Intel Adopts 7/4/3/20A Process Names to Replace nm
RibbonFET and PowerVia introduced in 20A (2nm) products in 2024.
Qualcomm and AWS Announce Collaboration with ASML, Becoming IFS' First Customers


Intel, which recorded better-than-expected second-quarter sales, announced on the 26th (local time) its plans for introducing sub-10nm processes and its foundry business.

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said at the 'Intel Accelerated' event, "The industry has known since 1997 that the nomenclature for nanometer-based processes (such as 7nm and 5nm) does not correspond to the actual gate lengths," and introduced the 'Intel 7/4/3/20A' nomenclature to help customers accurately identify nanometer processes.

According to Intel, the Intel 7 process corresponds to TSMC or Samsung Electronics' 7nm process, the Intel 4/3 process corresponds to the 4/3nm process, and the Intel 20A process corresponds to the 2nm process. Intel 7-based products will be applied to the Alder Lake processor for clients, scheduled for release this year, and the Sapphire Rapids processor for data centers, scheduled for production in the first quarter of next year. EUV equipment will be introduced starting with Intel's 4 process, with product shipments targeted for the first half of 2023.

The 3rd process, which includes FinFET optimization for the 4th generation, is targeting product shipments in the second half of 2023. The 20A process is a preparation for entering the process of sub-1nm, Ångström (0.1nm) units, and introduces 'RibbonFET' and 'PowerVia' technologies. RibbonFET is the name of Intel's unique GAA (Gate-all-around) transistor architecture, and PowerVia is a technology that allocates signal transmission and power supply to the front and back of the wafer.

The 20A product is targeted for production in 2024, and its first customer is expected to be Qualcomm. Intel plans to produce products based on 'Intel 18A' in early 2025, and said it is working closely with ASML to develop 'High-NA EUV' technology for this.

"Amazon Web Services (AWS) will be the first customer for Intel Foundry Service (IFS) packaging solutions," said CEO Galsinger, highlighting the company's 3D stacking solution, Foveros. He also revealed that improved versions of the solution, Foveros Omni and Foveros Direct, are scheduled for production and preparation in 2023, respectively.