14 DAY TRIAL // It looks like the rumor mill is passing through one of those phases when it is more productive than usual, with the latest report implying that Intel will, this week, introduce a certain chip manufacturing process.
The larger the IT company, the more attention it gets from both official and unofficial market watchers, and it looks like Intel fell under the ever watchful gaze again.
The company holds a large stake in the worldwide processor market and has been constantly improving its technologies.
As far as semiconductors go, a new manufacturing process is revealed on a fairly regular basis, and it seems the newest and most advanced one is about to be unveiled.
The Sandy Bridge series of central processing units are built on the 32nm node and will be followed by the Ivy Bridge, which will utilize the 22nm technology.
It is this 22nm node that some believe will be the main subject of discussion during a certain, upcoming public event.
Basically, Intel will host a press conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, May 4, 2011, and it is analysts' belief that the main goal is to officially present the new manufacturing process.
“Intel is expected to unveil its 22-nm process over the next couple of weeks on or before its analyst meeting on May 17,” supposedly said Gus Richard, an analyst with Piper Jaffray & Co., in a report.
Granted, this assumption does seem to have much support in how the IT giant itself said that “Intel will be making its most significant technology announcement of the year. No further details will be provided in advance.”
There are many speculations in regards to the technology, concerning such things as the CMOS, the interconnects (copper most likely), the lithography (193-mm immersion) and the high-k/metal-gate scheme (third-generation).
Either way, volume production should start in the second half of the ongoing year (2011).