In a significant announcement made at the 2026 VLSI Symposium, Intel Foundry outlined its advancements in semiconductor process technology, particularly focusing on the Intel 18A-P process node. This update not only highlights the company's commitment to innovation but also marks a pivotal moment in Intel's journey toward leading-edge performance and energy efficiency.

2. Intel 18A-P: A Leap in Performance

Intel Foundry's presentation centered around the Intel 18A-P, which has officially entered risk production. Naga Chandrasekaran, Intel's executive vice president and general manager of Intel Foundry, emphasized the company's dedication to maintaining a leading position in process innovation.

Key Features of Intel 18A-P

The Intel 18A-P boasts several enhancements over its predecessor, Intel 18A:

Performance and Power Efficiency: It delivers a 9% improvement in performance while maintaining power levels, or alternatively, an 18% reduction in power at equivalent performance levels.

Design Flexibility: The new process includes enhanced thermal characteristics and design flexibility, making it easier for engineers to optimize their designs.

Power Boost Technology: Intel introduced a new dual contact, low resistance transistor option called Power Boost, which facilitates increased drive current and higher frequency at matched capacitance.

Thermal and Resistance Improvements: The process shows a 20-40% enhancement in thermal resistance and a 10-30% improvement in via resistance, contributing to better overall chip performance.

Advanced Mobility: The implementation of PMOS via strain engineering significantly enhances current flow within transistors.

Design Compatibility: Intel 18A-P maintains full design rule compatibility with Intel 18A, which allows for seamless integration of existing intellectual property and design workflows.

3. Additional Innovations Shared at VLSI

Intel Foundry also provided updates on key technologies that were introduced last year, including gate-all-around (GAA) transistors and backside power delivery (BSPD). These innovations were positioned as foundational elements for the future of semiconductor design.

Highlights from the Presentations

Performance Metrics: Eric Karl, Vice President and Fellow at Intel Foundry, discussed the quantifiable benefits of GAA and BSPD technologies, noting an 11% reduction in routed area and a 10X reduction in dynamic voltage droop.

Frequency Scaling: Research presented by Manju Shamanna revealed that CPU cores utilizing the latest GAA and BSPD technologies achieved a frequency improvement of around 30% at low voltages, significantly enhancing operational efficiency.

4. Future Innovations on the Horizon

Intel Foundry also shared insights into its long-term research initiatives aimed at advancing silicon technology:

Complementary FET (CFET): Intel showcased monolithic CFET inverters with vertically stacked NMOS and PMOS devices, representing a promising avenue for continued logic scaling.

Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Integration: The company demonstrated monolithic integration of GaN power devices with silicon logic, highlighting a new paradigm for power management that simplifies system architecture.

Subtractive Ruthenium Interconnect: Intel's research on subtractive ruthenium interconnects indicated up to a 35% reduction in capacitance, showcasing potential for improved performance as interconnects shrink.

5. Conclusion

The developments presented at the VLSI Symposium underscore Intel Foundry’s commitment to leading the semiconductor industry through innovation and process advancements. As the company moves forward, the integrations of these technologies are expected to not only bolster performance but also enhance energy efficiency, thus paving the way for a new era of semiconductor capabilities. With a steadfast focus on R&D and strategic advancements, Intel is poised to maintain its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Original press release