AMD’s First “Fusion” Processors to Be Made Using 32nm SOI Process Technology – CEO

From X-bit Labs: The chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices said during a conversation with financial analysts that the first “Fusion” chips from AMD that will feature both general-purpose x86 processing cores as well as graphics processing cores will be made using 32nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process technology. While the decision is rather surprising, the news that AMD had made its mind in regards of fabrication process seems to be good.

“We will have CPUs, so-called Fusion parts, on 32nm SOI in the next-generation and the bulk CMOS [fabrication process] we are evaluating for subsequent generation. […] For the generations beyond 32nm, we are evaluating our choices, as we do for every generation,” said Dirk Meyer, chief executive officer of AMD, during a conference call with financial analysts.

At present AMD’s central processing units (CPUs) are made using SOI process technology at Globalfoundries, a joint venture between AMD and Advanced Technology Investment Company, whereas the company’s ATI Radeon graphics processing units (GPUs) are produced utilizing bulk technology at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. In order to fit a Radeon HD 5000-class graphics core into the same piece of silicon with a CPU, AMD will have to redesign the GPU.

According to AMD’s most recent roadmap, the first accelerated processing unit (APU, how the company prefers to call its CPU-GPU “Fusion” products) from the company is code-named Llano.

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