News Release
Intel Developing Ultra-Low Power Manufacturing Process
Additional 65nm Process Will Stretch Battery Life of Mobile Devices
Intel Corporation is developing an ultra-low power derivative of its high-performance 65 nanometre (nm) logic
manufacturing process that will enable production of very low-power chips for mobile platforms and small-form factor
devices. The ultra-low power process will be Intel’s second process based on 65nm process technology.
Intel’s high-performance 65nm (a nanometre is one-billionth of a metre) process provides both power consumption and
performance benefits over Intel’s current industry-leading 90nm manufacturing process. The company’s new ultra-low power
65nm process provides Intel chip designers additional options in delivering the circuit density, performance and power
consumption required by users of battery-operated devices.
“People typically embrace mobile platforms that maximise battery life,” said Mooly Eden, vice president and general
manager of the Intel Mobile Platforms Group. “Such products will be greatly enhanced by our new ultra-low power
manufacturing process. We will design future mobility platforms to take full advantage of both leading-edge 65nm
manufacturing processes.”
One of the factors in decreasing chip power consumption, which is important to mobile and battery-operated devices, is
improving the design of the transistor. Lost electricity leaking from these microscopic transistors, even when they are
in their ‘off’ state, is a problem that is a challenge for the entire industry.
“With the number of transistors on some chips exceeding one billion, it is clear that improvements made for individual
transistors can multiply into huge benefits for the entire device,” said Mark Bohr, senior fellow and director of Intel
Process Architecture and Integration. “Test chips made on Intel’s ultra-low power 65nm process technology have shown
transistor leakage reduction roughly 1000 times from our standard process. This translates into significant power
savings for people who will use devices based on this technology.”
Intel’s Ultra-Low Power 65nm Process Technology
Intel’s ultra-low power, 65nm process technology includes several key transistor modifications which enable delivery of
low power benefits while providing industry-leading performance. These transistor modifications result in significant
reductions in the three major sources of transistor leakage: sub-threshold leakage, junction leakage and gate oxide
leakage. The benefits of reduced transistor leakage are lower power and increased battery life.
About Intel’s 65nm Process Technology
Intel’s 65nm processes combine higher-performance and lower-power transistors, a second-generation version of Intel’s
strained silicon, eight high-speed copper interconnect layers and a low-k dielectric material. Building chips using the
65nm processes will allow Intel to double the number of transistors it can build on a single chip today (using Intel’s
90nm technology).
Intel’s 65nm processes will feature transistors measuring only 35nm in gate length, which will be the smallest and
highest performing CMOS transistors in high-volume production. By comparison, the most advanced transistors in
production today, found in Intel® Pentium® 4 processors, measure 50nm. Small, fast transistors are the building blocks
for very fast processors.
Intel has integrated a second-generation version of its high-performance strained silicon into these 65nm processes.
Strained silicon provides higher drive current, increasing the speed of the transistors with only a two percent increase
in manufacturing cost.
For additional information on Intel technology, please visit www.intel.com/technology. Intel, the world’s largest chip
maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about
Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
Intel is a trademark or registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other
countries.
ENDS