Intel has led the industry for decades in designing and producing high-performance chip technology that powers countless intelligent solutions across the globe. For the past decade, Intel also pioneered the commercialization of the FinFET, a three-dimensional transistor, which is now the basis for modern nanoelectronic semiconductor fabrication. With their recent announcement about the all-new SuperFin transistor, Intel is once again reshaping the technology landscape.
Intel SuperFin is the result of years spent refining the existing FinFET transistor. In fact, the 10nm SuperFin is being touted by company leadership as the “largest single, intra-node enhancement in the company’s history.” This claim is made evident by a multitude of innovations across the process stack that deliver significantly enhanced product performance.
10nm SuperFin is Making Waves Across the Process Stack
Significant engineering and design resources were expended not just to improve Intel’s existing 10nm process, but to re-architect the structure in several significant ways to produce the immensely enhanced SuperFin transistor.
Improved epitaxial growth of crystal structures on the source and drain increase strain and reduce resistance, allowing for more current to flow through the channel. Additionally, an enhanced metal gate in the source-drain architecture drives higher channel mobility, allowing charge carriers to move faster than ever before. A new set of barrier materials near the base of the process stack enables thinner barriers to be incorporated into the new design. It has been shown to help reduce resistance by up to 30%, thus improving interconnect performance between the metal layers.
Another noteworthy innovation of the SuperFin transistor is the introduction of the new SuperMIM (metal-insulator-metal) capacitor. The SuperMIM can provide five times the capacitance of an industry-standard MIM cap, all within the same footprint. This drives a remarkable voltage reduction for dramatically improved overall performance. The design of the SuperMIM is unique and features extremely thin layers of various “Hi-K” dielectric materials. It is just a few angstroms thick and is stacked in a repeating “superlattice” structure. This capacitor is an industry first, and its current capabilities are unmatched by any other manufacturer.
When combined, the many impressive innovations within the new Intel SuperFin transistor make for a historical process performance boost. New solutions that integrate the technology into their designs are sure to deliver world-class results. Watch Intel’s video on how SuperFin technology advances process performance to learn more.
Are You Ready to Optimize Your Solution with Intel 10nm SuperFin?
As your solution is designed to compete in the global marketplace, you must be certain that it is optimized for high performance. You need to integrate the right technology to ensure your cutting-edge application meets or exceeds the expectations of your customers. By pouring an unprecedented amount of innovation into the SuperFin transistor, Intel has created a new standard of performance to power new solutions.
As an Intel Technology Provider, UNICOM Engineering has partnered with its team to provide best-in-class solutions for decades. Our team of engineers is highly experienced with integrating Intel technology into our customers’ most demanding solutions. Our deep partnership also ensures we have access to the latest product roadmaps and training, so we are always ahead of the curve in providing the most cutting-edge and high-performance components available. To learn more about how we can help bring your new solution to market and stay ahead of the competition, visit our website or call us today at (800) 977-1010 to schedule a consultation.