Alliance spreads 90nm manufacturing volumes

Qualcomm is now producing 90nm chips sourced via all three Common Platform alliance partners: IBM, Samsung and Chartered.

Qualcomm is now producing 90nm chips sourced via all three Common Platform alliance partners: IBM, Samsung and Chartered.

The Common Platform approach is designed to enable volume manufacturing of leading-edge system-on-a-chip (SoC) products for the CDMA2000 and WCDMA (UMTS) markets at 90nm, 65nm and beyond.

The inclusion of the alliance as a key supplier is part of Qualcomm's evolving business strategy, the integrated fabless manufacturing (IFM) model, which includes working with multiple supply partners to support the company's growing business while enhancing efficiencies.

Qualcomm's IFM model builds tight technical interfaces between all parties in the semiconductor development cycle, delivering greater efficiency, lower costs and quicker time to market for new products.

A crucial component of the company's IFM strategy is a Common Platform approach to multiple foundry partners, helping assure supply to device manufacturing customers and enabling the accommodation of rapidly changing demands.

The IFM model is designed to accelerate technology execution and to enable the exponential growth expected in the wireless semiconductor market.

"Qualcomm is pleased to be working with IBM, Samsung and Chartered to better meet the rapidly changing needs of our device manufacturing customers, and also to accommodate the strong growth we expect in our business", said Dr Sanjay K Jha, President of Qualcomm CDMA Technologies.

"Our IFM strategy, which involves working more closely with foundry partners, is an evolution of the proven fabless model that has allowed us to provide industry-leading products to the worldwide market".

"The Common Platform is uniquely designed to be a customer-centric solution by providing a new level of access to innovation, as well as greater manufacturing leverage in support of increasingly costly design investments by our customers", said Chia Song Hwee, President and CEO at Chartered.

"Qualcomm's choice of the Common Platform technology to address its leading-edge technology manufacturing requirements, as an integral part of the implementation of its IFM model, is yet another validation of the industry's recognition of the value of Common Platform solution".

"The Common Platform technology collaboration is changing the landscape of the industry".

"Leveraging the joint process development methodology that IBM has practiced for over 10 years, now coupled with synchronised manufacturing facilities and demonstrable market momentum, we expect more fabless companies like Qualcomm to embrace this new technology model", said Michael Cadigan, General Manager, Sales and Solutions, IBM Technology Collaboration Solutions.

"The Common Platform collaboration provides our clients with advanced technology capability, multiple sourcing, aggressive volume ramp capability, multiple fab learning and productivity, thereby minimising client risk and maximising client satisfaction".

"Samsung and Qualcomm are key partners with a history of working together to enable our mutual success and deliver the technology the market demands", said Dr OH Kwon, President of Samsung Electronics' System LSI Division.

"The Common Platform alliance with Qualcomm is a strategic milestone for our foundry business and a very strong validation point of a powerful new model in the industry".

The Common Platform technology alliance has begun volume manufacturing with the Mobile Station Modem (MSM) MSM6550 chipset for CDMA2000/EV-DO networks in the 90nm node.

The Common Platform approach is also being implemented in sub90nm for future generations of products in both the CDMA2000 and WCDMA (UMTS) markets.

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