October 25, 2007 – Intel Corp. said it has begun 45nm production this week at its new $3B Fab 32 300mm site in Chandler, AZ. Shipments of the 45nm chips, which utilize hafnium-based high-k dielectric as the gate insulator and two different metals as the gate electrodes, will commence on Nov. 12.

Intel’s sixth 300mm site, Fab 32 is the second site to ramp 45nm manufacturing after the company’s D1D site in Oregon. The under-construction Fab28 in Israel is expected to ramp the 45nm process in 1H08.

Fab 32 encompasses 1M sq. ft of total space and 184,000 sq. of cleanroom space. Among the benefits of 45nm manufacturing at Fab 32 is a 15% reduction in global warming emissions, and >70% water conservation. The company also noted in a statement that it will seek LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for the new fab, the company’s first such designation.

Other fun facts about Fab 32:
– Construction involved more than 8 million man-hours and 3000 construction workers
– The world’s third-largest crane was used to set the roof trusses
– Construction material used: 19,000 tons of steel, 568 miles of wiring, 75 miles of conduit, and 86,000 cubic yards of concrete