Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[Maui]

Re : I would say that 90nm at Intel is already late... 130nm started shipping in May 2001, and products were announced in July. It is now about 27 months after that announcement, and no 90nm announcement yet. Intel has stated 24 months between process introductions. 90nm is now late. Not really late, but it must be considered "behind schedule" by Intel."

What is the reference point of comparison ? 24 month cycle between process generation in the past ? Hasn't Gordon Moore mentioned more than once in the last few years that Moore's law will slow down ? Wouldn't that automatically translate into a longer cycle between 2 process generation (either that or the new process will not give as much head-room as the past processes). For someone (like me) involved in Physical Design, its a given that there is no easy process shifting at these processes and unless companies throw enormous extra resources to solve physical design problems (over and above the physics/chemistry problem), these 2 years cycle is bound to expand in the near future. The improvement in design tools and methodologies is lagging the increased process complexities significantly.

Maui.