IBM goes low-power ASICs

IBM is to move to 65nm ASIC offerings, with its first comprehensive low-power ASIC, moving into consumer electronics and digital media markets that
need low-power functionality for mobile and handheld devices.

"This is very much a strong statement of IBM's pursuit of the low-power marketplace and, specifically, going after the very high growth in consumer electronics," says Richard Busch, director of IBM ASIC products.

The low-power 65nm ASIC offering, Cu-65LP, has leakage currents reduced some 30 times from the previous 90nm ASICs and performance is increased by up to 20%. Both 65nm ASICs, the low-power Cu-65LP and a high-performance Cu-65HP detailed at the 2005 Design Automation Conference, can fit nearly twice as many circuits on a die compared with the equivalent 90nm ASIC.

"We've got a very strong and prominent position, historically, as an ASIC provider," said Busch. "We're basically taking all the knowledge and learning that we have garnered from our own systems experience and participation in the other segments and moving to expand very aggressively in this area."

The chips usr strained silicon and statistical techniques for timing and optimisation. They also provide power management features that include voltage Island technique controls power, a multiple threshold voltage library, and integrated noise, power and timing methodology allowed first pass success designs.

The offering includes standard-cell logic design libraries; multiple I/O families; embedded SRAM and DRAM; a collection of cores, including industry leading high-speed SerDes and embedded microprocessors highlighting PowerPC architecture; and a wide range of packaging solutions.

The low-power ASIC is built with ARM/Artisan libraries. ARM is co-developing 65nm low-power libraries and selected cores with IBM. The Cu-65LP design kit
is available this quarter, followed by the high-performance design kit later
in the year. Volume production for the Cu-65 low power and high performance offerings will beginrespectively in Q1 and Q3 of 2007.