LONDON -- European research institute IMEC has announcedthat is has released an early-version process development kit for logic that isthe industry's first PDK to address the 14-nm node, IMEC said.
The kit includes support for a number of technologies thatare likely to be required at the 14-nm node including FinFET devices andextreme ultraviolet lithography. It contains device compact models, parasiticextraction, design rules, parameterized cells (p-cells), and basic logic cells,IMEC (Leuven, Belgium) said.
The 14-nm PDK was developed as part of IMEC's Insitecollaborative research program, in which Altera Corp, Nvidia Corp, and QualcommInc have been reported to be participants. In a press release announcing the14-nm PDK did not discuss which chip companies participate in the Insiteprogram.
The PDK is being made available to IMEC's research partnersand will be followed by incremental updates. IMEC and its partners aredeveloping a 14-nm test chip using this PDK, which is due to be released in thesecond half of 2012, IMEC said. IMEC operates a 300-mm research wafer fab thatcontains an EUV lithography stepper. It is one of very few facilities in theworld that could attempt to produce a 14-nm test chip.
One of the main purposes of the PDK is to help companies todevelop processes with FinFETs. These fin-shaped transistors that sit proud ofthe wafer surface have a larger drive per unit footprint and higher performanceat low supply voltages compared with traditional planar technologies.Evolutions of the PDK are also expected to introduce the use of high-mobilitychannel materials. Such materials include germanium, compound semiconductormaterials, and graphene. The PDK includes support for both immersion- and EUVlithography, opening the way for a gradual transition from 193-nm immersion toEUV lithography.
The production of a test chip in 2H12 will allow thephysical measurement of performance and power consumption and the first testingof the device-, interconnect-, process- and litho assumptions.
This story was originally posted by EETimes.