August 2, 2007 – Qualcomm Inc. says it has taped out a chip fabricated on a low power-optimized 45nm CMOS process technology, using “very low-k” intermetal dielectrics and immersion lithography, and says it has started development work on a 40nm process.
The company has been working with foundry partner TSMC on the telecom chips, with the first products expected by the end of this quarter.
The 45nm chips offer “significant cost efficiency” thanks to reduced die cost (more die/wafer), as well as higher speeds, lower power consumption, and enhanced integration, according to Qualcomm, in a statement.