Intel has presented its 18A manufacturing node during the VLSI symposium in Japan, sharing some performance targets and design details. Set to enter mass production in the second half of 2025, Intel 18A will power the brand’s upcoming Panther Lake consumer chips and Clearwater Forest Xeon server processors, offering a noticeable frequency and efficiency bump over Intel 3.
Standing for 18 angstroms, Intel 18A combines the RibbonFET and PowerVia manufacturing advancements to boost frequency by around 25% at 1.1V or efficiency by 36% at equivalent frequency compared to the previous Intel 3 node. Overall, Intel expects 15% better performance per watt and 30% improved area efficiency, enabling new levels of performance.
- RibbonFET is Intel Foundry’s implementation of Gate-all-around (GAA) transistors, which improves density and performance versus FinFET. It enables precise control of electrical current, helping reduce power leakage, which is a growing concern on modern dense chips.
- PowerVia is the brand’s implementation of backside power delivery, putting the power layers below the transistors, separating them from signal wires. This boosts density and cell utilisation by 5% to 10% while reducing resistive power delivery droop, which results in up to 4% ISO-power performance improvement.
The connection to the transistor layer is made using Nano TSVs (Through-Silicon Vias), 500 times smaller than their current equivalents, and power stability can be further improved using Omni MIM capacitors, which reduce inductive power droop.
Intel 18A is optimised for HPC applications with support for both low voltages below 0.65V and high voltages above 1.1V. In its efficient configuration at 0.65V, 18A is around 38% more efficient than Intel 3. To cover different needs, Intel 18A will also be available in different variants, including 18A-P and 18A-PT. Intel plans to offer a cost-optimised version with 17 metal layers, a balanced variant with 21 metal layers, and a performance version with 22 metal layers.
Intel’s 18A process represents a big leap in the brand’s semiconductor manufacturing that should bring it back into competition. Its combination of performance, power efficiency, and design should result in better overall products, all while reducing manufacturing steps. The first chips to feature its advancements are set to launch this year on mobile devices, with desktop likely following suit next year.
