Most semiconductor manufacturers today, including Intel, use a 0.18-micron process. Shrinking the semiconductor geometry requires technical expertise but it cuts manufacturing costs while increasing the chip's speed and efficiency. The 0.13-micron process means that a typical feature on the chip measures 0.13 microns.
The company said it has achieved similar yields to those of more established processes. One customer has already taped out--or finalised--a 0.13-micron SRAM product, the company said.
Chip makers are ultimately planning to move computer processors to 0.13-micron and 0.10-micron processes, which will mean they can pack more transistors--and thus more processing power--into a reasonable-sized chip. Intel has already begun manufacturing a 0.13-micron Pentium 4 and Taiwan's VIA Technologies--a TSMC customer--is planning to make a high-end processor on TSMC's 0.10-micron process in 2003 or 2004.
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