NEC joins IBM’s process alliance
NEC Electronics is the eighth major semiconductor manufacturer to join IBM process development alliance, following the signing of a multiyear deal. Alongside working on 32nm process technology, NEC will also contribute to the alliance’s fundamental research.
Currently, NEC is developing 45 and 32nm cmos process technology with Toshiba. However, it has extended that scope of collaboration to include developing 32nm and smaller nodes with IBM and its alliance partners.
“At the highest levels of technology, it is becoming increasingly difficult for semiconductor companies to differentiate their products on the core cmos process technologies alone,” said Toshio Nakajima, NEC Electronics’ president and ceo. “A better course is to share the development costs of a common process platform with leading semiconductor manufacturers.”
The work will be conducted at IBM’s 300mm East Fishkill fab and at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the University at Albany.
