Intel's first gate-all-around manufacturing processes, the Intel 20A and Intel 18A, are said to be almost complete after test chips have recently been announced. The tape-out should now pave the way for series production to start next year. In 2025, Intel wants to be at the top of the game again based on these technologies.
New processes with close clocking
For the quarterly report at the end of January 2023, Intel's CEO Pat Gelsinger already stated that test chips based on Intel 20A and Intel 18A would be working in the laboratories. In doing so, not only their own solutions were thought of, test chips from foundry customers are said to have been among them. In this context, Intel's CEO once again emphasized that the manufacturer would stick to the plans for multiple nodes in a short period of time – 5 nodes in 4 years is the goal, Intel recently repeated like a mantra. The tape-out of the first chips for Intel 20A and 18A should underpin this, but the development is by no means finished. However, in order to be able to produce in series in a year, they are on the right track.
Just under two weeks ago, Gelsinger commented on the rumors about Intel 3 that they were wrong and all planned products are on schedule for 2024.
As is well known, Intel is currently still producing 10 nm chips, which have been renamed Intel 7 in the course of new marketing designations. Intel 4 will be released on the market later this year, depending on how you look at it, this is a big or small step: The most important innovation compared to Intel 7 is finally the use of EUV for some of the exposure levels, so the process is secretly called 7 nm denotes EUV. Intel 3 as the next stage is “7 nm +” so to speak: More EUV and smaller optimizations should take effect until gate-all-around is a really big step in the following year.
Intel must follow through on promises
The fact that the market is currently doubting Intel's statements despite full-bodied promises is due to recent history. Recently, Intel has often been the master of big announcements in this area, in 2019 the manufacturer promised EUV in 2021 and 5 nm in 2023. But the misery began in 2012: “We know how to make 10 nm chips”. was the headline in many US media at the time, according to statements by Intel, when a market launch for the end of 2015 was targeted. In reality, it turned out to be 2019.
Gelsinger doesn't like hearing the story, but neither does he like current rumours, the (resulting) lack of trust in the market is a thorn in his side Eye. There have never been such brisk denials as recently, and rumors in the media have usually not been reacted to at all. But Intel has to deliver. Weak figures worry the stock market, a lot of money is at stake – those involved remain nervous, even if, according to the CEO, everything is going according to plan.
More details on manufacturing technologies
More details on manufacturing technologies such as EUV or gate-all-around can be found in the article Chip Manufacturing: Innovations Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.