Die shrink
Encyclopedia
The term "die shrink" (sometimes "optical shrink" or "process shrink") refers to a simple semiconductor scaling of semiconductor device
s, mainly transistor
s. The act of shrinking a die
is to create a somewhat identical circuitry using a more advanced fabrication process, usually involving an advance of lithographic
node. This reduces overall costs of a chip company, as the absence of major architectural changes to the processor lowers research and development costs, while at the same time allowing more processor dies to be manufactured on the same piece of silicon wafer, resulting in greater revenue per product sold.
(including the former ATI
) and NVIDIA
for enriching their product lines. Examples in the 2000s include the codenamed Cedar Mill Pentium 4
processors (from 90 nm CMOS
to 65 nm CMOS
) and Penryn Core 2 processors (from 65 nm CMOS to 45 nm CMOS), the codenamed Brisbane Athlon 64 X2
processors (from 90 nm SOI
to 65 nm SOI
), and various generations of GPU
s from both ATI
and NVIDIA
. In January 2010, Intel released Clarkdale
Core i5 and Core i7 processors fabricated with a 32 nm process, down from a previous 45 nm process used in older iterations of the Nehalem processor
microarchitecture
.
Die shrink is beneficial to end-users as shrinking a die reduces the current leakage
in semiconductor devices while maintaining the same clock frequency of a chip, making a product with less power consumption (and thus less heat production), increased clock rate
headroom, and lower prices.
node as defined by ITRS
(for example, 600 nm
, 350 nm
, 250 nm
, 180 nm, 130 nm, 90 nm to 65 nm then 45 nm nodes and so on). For GPU and SoC
manufacturing, the "die shrink" usually first involves shrinking the die on a node not defined by the ITRS, for instance the 150 nm, 110 nm, 80 nm, 55 nm and more currently 40 nm nodes (expected subsequent half-nodes are 28 nm and 20 nm), sometimes referred to as "half-node". This is a stopgap between two ITRS defined lithographic
nodes (thus called a "half-node shrink") before further shrink to the lower ITRS defined nodes occurs, which helps save further R&D cost.
Semiconductor device
Semiconductor devices are electronic components that exploit the electronic properties of semiconductor materials, principally silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide, as well as organic semiconductors. Semiconductor devices have replaced thermionic devices in most applications...
s, mainly transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
s. The act of shrinking a die
Die (integrated circuit)
A die in the context of integrated circuits is a small block of semiconducting material, on which a given functional circuit is fabricated.Typically, integrated circuits are produced in large batches on a single wafer of electronic-grade silicon or other semiconductor through processes such as...
is to create a somewhat identical circuitry using a more advanced fabrication process, usually involving an advance of lithographic
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
node. This reduces overall costs of a chip company, as the absence of major architectural changes to the processor lowers research and development costs, while at the same time allowing more processor dies to be manufactured on the same piece of silicon wafer, resulting in greater revenue per product sold.
Details
"Die shrink" is popular among semiconductor companies, such as Intel, AMDAdvanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. or AMD is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
(including the former ATI
ATI Technologies
ATI Technologies Inc. was a semiconductor technology corporation based in Markham, Ontario, Canada, that specialized in the development of graphics processing units and chipsets. Founded in 1985 as Array Technologies Inc., the company was listed publicly in 1993 and was acquired by Advanced Micro...
) and NVIDIA
NVIDIA
Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
for enriching their product lines. Examples in the 2000s include the codenamed Cedar Mill Pentium 4
Pentium 4
Pentium 4 was a line of single-core desktop and laptop central processing units , introduced by Intel on November 20, 2000 and shipped through August 8, 2008. They had a 7th-generation x86 microarchitecture, called NetBurst, which was the company's first all-new design since the introduction of the...
processors (from 90 nm CMOS
CMOS
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits...
to 65 nm CMOS
CMOS
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits...
) and Penryn Core 2 processors (from 65 nm CMOS to 45 nm CMOS), the codenamed Brisbane Athlon 64 X2
Athlon 64 X2
The Athlon 64 X2 is the first dual-core desktop CPU designed by AMD. It was designed from scratch as native dual-core by using an already multi-CPU enabled Athlon 64, joining it with another functional core on one die, and connecting both via a shared dual-channel memory controller/north bridge and...
processors (from 90 nm SOI
Silicon on insulator
Silicon on insulator technology refers to the use of a layered silicon-insulator-silicon substrate in place of conventional silicon substrates in semiconductor manufacturing, especially microelectronics, to reduce parasitic device capacitance and thereby improving performance...
to 65 nm SOI
Silicon on insulator
Silicon on insulator technology refers to the use of a layered silicon-insulator-silicon substrate in place of conventional silicon substrates in semiconductor manufacturing, especially microelectronics, to reduce parasitic device capacitance and thereby improving performance...
), and various generations of GPU
Graphics processing unit
A graphics processing unit or GPU is a specialized circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory in such a way so as to accelerate the building of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display...
s from both ATI
ATI Technologies
ATI Technologies Inc. was a semiconductor technology corporation based in Markham, Ontario, Canada, that specialized in the development of graphics processing units and chipsets. Founded in 1985 as Array Technologies Inc., the company was listed publicly in 1993 and was acquired by Advanced Micro...
and NVIDIA
NVIDIA
Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
. In January 2010, Intel released Clarkdale
Clarkdale (microprocessor)
Clarkdale is the code name for an Intel processor, initially sold as desktop Intel Core i5 and Core i3 and Pentium. It is closely related to themobile Arrandale processor; both use dual-core dies based on the 32 nm...
Core i5 and Core i7 processors fabricated with a 32 nm process, down from a previous 45 nm process used in older iterations of the Nehalem processor
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
microarchitecture
Microarchitecture
In computer engineering, microarchitecture , also called computer organization, is the way a given instruction set architecture is implemented on a processor. A given ISA may be implemented with different microarchitectures. Implementations might vary due to different goals of a given design or...
.
Die shrink is beneficial to end-users as shrinking a die reduces the current leakage
Leakage (semiconductors)
In semiconductor devices, leakage is a quantum phenomenon where mobile charge carriers tunnel through an insulating region. Leakage increases exponentially as the thickness of the insulating region decreases. Tunneling leakage can also occur across semiconductor junctions between heavily doped...
in semiconductor devices while maintaining the same clock frequency of a chip, making a product with less power consumption (and thus less heat production), increased clock rate
Clock rate
The clock rate typically refers to the frequency that a CPU is running at.For example, a crystal oscillator frequency reference typically is synonymous with a fixed sinusoidal waveform, a clock rate is that frequency reference translated by electronic circuitry into a corresponding square wave...
headroom, and lower prices.
Half-shrink
In CPU fabrications, it is noted that a "die shrink" always involves an advance to a lithographicLithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
node as defined by ITRS
International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors is a set of documents produced by a group of semiconductor industry experts. These experts are representative of the sponsoring organisations which include the Semiconductor Industry Associations of the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea and...
(for example, 600 nm
600 nanometer
The 600 nm process refers to the level of semiconductor process technology that was reached in the 1994–1995 timeframe, by most leading semiconductor companies, like Intel and IBM.-Products featuring 0.6 µm manufacturing process:...
, 350 nm
350 nanometer
The 350 nm process refers to the level of semiconductor process technology that was reached in the 1995–1996 timeframe, by most leading semiconductor companies, like Intel and IBM.-Products featuring 350 nm manufacturing process:...
, 250 nm
250 nanometer
The 250 nm process refers to a level of semiconductor process technology.-Products featuring 250 nm manufacturing process:*The DEC Alpha 21264A, which was made commercially available in 1999.*The AMD K6-2 Chomper and Chomper Extended...
, 180 nm, 130 nm, 90 nm to 65 nm then 45 nm nodes and so on). For GPU and SoC
System-on-a-chip
A system on a chip or system on chip is an integrated circuit that integrates all components of a computer or other electronic system into a single chip. It may contain digital, analog, mixed-signal, and often radio-frequency functions—all on a single chip substrate...
manufacturing, the "die shrink" usually first involves shrinking the die on a node not defined by the ITRS, for instance the 150 nm, 110 nm, 80 nm, 55 nm and more currently 40 nm nodes (expected subsequent half-nodes are 28 nm and 20 nm), sometimes referred to as "half-node". This is a stopgap between two ITRS defined lithographic
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
nodes (thus called a "half-node shrink") before further shrink to the lower ITRS defined nodes occurs, which helps save further R&D cost.
| Main ITRS node | Stopgap half-node |
|---|---|
| 180 nm | 150nm |
| 130nm | 110nm |
| 90nm | 80nm |
| 65nm | 55nm |
| 45nm | 40nm |
| 32nm | 28nm |
| 22nm | 20nm |
| 16nm | 14nm |
| 11nm | 10nm |
See also
- Integrated circuitIntegrated circuitAn integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
- Semiconductor device fabrication
- LithographyLithographyLithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
External links
- 0.11 µm Standard Cell ASIC
- EETimes: ON Semi offers 110-nm ASIC platform
- Renesas 55 nm process features
- RDA, SMIC make 55-nm mixed-signal IC
- Globalfoundries 40nm
- UMC 45/40nm
- SiliconBlue tips FPGA move to 40-nm
- Globalfoundries 28nm, Leading-Edge Technologies
- TSMC Reiterates 28 nm Readiness by Q4 2011
- Design starts triple for TSMC at 28-nm