Globalfoundries at 32 nm in H1 2010

AMD’s spun off manufacturing arm, now called Globalfoundries, said that it is on track to manufacture 32 nm semiconductors in H1 2010 and will begin accepting half-node 28 nm designs in the second half of that year.

Following news that IBM’s technology alliance is marching toward 28 nm chips, we hear that AMD’s former fabs will be able to accept 32 nm designs in late 2009 and produce 32 nm chips in the first half of next year. If Globalfoundries can keep that promise, it would be a remarkable step for the company, considering the fact that AMD was unable to reduce the manufacturing technology gap with Intel over the past few years.

At 65 and 45 nm, AMD was 12 – 14 months behind and now it seems that the fabs will be able to cut the gap at least in half. Of course, we have no idea if AMD will take advantage of that manufacturing capability right away. Further down the road, 28 nm design can be submitted to the Dresden Fab 1 in the second half of 2010 with production beginning “shortly thereafter.”