真乄科技業的頂尖投資團隊

LONDON – Processor IP licensor ARM and foundry TSMC have announced the competion of the design of an A15 processor test chip targeting implementation in a 20-nm manufacturing process technology. 

The companies said they moved the test chip design from RTL to "tape-out" in six months, usuing a design flow co-ordinated by TSMC. The companies did not state how long the design would take to be instantiated successfully in 20-nm silicon, which at TSMC is a planar process.  Nor did the companies indicate whether the design is single-core, without peripherals, or whether it is a full working multi-core processor suitable for use in applications.

ARM said it would now optimize its physical IP to the TSMC 20-nm process for power, performance and area and produce a specification for a Cortex-A15 processor optimization pack (POP). It did not say how soon this would be completed.

"This first 20-nm ARM Cortex-A15 tape out paves the way for the next generation of SoC integration and performance," said Mike Inglis, general manager of ARM's processor division, in a statement. These SoCs will be suitable for smartphones, tablet computers, digital home systems, servers and wireless infrastructure, ARM said.

資料來源:http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4229820/ARM-TSMC-design-20-nm-A15-processor