ARM Announces 10nm Test Chip
ARM has announced the first multicore, 64-bit ARMv8-A processor test chip based on TSMC's 10FinFET process technology. Simulation benchmarks show impressive power and efficiency gains relative to TSMC's 16FinFET+ process technology.
The successful validation of the test chip (tape out completed in fourth-quarter 2015) is an important milestone in ARM and TSMC's successful ongoing collaboration, ARM indicated. The fully validated complete design enablement solution includes IP, EDA tools, design flow and methodology to enable new customer tape-outs on TSMC's most advanced FinFET process. In addition, SoC designers can now use the foundation IP building blocks (standard cell libraries, embedded memories and standard I/Os) to develop their most competitive products, ARM said.
"Efficiency is a primary guiding principle in SoC design for premium mobile applications due to increasing demands on device performance," said Pete Hutton, executive VP and president of product groups, ARM. "TSMC's 16FFLL+ process and ARM Cortex processors have already set new standards for efficiency. Our collaboration with TSMC on 10FinFET ensures SoC-wide efficiency that will allow our silicon partners even greater room to innovate while staying within strict power budgets."
"Our partnership with ARM offers our ecosystem rapid advances in process and IP and accelerates customer product development cycles," said Cliff Hou, vice president, R&D, TSMC. "Together, we are defining processor technologies that continue to propel the mobile market. Our latest endeavor, enabling ARM processors on TSMC 10FinFET technology, is transformative for the end user experience across premium mobile and a diverse range of consumer electronic goods."
The latest test chip is the result of ARM and TSMC's long-standing commitment to advanced process technologies, building on the initial 10FinFET partnership announced in October 2014. Mutual ARM and TSMC silicon partners have also benefitted from early access to ARM Artisan physical IP and 16nm FinFET+ tape-outs of the ARM Cortex-A72 processor.