IBM, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing and Infineon Technologies AG today announced a joint development agreement to accelerate the move to 65nm semiconductor manufacturing process technology.

The multi-year engagement closely aligns Infineon’s low-power silicon expertise with IBM's leading process technology and Chartered’s efforts to drive a common foundry process platform that scales from 90nm through next-generation 65nm technology and provides a path to 45nm. Financial details of the new agreement were not disclosed.

The work will be conducted in IBM’s East Fishkill, NY, 300mm development lab. IBM and Chartered technologies are among the first on 65nm circuits developed and produced in the new facility, called the Advanced Semiconductor Technology Center, or ASTC 300, which began operations last month.

Nearly 200 engineers from the three companies will work together to define industry-leading process technologies for next-generation semiconductors.

Chartered, IBM, and Infineon plan to jointly develop a common advanced foundry process at 65nm, as well as variants tuned for high performance and low power. The companies are also exploring extensions to 45nm technology. To assist foundry customers in designing with these technologies, the companies have also agreed to work together with third-party providers to provide a robust ecosystem of optimized design tools.

Each company will have the ability to implement the jointly developed processes in its own manufacturing facilities. Both IBM and Chartered plan to have the jointly developed 65nm process installed in their respective 300mm fabs, and to be in a position to support Infineon's outsourced demand for 65nm products.