The two-way battle in the advanced semiconductor foundry market is ready to expand into a three-way battle. Intel has revealed its ambition to take ecosystem leadership by launching a full-fledged systems foundry and leading the way in miniaturization processes and advanced packaging.

Intel launched Intel Foundry as a systems foundry business on the 21st (local time) and disclosed a process roadmap to build leadership.

Intel announced that ecosystem partners including Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, and Ansys have completed plans to accelerate chip designs for Intel Foundry customers and provide foundry services to customers with tools, design flows, and IP portfolios validated for Intel's advanced packaging and Intel 18A (Angstrom) process technology.

The roadmap and vision, announced at the Intel Foundry Direct Connect event, was made possible by a gathering of Microsoft, Intel’s first 1nm customer, along with ecosystem companies and industry leaders.

The event was attended by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Lamondo, Arm CEO Rene Haas, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

“AI is fundamentally changing the world, while also changing how we think about technology and the silicon that powers it,” said Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO. “This is creating unprecedented opportunities for the world’s most innovative chip designers, as well as for Intel Foundry, the world’s first systems foundry for the AI era.”

■ 1.8nm process roadmap by 2025
Intel has added several special node evolutions to its leading-edge process plan, including Intel 14A. It has expanded its extended process technology roadmap. The new roadmap includes Intel 3, Intel 18A, and Intel 14A process technologies.

Intel leaders expect Intel to regain process leadership with Intel 18A in 2025. Intel also said its 5N4Y (Five Nodes in Four Years) process roadmap is on track and it will be the first in the industry to deliver a rear-side power solution.

It includes Intel’s 3-T, which is optimized for 3D advanced packaging designs with Through Silicon Via (TSV) and will soon be manufacturing-ready, as well as a new 12nm node that UMC announced last month to be jointly developed. Intel emphasized that it is designed to develop and deliver products that meet customers' specific needs.

In addition, Intel announced the addition of Intel Foundry FCBGA 2D+ to its comprehensive ASAT offering, which includes existing FCBGA 2D, EMIB, Foveros, and Foveros Direct.

■ Intel Foundry's First Customer Microsoft Adopts 18A Design

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced during Pat Gelsinger's keynote that Microsoft has decided to design chips based on Intel's 18A process.

“We are in the midst of a profoundly important platform transformation that will fundamentally transform the productivity of every individual organization and entire industries,” Nadella said. “To achieve this vision, we need a trusted, cutting-edge, high-performance, high-quality semiconductor supply chain.”

This is why MS is collaborating with Intel and has decided to design and produce chips based on Intel's 18A process, he explained.

Intel also shared customer order volume for Intel Foundry ASAT, including advanced packaging, along with order performance across foundry process generations including Intel 18A, Intel 16, and Intel 3.

To date, Intel Foundry has secured a total order volume of more than $15 billion, including wafers and advanced packaging.

■ IP·EDA Vendors Support Intel Process and Packaging Design
IP and EDA partners Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Ansys, Lorenz, and Keysight have announced tool certification and IP readiness for Intel 18A, the foundry industry’s first back-end power solution, to help foundry customers accelerate advanced chip designs.

In addition, several vendors have announced plans to collaborate on assembly technology and design flows for Intel’s Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) 2.5D packaging technology. These EDA solutions promise to ensure rapid development and delivery of advanced packaging solutions for foundry customers.

Intel also unveiled an ‘Emerging Business Initiative’ in which it will work with Arm to provide cutting-edge foundry services for Arm-based systems-on-chips (SoCs). The initiative presents a major opportunity for Arm and Intel to support startups’ development of Arm-based technologies, providing essential IP, manufacturing support, and financial support.

■ Foundry Differentiation Approach in the AI/ESG Era

Intel's Systems Foundry approach provides full-stack optimization from manufacturing to software. Intel and its ecosystem enable customers to innovate across their entire systems through continuous technology improvements, reference designs, and new standards.

“Intel offers a world-class foundry that provides a resilient, sustainable and secure source of supply and exceptional system chip capabilities,” said Stuart Pann, senior vice president of Intel’s Foundry Business Group. “Combining these strengths will provide our customers with everything they need to engineer and deliver solutions for the most demanding applications.”

Intel shared its goal of increasing sustainability in addition to a resilient supply chain.

Preliminary estimates suggest that by 2023, Intel expects to use 99% renewable electricity across its global factories.

Intel also reiterated its commitment to achieving 100% renewable electricity, net-positive water, and zero landfill waste globally by 2030.

Intel also emphasized its commitment to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and net-zero upstream Scope 3 emissions by 2050.