CORRECTION: Correcting statements regarding 32nm bulk test wafers.

Globalfoundries, a joint venture between Advanced Micro Devices and Advanced Technology Investment Company, showed off its first wafers with logic produced using 32nm and 28nm process technologies. While existence of 32nm silicon-on-insulator wafers at Globalfoundries is hardly a surprise, bulk 32nm and 28nm wafers seems rather promising.

Globalfoundries is busy these days finding customers for itself as currently it has only one client: the parent company Advanced Micro Devices, which produces all of its central processing units (CPUs) at Globalfoundries and will also make its graphics processing units (GPUs) as well as core-logic sets using 32nm and 28nm bulk process technologies at Globalfoundries. The latter still needs to find more interested parties ahead of beginning to construct its third fab in New York, USA. No surprise, the firm brought its latest achievements to show at Computex Taipei 2009, the biggest technology trade-show in Asia.

At Computex, Globalfoundries demonstrated a wafer with six-core AMD Opteron “Istanbul” processors made using 45nm SOI process technology, a wafer with test chips produced at 32nm SOI node, a wafer with test chips processed at 32nm bulk node as well as a wafer with SRAM manufactured utilizing 28nm bulk fabrication process.

Since AMD’s chief executive officer promised to ramp up processors using 32nm SOI process tech in the second half of 2010, it is hardly a revelation that Globalfoundries has test chips produced using the technology. What is more surprising is that the company demonstrated its 32nm and 28nm bulk wafers, which implies that that it has been working on 32nm/28nm fabrication processes for quite a while. Earlier this year the company said it would be ready to accept orders for 32nm bulk production in late 2009. Early risk production using 28nm fabrication process is anticipated in the second half of 2010.

While Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has yield issues with its 40nm process technology, demonstration of 45nm, 32nm and 28nm capabilities seems to be just what the doctor ordered for Globalfoundries to attract attention of the industry.

Tags: Globalfoundries, 32nm, 28nm, AMD, ATI, Semiconductor