IBM, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing and Samsung Electronics have developed a unique foundry model for the semiconductor marketplace that offers enhanced flexibility, portability, capacity and resources, while accelerating the rate of technological innovation. This model is enabled by the Common Platform technology collaboration, a working relationship between IBM, Chartered and Samsung developed to implement a common process technology across the manufacturing facilities of all three companies. The model combines the strength of a vertically integrated approach similar to an IDM with the benefits of outsourcing services ranging from design through packaging.

At the heart of the Common Platform relationship is the bulk CMOS process technology that is jointly developed by IBM, Chartered, and Samsung. This joint development began at the 90 nm process node and now extends to 65 nm, 45 nm and 32 nm process technologies. Combined, there are currently more than 350 process development engineers from the three companies working together at IBM's 300 mm fab in East Fishkill, New York.

Infineon, Freescale Semiconductor, STMicroelectronics and Toshiba join IBM, Chartered and Samsung as members of the Joint Development Alliance, contributing valuable expertise and real-world implementation environments to further develop the Common Platform technology and foster semiconductor innovation for real-world solutions.

The Common Platform technology model continues to gain momentum with more than a dozen design enablement tool, EDA, IP and packaging solution providers joining the collaboration to provide a comprehensive design ecosystem.

The benefits of the Common Platform technology collaboration have been adopted by leaders in the electronics industry, including Microsoft (for its next-generation gaming consoles) and Qualcomm (for its leading wireless communications devices).

The Common Platform model offers unique advantages over traditional foundry models:

• Access to CMOS process technology leadership and innovation
• Customer choice and flexibility
• Single design, multi-sourcing among the three Common Platform foundries
• Flexible business and technical engagement models
• Foundry and ASIC offerings
• Time-to-market benefits
• Accelerated production ramps and yield learning
• Reduced design variability with a shared platform DFM offering
• Availability of IBM engineering design and support resources when engaging with any of the three Common Platform manufacturers
• Supply assurance
• Unconstrained upside capacity
• Robust and leading-edge design enablement
• Proven libraries, reference flows and IP

 

 

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