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Actel has started the process of migrating its flash-based programmable logic chips to a new generation of process.
Famously shy of advanced processes, Actel is about to take the big leap from 130nm to 65nm. The foundry is UMC. The first product will be the low-cost, low-power IGLOO family.
"We're taping out 65nm", said Actel's Rich Kapusta, "we're starting with IGLOO and then we'll do Fusion. We'll tape out the first product this summer."
Does that mean Actel will be sampling this year? "That's unlikely", replied Kapusta.
Asked what 65nm would do for IGLOO, Kapusta declined to comment, but a process migration that big - effectively two generations at once, should have a dramatic effect on IGLOO densities which currently range from 10k to 3m system gates, with power consumption from 2 microwatts upwards, and package size from 3x3 mm.
It is possible to speculate that, if a one generation shrink would have taken the top density to around 9m gates, then a two generation shrink could take it to little short of 30m gates.
After IGLOO migrates to 65nm, Fusion, Actel's flash-based programmable SOC, which incorporates an ARM Cortex-M1, ADC, Flash, SRAM and FPGA, will be next to move to the next generation.
Actel, for many years the No.4 programmable logic company, has now overtaken Lattice in revenue generation to become the industry's No.3 supplier, according to Kapusta.
David Manners, San Franciso
See also: Mannerisms, the blog of David Manners. Updated twice daily, it's the distinctive, entertaining, authoritative and never dull commentary on the semiconductor industry, from someone who knows. Sign up for the Mannerisms eNewsletter.
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