-all-around (GAA) transistor with improved electrostatics compared to FinFET.
PowerVia is a power delivery process that works in the backside to solve bottleneck issues within the interconnect seen in silicon architectures. It is a common problem that PowerVia should solve once it is available. Instead of interconnects transmitting data communication signals and power to the top of the transistor layer, Power Via will deliver directly to the backside of the silicon wafer while simultaneously transmitting signals on top of the wafer.
Intel Mobility CPU Lineup:
CPU FamilyArrow LakeMeteor LakeRaptor LakeAlder Lake
Process Node (CPU Tile)Intel 20A ‘5nm EUV”Intel 4 ‘7nm EUV’Intel 7 ’10nm ESF’Intel 7 ’10nm ESF’
Process Node (GPU Tile)TSMC 3nmTSMC 5nmIntel 7 ’10nm ESF’Intel 7 ’10nm ESF’
CPU ArchitectureHybrid (Four-Core)Hybrid (Triple-Core)Hybrid (Dual-Core)Hybrid (Dual-Core)
P-Core ArchitectureLion CoveRedwood CoveRaptor CoveGolden Cove
E-Core ArchitectureSkymontCrestmontGracemontGracemont
Top ConfigurationTBD6+8 (H-Series)6+8 (H-Series)
8+16 (HX-Series)6+8 (H-Series)
8+8 (HX-Series)
Max Cores / ThreadsTBD14/2014/2014/20
Planned LineupH/P/U SeriesH/P/U SeriesH/P/U SeriesH/P/U Series
GPU ArchitectureXe2 Battlemage ‘Xe-LPG’
or
Xe3 Celestial “Xe-LPG”Xe-LPG ‘Xe-MTL’Iris Xe (Gen 12)Iris Xe (Gen 12)
GPU Execution Units192 EUs (1024 Cores)?128 EUs (1024 Cores)96 EUs (768 Cores)96 EUs (768 Cores)
Memory SupportTBDDDR5-5600
LPDDR5-7400
LPDDR5X – 7400+DDR5-5200
LPDDR5-5200
LPDDR5-6400DDR5-4800
LPDDR5-5200
LPDDR5X-4267
Memory Capacity (Max)TBD96 GB64 GB64 GB
Thunderbolt 4 PortsTBD444
WiFi CapabilityTBDWiFi 6EWiFi 6EWiFi 6E
TDPTBD15-45W15-55W15-55W
Launch2H 2024?2H 20231H 20231H 2022
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