Globalfoundries has revealed plans to move its 28nm node technologies to volume production starting the first quarter of 2012. The foundry noted that it has been contracted to make 28nm technology products for 30-35 companies.

Through its alliance with Samsung Electronics, Globalfoundries is confident that its upcoming 28nm offerings will be competitive in terms of available capacity and technology diversity.

Globalfoundries and Samsung recently announced that they would synchronize global semiconductor fabrication facilities to produce chips based on a new high-performance and low-leakage 28nm HKMG technology, specifically developed for smartphones, tablet PCs and other mobile device applications. The pair has already formed a fab synchronization on low-power 28nm HKMG technology.

The collaboration presents a "virtual fab" that derives manufacturing capacity from Globalfoundries' and Samsung's existing 12-inch fabs, said Ajit Manocha, CEO for Globalfoundries. The four fabs, two from each company, will allow customers to save costs and speed up time-to-market.

Fellow foundry house Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) 28nm process technology will be available for mass production in early 2012, company senior VP of R&D Shang-yi Chiang revealed at Semicon Taiwan. Chiang claimed that TSMC has received enough orders to fully utilize its 28nm production capacity.

Source:digitimes