14 DAY TRIAL // With the rapid evolution in processing, and the mobile front being no exception, next-generation mobile products keep raising the standard for computing power, connectivity and battery life. To address these growing needs, ARM and GLOBALFOUNDRIES are working together on the creation of a top-tier System-on-Chip (SoC) platform technology that aims to enable a 30% lower power consumption (with a 100% increase in standby battery life), along with a performance improvement of no less than 40%. This feat will be achieved by means of GLOBALFOUNDRIES' 28nm Gate-First High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) manufacturing process.
The SoC platform will be based on the ARM Cortex A9 central processing unit and will operate 40% faster in the same thermal envelope, compared to chips built on the 40/45nm process technology. This will set the stage for enhanced multitasking and application performance on mobile devices. Also, the decrease in power consumption will mean that next-generation mobile products will last longer, both when in standby as well as while playing music, videos, running games or performing whatever other applications the user requires.
“The success of the next generation of mobile products will be increasingly dependent on their ability to deliver PC-class performance, a highly integrated rich media experience and longer battery life,” GLOBALFOUNDRIES Chief Operating Officer Chia Song Hwee said. “These demands are going to require a strong technology foundation and close collaboration between industry leaders to enable an increasing number of design companies to unlock this innovation. We are working closely with ARM to optimize the physical IP and implementation of the Cortex-A9 processor with our proven manufacturing experience in high-volume, advanced technology products, to deliver a fully integrated platform for leading-edge wireless products and applications.”
“The transition to the 28nm technology node will be an important inflection point for wireless technology,” ARM President Tudor Brown added. “Our collaboration with GLOBALFOUNDRIES will enable customers to rapidly bring high-performance, low-power ARM technology-based designs to market on a 28nm HKMG technology that is ready for high-volume implementation. The combination of GLOBALFOUNDRIES technology, our leading physical IP solutions, and the full Internet capabilities delivered by ARM processors results in a powerful integration of processing, graphics and power efficiency.”
The next-generation SoC will be used in smartphones, smartbooks, tablets and other embedded devices. ARM is demonstrating the first 28nm wafer with HKMG at the Mobile World Congress 2010 and will continue to work with GLOBALFOUNDRIES, as well as other members of the IBM Joint Development Alliance, to quickly develop the HKMG-enabled optimized processor and physical IP.