Intel 18A is Now Ready for Customer Projects
Explore our platform brief to learn more about Intel 18A's groundbreaking innovations and industry advantages, as well as use case details for the broader portfolio of Intel Foundry process nodes.
Intel 18A Differentiation
- Up to 15% better performance per watt and 30% better chip density vs. the Intel 3 process node.1
- The earliest available sub-2nm advanced node manufactured in North America, offering a resilient supply alternative for customers.
- Industry-first PowerVia backside-power delivery technology, improving density and cell utilization by 5 to 10 percent and reducing resistive power delivery droop, resulting in up to 4 percent ISO-power performance improvement and greatly reduced inherent resistance (IR) drop vs. front-side power designs.2
- RibbonFET gate-all-around (GAA) transistor technology, enabling precise control of electrical current. RibbonFET allows further miniaturization of chip components while reducing power leakage, a critical concern for increasingly-dense chips.
- Omni MIM capacitors, significantly reducing inductive power droop, enhancing stable chip operation. This capability is crucial for modern workloads like generative AI, which require sudden and intense computational power.
- Fully supported by industry-standard EDA tools and reference flows, enabling a smooth transition from other technology nodes. With EDA partners providing reference flows, our customers can start designing with PowerVia ahead of other backside power solutions.
- A robust assembly of more than 35 industry-leading ecosystem partners, ranging across EDA, IP, design services, cloud services, and aerospace and defense, helping ensure broad customer enablement to further ease adoption.
Intel 18A Family Continues to Expand
Intel 18A-P
Building on the second implementation of Intel’s RibbonFET and PowerVia technologies, delivers next-generation performance and enhanced power efficiency. Featuring new lower threshold voltage and leakage optimized devices, new fine grain ribbon widths, it achieves significant perf/watt gains3 and improved transistor performance—all while ensuring design rule compatibility.
Intel 18A-PT
Designed for AI and HPC customers building next-generation 3DIC designs, Intel 18A-PT leverages the performance and power efficiency advancements of Intel 18A-P. Featuring an updated back-end metal stack, pass-through TSVs, die-to-die TSVs, and advanced hybrid bonding interface (HBI) enablement with industry-leading pitch, Intel 18A-PT delivers unparalleled scalability and integration for advanced workloads, empowering customers to push the boundaries of AI and high-performance computing.
PowerVia
As transistor density increases, mixed signal and power routing create congestion that can degrade performance. Intel Foundry’s industry-first PowerVia technology relocates course pitch metals and bumps to the back side of the die and embeds nano-scale through-silicon vias (nano-TSVs) in every standard cell for efficient power distribution.
PowerVia improves standard cell utilization by 5-10% and ISO-power performance by up to 4%.2
RibbonFET
RibbonFET allows for tight control over the electrical current in the transistor channel, enabling further miniaturization of chip components while reducing power leakage, a critical concern as chips become increasingly dense.
RibbonFET improves performance per watt, minimum voltage (Vmin) operations, and electrostatics, delivering significant performance advantage. RibbonFET also provides high degrees of tunability through varied ribbon widths and multiple threshold voltage (Vt) types.
Applications & Use Cases
HPC & AI
For applications that require the highest levels of performance with high power efficiency, RibbonFET’s superior channel control provides improved transistor performance per watt with high drive current and scaling.
Image Signal Processing, Video, & Vision with AI
PowerVia can have a significant impact on product design in industrial applications, where its reduced IR drop, improved signal routing, and better front-side cell utilization contribute to significant power-loss reductions. RibbonFET’s area reduction enables more functionality in smaller chips, beneficial for compact medical and industrial sensors.
Mobile & Baseband Processors
To address the unique needs of mobile applications, Intel offers an optimized Intel 18A-P process node. Our advanced manufacturing techniques help ensure consistent, reliable performance, while fine-tuned threshold voltages deliver exceptional power efficiency. This contributes to overall improvements in battery life for mobile devices.
Aerospace & Defense
New aerospace and defense use cases demand increased computing power, often with strict size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) requirements. Intel 18A’s low IR drop provides the efficiency needed for power-constrained applications, while delivering enhanced performance.
Intel Foundry Accelerator Ecosystem Alliances
Enjoy comprehensive support in key areas from ecosystem partners across IP, EDA, Design Services, Cloud, USMAG, Value Chain, and Chiplet Alliances.
Intel 18A in Action
The Clearwater Forest server processor demonstrates the potential of Intel 18A in combination with Intel Foundry’s advanced packaging technologies.
More from Intel Foundry
Global Manufacturing
Intel 18A is delivered via our reliable, sustainable, secure, worldwide manufacturing network.
Advanced Packaging & Test
Intel Foundry offers cutting-edge interconnects, leadership in 2D, 2.5D, and 3D packaging, and comprehensive assembly and testing services.
Intel Foundry Portal
Product and Performance Information
Based on Intel internal analysis comparing Intel 18A to Intel 3 as of February 2024. Results may vary.
Based on Intel Internal Analysis comparing Intel 18A-P to Intel 18A as of February 2024. Results may vary.