What does fabricated with xxGhz process mean?

[twinsen]

Hi all

I often see in spec sheets that the part is xx micron or nm process (I think that is the thickness of the wafer?) or I see lets say 40Ghz process. What does that mean?

 

[mr_ghz]

Hi twinsen,

The number xx micron says how broad a metallization line (a trace) inside your chip is. The smaller the traces, the smaller the capacitances and the higher the max. frequency.

Bye

 

[rakko]

xx micron refers to the thickness of the gate oxide in a given process. as you know, the smaller this value is, the faster the transistors can switch on and off in a given process. so, it has become the measure of the fineness of a process.

 

[nativeda]

I guess "xxGHz" is the cut-off frequency of MOS/BJT device fabricated in this process.

 

[Hughes]

xx micron process usually means the finest line width of the process is xx micron. In CMOS process, this means the minimum gate length (or poly width) is xx micron. The width of metal lines is usually greater the minimum gate length. The thickness of the gate oxide is only about a 50th of the minimum gate length.

As for xxGHz process, I agree with nativeda.