28 nm process

{{Short description|Semiconductor lithography method}}

{{Semiconductor manufacturing processes}}

The "28 nm" lithography process is a half-node semiconductor manufacturing process based on a die shrink of the "32 nm" lithography process.{{Cite conference |last1=Torres |first1=J. Andres |last2=Otto |first2=Oberdan |last3=Pikus |first3=Fedor G. |date=2009-10-01 |editor-last=Zurbrick |editor-first=Larry S. |editor2-last=Montgomery |editor2-first=M. Warren |title=Challenges for the 28nm half node: Is the optical shrink dead? |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/252786332 |conference=Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers |pages=74882A |doi=10.1117/12.831047}} It appeared in production in 2010.{{Cite web |title=A Review of TSMC 28 nm Process Technology {{!}} TechInsights |url=https://www.techinsights.com/blog/review-tsmc-28-nm-process-technology |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=www.techinsights.com}}

Since at least 1997, "process nodes" have been named purely on a marketing basis, and have no direct relation to the dimensions on the integrated circuit;{{cite web |url=https://www.eejournal.com/article/no-more-nanometers/ |title=No More Nanometers – EEJournal |date=July 23, 2020 |format= }} neither gate length, metal pitch or gate pitch on a "28nm" device is twenty-eight nanometers.{{cite web|url=https://www.design-reuse.com/articles/43316/a-brief-history-of-process-node-evolution.html|title=A Brief History of Process Node Evolution|last=Shukla|first=Priyank|website=design-reuse.com|access-date=2019-07-09}}{{cite web|url=https://www.extremetech.com/computing/184946-14nm-7nm-5nm-how-low-can-cmos-go-it-depends-if-you-ask-the-engineers-or-the-economists|title=14nm, 7nm, 5nm: How low can CMOS go? It depends if you ask the engineers or the economists...|last=Hruska|first=Joel|website=ExtremeTech|date=23 June 2014 }}{{cite web|url=https://wccftech.com/intel-losing-process-lead-analysis-7nm-2022/|title=Exclusive: Is Intel Really Starting To Lose Its Process Lead? 7nm Node Slated For Release in 2022|website=wccftech.com|date=2016-09-10}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eejournal.com/article/life-at-10nm-or-is-it-7nm-and-3nm/|title=Life at 10nm. (Or is it 7nm?) And 3nm - Views on Advanced Silicon Platforms|author-first1=Bryon|author-last1=Moyer|website=Electronic Engineering Journal|date=2018-03-12}}

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has offered "28 nm" production using high-K metal gate process technology.{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Peter |date=2009-08-24 |title=TSMC splits 28-nm high-k metal gate process into two versions |url=https://www.eetimes.com/tsmc-splits-28-nm-high-k-metal-gate-process-into-two-versions/ |website=EE Times}}

GlobalFoundries offers a "28nm" foundry process called the "28SLPe" ("28nm Super Low Power") foundry process, which uses high-K metal gate technology.{{Cite web |title=GlobalFoundries 130, 55, 45, 40, 28, 22, 12nm Prototyping and Volume Production |url=https://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/iis/en/doc/il/ics/GF%20HR%20CMYK.pdf}}

According to a 2016 presentation by Sophie Wilson, 28nm has the lowest cost per logic gate. Cost per gate had decreased as processes shrunk until reaching 28nm, and has slowly risen since then.{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Sophie |title=The Future of Microprocessors |url=https://codemesh.io/codemesh2016/sophie-wilson |website=Code Mesh 2016 |publisher=Code Mesh}}