The research and testing of the process will be done at IBM’s US operations. Once complete, Toppan plans to transfer the manufacturing processes to its own plants.
Specifically, the companies hope to develop a photomask process, which would be used to etch patterns of integrated circuits onto silicon wafers, to enable early production of advanced 45nm semiconductors.
By shrinking the distance between transistors on silicon to 45 nanometers (from 90 nanometers and 65 nanometers being developed today), chips may become smaller or packed with more transistors. Also, more chips may be produced on a silicon wafer.
As a result of the development deal, industry-wide R&D efforts for commercial production of 45nm technology is likely to accelerate, IBM said.
IBM and Toppan will bring together formidable skills and resources to create an industry-leading 45-nanometer photomask technology, said Dr Douglas Grose, IBM general manager of tech development and manufacturing, in a statement.
