Intel's 65 nm Logic Technology Demonstrated on 0.57 µm 2 SRAM Cells Mark Bohr Intel Senior Fellow Director of Process Architecture & Integration Intel 1
What are We Announcing? Intel has fabricated fully-functional 4 Mb SRAM arrays using an ultra-small 0.57 µm 2 SRAM cell on its 65 nm generation logic technology The 65 nm process incorporates key technology elements needed on high performance microprocessors, including strained silicon transistors and 8 layers of copper interconnect using a low-k dielectric Intel's advanced in-house mask making capabilities allow us to extend 193 nm lithography tools down to the dimensions needed on the 65 nm generation The 65 nm logic technology is being developed in Intel's newest 300 mm fab, D1D, in Hillsboro, Oregon Intel 2
Why is this Important? Demonstrates that Intel continues to track Moore's Law, delivering a new process technology every 2 years Demonstrates the value of in-house mask making capabilities to enable continued dimensional scaling while using cost effective lithography tools Demonstrates the advantage of an Integrated Device Manufacturer: Ability to control all the critical pieces (silicon process, mask making, circuit design) and control the increasingly complex interactions between them Intel 3
Intel's Logic Technology Evolution Process Name P858 Px60 P1262 P1264 P1266 P1268 1 st Production 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 Lithography 0.18µm 0.13µm 90nm 65nm 45nm 32nm Gate Length 0.13µm 0.70µm 50nm 35nm 25nm 17nm Wafer (mm) 200 200/300 300 300 300 300 Moore's Law continues! Intel continues to introduce a new technology generation every 2 years Intel 4
0.57 µm 2 6-T SRAM Cell 0.46 x 1.24 = 0.57 µm 2 Ultra-small SRAM cell used in 65 nm process packs six transistors in an area of 0.57 µm 2 Fully functional 4 Mbit SRAM arrays have been made with all bits working Approximately 10 million transistors could fit in the area of the tip of a ball point pen (1 mm 2 ) Intel 5
Doubling Transistor Density Every 2 Years 100 Intel SRAM Cell Size Trend 10 Cell Area (um 2 ) 1 0.5x every 2 years 65 nm 0.1 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 0.57 µm 2 cell on 65 nm process was demonstrated only 20 months after 1.0 µm 2 cell on 90 nm process Intel 6
SRAM Noise Margin Small area is not the only important factor for SRAM cells Adequate noise margin for robust circuit operation is critical, and can be hard to achieve at small dimensions and low voltages Intel's 0.57 µm 2 SRAM cell has solid noise margin even down to a 0.7V operating voltage Volts Node (circuit 2 (V) node 2) 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 1.1V 0.9V 0.7V Noise Margin 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 Volts Node (circuit 1 (V) node 1) Measured internal voltage levels on 0.57 µm 2 SRAM cell Intel 7
Lithography Challenge 10 10000 1 365nm 248nm Lithography Wavelength 1000 Micron 193nm nm 0.1 130nm 90nm Feature 65nm Size Gap 13nm EUV 100 0.01 10 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 Minimum feature size is scaling faster than lithography wavelength Advanced photo mask techniques help to bridge the gap Intel 8
How are Photo Masks Used? Light Source Photo Mask Exposure System (Lens) Silicon Wafer Intel 9
In-House Mask Facility Intel's in-house mask making facility was critical to achieving this 65 nm SRAM cell milestone In-house mask facility: State-of-art 35k sq ft clean room Providing all Intel mask needs including the management of ~15% outsource for back-up purposes Fast delivery (5 days for 1 ST 3 layers) Lowest return rate in the industry Advanced OPC and phase shift masks for 65 nm node World leading EUV mask development program for possible 32 nm node insertion Intel 10
OPC Masks Top View Drawn structure Add OPC features Mask structure Printed on wafer Sub-resolution Optical Proximity Correction features added during mask making to enable improved pattern definition OPC requires sophisticated algorithms for adding sub-resolution features and requires improved mask making technology Intel 11
Alternating Phase Shift Masks Side View Chrome Chrome <40 nm line 0 180 Glass Glass Silicon Substrate Standard Mask Phase Shift Mask Printed Lines on Si Wafer Phase shift masks enable patterning <40 nm lines using 193 nm wavelength light APSM requires both new mask making technology and new circuit layout design rules Intel 12
D1D - World's Most Advanced Fab Intel's 65 nm logic technology is being developed at our 300 mm wafer fab, D1D, located in Hillsboro, Oregon D1D is Intel's newest fab and is our 4 TH operational 300 mm facility At 176,000 sq feet, D1D is Intel's largest individual clean room (roughly the size of 3.5 football fields) Fully automated wafer transport is used to move 300 mm wafers throughout the fab D1D will be used to both develop and manufacture Intel's 65 nm and 45 nm logic technologies Intel 13
65 nm Wafer Fab D1D Hillsboro, Oregon World's most advanced 300 mm wafer fab Intel 14
Summary Intel has demonstrated fully functional 4 Mb SRAM arrays with a cell size of only 0.57 µm 2 using our 65 nm logic technology The process flow used incorporates key elements needed for advanced microprocessors, such as strained silicon transistors and 8 layers of Cu interconnects using a low-k dielectric Intel's advanced in-house mask making capability is instrumental in extending 193 nm lithography tools to the 65 nm generation The 65 nm logic technology is being developed in the world's most advanced 300 mm fab, D1D, in Hillsboro, Oregon Intel is on track for being the first to produce 65 nm generation microprocessor products in 2005 Intel 15
For further information on Intel's silicon technology, please visit the Silicon Showcase at www.intel.com/research/silicon Intel 16