Intel continues to go ahead with aggressive transition to thinner manufacturing technologies. According to the most-recent statements from the company’s representatives, Intel will qualify its 90nm (nanometer) fabrication process in the middle of 2003. They also said during the meeting with analysts that the designs of the code-named Prescott and Dothan are ready and wait their turn.

After the manufacturing process is qualified, Intel can implement the fabrication technology on all their fabs. Due to their "Copy Exactly" factory strategy, Intel can implement new chip-making techniques rapidly and easily. As a result, we may expect that the company will be able to manufacture 90nm chips in the second half of the year. It is known already that the company launches its Pentium 4 “Prescott” processor in the fourth quarter, but in case the fabs to make these CPUs are available, the company may unveil the processors even earlier, when [and if] market requires.

AMD plans to complete the qualification and start production of 90nm technology in the fourth quarter of this year.