Altera and Intel to jointly develop multi-die devices

Altera and Intel have extended their manufacturing partnership to include development of multi-die devices that leverage Intel’s package and assembly capabilities and Altera’s programmable logic technology.

The collaboration is an extension of the foundry relationship between Altera and Intel, in which Intel is manufacturing Altera’s Stratix 10 FPGAs and SoCs using the 14 nm Tri-Gate process. Altera’s work with Intel will enable the development of multi-die devices that efficiently integrate monolithic 14 nm Stratix 10 FPGAs and SoCs with other advanced components, which may include DRAM, SRAM, ASICs, processors and analog components, in a single package. The integration will be enabled through the use of high-performance heterogeneous multi-die interconnect technology. Altera’s heterogeneous multi-die devices provide the benefit of traditional 2.5 and 3D approaches with more favourable economic metrics. The devices will address the performance, memory bandwidth and thermal challenges impacting high-end applications in the communications, high-performance computing, broadcast and military segments.

Intel’s 14 nm Tri-Gate process density advantage and Altera’s patented FPGA redundancy technology are said to enable Altera to deliver the industry’s highest density monolithic FPGA die, offering greater integration of system components on a single die. Intel and Altera are currently developing test vehicles aimed at streamlining manufacturing and integration flows.

“Our close collaboration enables us to work together in many areas related to semiconductor manufacturing and packaging. Together, both companies are building off one another’s expertise with the primary focus on building industry-disrupting products,” said Sunit Rikhi, vice president and general manager, Intel Custom Foundry.

“Our collaboration with Intel on heterogeneous multi-die device development reflects a shared commitment by both companies to improve the bandwidth and performance of next-generation systems,” said Brad Howe, senior vice president of research and development at Altera Corporation.