The new factory, called Fab 28, will increase Intel's leadership in manufacturing, with the production of advanced microprocessors in 45 nm technology, starting in the second half of 2008 * Intel inaugurated a wireless network at the Technion * Several future technological announcements
Dedi Perlmutter (right) and Prof. Moshe Sidi (left) cut a cable in a ceremony at the Technion (see below)
Intel announced on Thursday its plans to build a new production plant for 300 mm chip wafers at its site in Kiryat Gat. The new factory, called Fab 28, will increase Intel's leadership in manufacturing, with the production of advanced microprocessors in 45 nm technology, starting from the second half of 2008. Construction of the $3.5 billion project, which will be Intel's second 45 nm factory in the world, is expected to begin immediately.
"Intel is committed to expanding its leadership in advanced semiconductor manufacturing," said Paul Otellini, Intel President and CEO. "Our production network is a strategic asset of unrivaled scope and dimensions, which gives Intel the ability to supply customers with advanced products in large quantities. With today's announcement, we announce that Intel platforms will contain the most advanced and innovative technology in the world for years to come."
Upon completion, Fab 28 will be Intel's seventh manufacturing facility for 300mm wafers. The structure will include
About 19,000 square meters of clean room space.
Over the next few years, the project will create more than 2,000 new Intel jobs at the site.
The Israeli government is giving financial incentives to the new plant.
"Intel has had a presence in Israel for more than 30 years," said Bob Baker, senior vice president and general manager of the technology manufacturing group at Intel. "This investment reflects our long-standing and productive ties in Israel, and testifies to the excellent abilities of our employees in Israel."
Intel currently operates five 300 mm factories that provide the equivalent production capacity of about eight older generation 200 mm factories. These factories are located in Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico in the USA, and in Ireland.
In addition, the expansion of Intel's 300mm factory in Ireland (Fab 24-2) will begin manufacturing operations in the first quarter of next year. In July of this year, Intel also announced plans to invest more than $3 billion to build a 300mm factory, Fab 32 , in Chandler, Arizona.
Manufacturing with 300 mm wafers (approximately 12 inches in circumference) dramatically increases the ability to produce semiconductors at a lower cost compared to the more common 200 mm (8 inches) wafers.
The larger wafers lower the manufacturing cost of chips, while reducing overall resource use.
Using 300 mm production technology consumes 40 percent less energy and water per chip than a 200 mm factory. Intel's 45 nm technology, which will go into production for the first time at Fab 32, will allow chip circuits to be built about half the size of the standard 90 nm technology today.
Intel inaugurated a wireless network at the Technion * Several future technological announcements
30.11.2004
The "Intel" company is developing, in collaboration with other manufacturers, a tiny 4-inch computer screen, which will allow receiving mail messages and other operations, while the computer's processor remains "dormant". This is what corporate vice president and joint general manager of Intel's mobile products division, Dedi Perlmutter, revealed during the inauguration of the wireless computer network established by Intel at the Technion's Faculty of Electrical Engineering.
Perlmutter, who reviewed the latest developments in the company, noted that 28% of customers are currently equipped with a laptop and the trend is expanding year by year. "We want to transfer as many students as possible to a laptop," he said, "our vision, eight years after we established the first computer farm at the Technion, is to use a computer from anywhere. The student will be able to continue working wirelessly from the grass, in the classroom, from home and wherever there is a 'hot spot' around him. I am proud to be a partner in the Technion's transition from a stationary to a mobile work environment."
At a ceremony at the Technion, in the presence of Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Professor Moshe Sidi and Head of the Center for Communication and Information Technologies Professor Israel Zidon, Perlmutter was invited to the stage and honored with the "cutting of the ribbon". A cable that was stretched on the spot, was cut with huge scissors and thus the wireless network was officially announced. The Technion's wireless computer network includes 30 "hot spots", dozens of which can connect to it at any given moment. The network allows the use of internet services without the need for cables using a wireless laptop, handheld computer, or a wireless card for a desktop computer. The network operates using the WiFi method, for a range of about 100-200 meters from the point and at transmission rates of up to 54 megabits per second.
"Mobile computing gives the academy many benefits, including tools available for calculation, simulation, graphics and scientific writing," said Professor Sidi, "Mobility allows easy access to lectures, exercises and laboratories as well as communication between organizations and between faculty members and students. All these are joined by the convenient access to current research literature and the advanced search capability, via the Internet. The ongoing and welcome contribution of Intel Israel has over the years created a symbiotic relationship with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. The company is involved in diverse research fields, including microelectronics, communications, shipping and compression, signal and image processing, and networks."
Perlmutter said in his lecture that 15% of all computer buyers in 2000 were equipped with a laptop and the figure has doubled since then. The expectation for 2008 is that 40% of buyers will buy a laptop. "The company adapted itself to the dramatic change in the purchasing patterns of the customers," he said, "there will be no compromise in mobile computing compared to the home computer. The collaboration in the industry will extend the battery life from 4.5 hours to a full working day. At the same time, Intel continues to develop new mobile computing platforms and improve software applications for mobile computing.
"At the beginning of 2005, we will launch a Dotan processor system, based on new standards. We will increase the processor speed from 400 MHz to 533 MHz. This will be the first mobile processor to include an information security capability to protect against infected files. The computer will include a new graphics chip set that will display graphic performance with a quality 2.5 times higher than that found in existing processors. Still not at the level that exists in the desktop processor, but we are closing the gap. The processor's wireless communication will enable work with all existing protocols, increase the number of channels in the memory and present HiFi audio capability for speaking and listening.
Another innovation deals with the ability to continue working when the computer is "sleeping". Today, when you want to check your mail, get a meeting reminder, or read the news in real time, you have to turn on your computer. It takes unnecessary time. Intel opened a first version, for a tiny screen with EMA technology
(Extended Mobility Access) which allows receiving messages and additional actions, without turning on the disk. We performed demonstrations on real computers and received enthusiastic responses from manufacturers in China. The screen is expected to go on the market during 2005".
In his review, Perlmutter presented the future computing technologies, which would include multi-core processors
(Dual Core). The processor, which will be launched in early 2006, will enable power control, for the purpose of allocating resources to different tasks. The "Dove" processor will split the work into different levels, according to the requirements. For example, the virus scan will continue to run on one core, while another core can run the word processor or any other software. When necessary, the cores will connect to one. Another advantage of the multi-core computer is in identifying the user's work patterns and allocating resources accordingly.
