Exclusive: Nvidia and Broadcom testing chips on Intel manufacturing process, sources say

[XYang2023]

Chip designers Nvidia and Broadcom are running manufacturing tests with Intel. The two tests, which have not been reported previously, indicate the companies are moving closer to determining whether they will commit hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of manufacturing contracts to Intel. The decision to do so could generate a revenue windfall and endorsement for Intel's contract manufacturing business that has been beset by delays and has not yet announced a prominent chip designer customer.

The tests by Nvidia and Broadcom are using Intel's 18A process, a series of technologies and techniques developed over years that is capable of making advanced artificial intelligence processors and other complex chips. The 18A process competes with similar technology from Taiwan's TSMC, which dominates the global chip market.

The early endorsement is happening against the backdrop of potential further delays in Intel's ability to deliver chips for some contract manufacturing customers that rely on third-party intellectual property, according to two additional sources and documents seen by Reuters.

Intel's struggling business has attracted the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, which is keen on restoring American manufacturing prowess and battling China. Intel is considered the only hope for the U.S. to manufacture the most advanced semiconductors within its borders.

Earlier this year, administration officials met with C.C. Wei, CEO of Taiwan's TSMC in New York about taking a majority stake in a joint venture in Intel's factory unit, according to a source familiar with the matter. The talks included the possibility of other chip designers purchasing equity stakes in the new venture. Intel has said it signed deals with Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab and Amazon.com (AMZN.O), opens new tab to produce chips on 18A, but details are scarce.

For more, read the full Reuters Exclusive report.

 

[Fred Chen]

The 18A process was already delayed to 2026 for potential contract manufacturing customers. Now, according to supplier documents reviewed by Reuters and two sources familiar with the matter, Intel has pushed back its timeline another six months.

The delay is due to the need to qualify crucial intellectual property for the 18A process, which is taking longer than anticipated. Without the qualified fundamental building blocks of intellectual property that small and mid-size chip designers rely on, a swath of potential customers would be unable to produce chips on 18A until at least mid-2026, according to the two sources and documents.

It is unclear why the intellectual property qualification has been delayed. Qualifying intellectual property includes a guarantee from the supplier that it will work on a given manufacturing process.

Asked about the delay, Intel said, "(We will) begin ramping production in the second half of this year, delivering on the commitments we have made to our customers." The company added that it expects its factories to receive designs from customers this year.

 

[siliconbruh999]

The 18A process was already delayed to 2026 for potential contract manufacturing customers. Now, according to supplier documents reviewed by Reuters and two sources familiar with the matter, Intel has pushed back its timeline another six months.

The delay is due to the need to qualify crucial intellectual property for the 18A process, which is taking longer than anticipated. Without the qualified fundamental building blocks of intellectual property that small and mid-size chip designers rely on, a swath of potential customers would be unable to produce chips on 18A until at least mid-2026, according to the two sources and documents.

It is unclear why the intellectual property qualification has been delayed. Qualifying intellectual property includes a guarantee from the supplier that it will work on a given manufacturing process.

Asked about the delay, Intel said, "(We will) begin ramping production in the second half of this year, delivering on the commitments we have made to our customers." The company added that it expects its factories to receive designs from customers this year.

i call this part made up was there anything Intel said about external customers launching products in 2025?
also if a tape out is in H1 2025 how fast can we expect for a product to go from Tape out to End users hand on an average?
Reuturs mixing maybe true news and made up news again
The IP Delay seems Plausible though but on whose end?

 

[blueone]

One factor I've wondered about with IFS, and I've never seen a mention of it in the press or in Intel announcements, is whether or not they have a working process for multi-project wafers. Without MPWs, it must be slow and expensive to have multiple IP providers do test chips on 18A. To my knowledge, Intel never used MPWs for Intel processes, but my knowledge is far out of date. Do Intel fabs and IFS support MPWs?

 

[nghanayem]

One factor I've wondered about with IFS, and I've never seen a mention of it in the press or in Intel announcements, is whether or not they have a working process for multi-project wafers. Without MPWs, it must be slow and expensive to have multiple IP providers do test chips on 18A. To my knowledge, Intel never used MPWs for Intel processes, but my knowledge is far out of date. Do Intel fabs and IFS support MPWs?

Looking through the website I found this. Seems like it might be low volume though if they used the term select customers and universities. Not sure if TSMC and Samsung have a broader MPW program.

As an unrelated note on the IF website they claim 9 publicly announced 18A customer wins. With Amazon, MSFT, and I think it was 2 DoD contractor wins that leaves 5 customers who didn't want their name broadcast. Considering that systems companies aren't cagey about their foundry choices like merchant companies it seems safe to say that at least some of those 5 are merchant design houses. Combining the 18A customers with that the 1 previously announced unarmed Intel 3 customer, Mediatek on Intel 16, and a supposedly even bigger list of Intel OSAT services customers seems like a decent opportunity to build a reputation (good or bad) and ample opportunities to learn and improve.

Intel Foundry Shuttle | Public Multi-Product Wafer Program

Intel Foundry Shuttle is a public, multi-product wafer program enabling foundry customers & IP partners with early design prototyping and validation.

www.intel.com

 

[blueone]

Looking through the website I found this. Seems like it might be low volume though if they used the term select customers and universities. Not sure if TSMC and Samsung have a broader MPW program.

Intel Foundry Shuttle | Public Multi-Product Wafer Program

Intel Foundry Shuttle is a public, multi-product wafer program enabling foundry customers & IP partners with early design prototyping and validation.

www.intel.com

TSMC sets the standard for shuttles, and they're widely available, though there's no getting around how expensive chipmaking is for sub-10nm processes. IMO, a great shuttle program is one reason why TSMC has been so successful, even with startups. I don't know what Samsung does.

 

[Daniel Nenni]

According to this article which quotes Synopsys CEOI Sassine:

Intel's 18A process currently performs at a level between TSMC's most advanced process and its predecessor, Sassine Ghazi, CEO of Synopsys, said in an interview after its financial results. Synopsys supplies some of the crucial intellectual property needed for Intel's foundry.

"Right now, there are a lot of customers waiting - I'm talking foundry customers - to see the state of Intel. Will I commit? Will I not?" Ghazi said.

Nvidia and Broadcom testing chips on Intel manufacturing process

The two tests, which have not been reported previously, indicate the companies are moving closer to determining whether they will commit hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of manufacturing contracts to Intel.

economictimes.indiatimes.com

 

[Barnsley]

Bytedance just scrap some Chip deal with Broadcom

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/1036...om-has-been-canceled-to-lose-2b-3b/index.html.