According to the agreement, the companies have aligned to develop 32nm processes at Toshiba’s Advanced Microelectronics Center in Yokohama in order to accelerate development and share development costs. The companies also hinted at a joint manufacturing unit and expect to decide on it by 2008.
Toshiba and NEC had also approached Fujitsu to join the group, but according to Reuters, a Fujitsu spokesperson declined to comment, only saying that the company was considering various options.
In May 2007, IBM, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, Infineon Technologies, Samsung Electronics, ST Microelectronics and Freescale Semiconductors announced manufacturing agreements for 32nm chips. Later, in September 2007, Intel unveiled the first working chips built using the 32nm technology and said that the production is expected to begin in 2009.
Source: ComputerWire daily updates
