Intel Achieves Major Milestones with Intel 18A, Panther Lake, and Clearwater Forest
The company also announced that the first external customer is expected to tape out on Intel 18A in the first half of next year.
Intel today announced that its lead products on Intel 18A, Panther Lake (AI PC client processor) and Clearwater Forest (server processor), are out of the fab and have powered-on and booted operating systems. These milestones were achieved less than two quarters after tape-out, with both products on track to start production in 2025. The company also announced that the first external customer is expected to tape out on Intel 18A in the first half of next year.
Why It Matters: These milestones show Intel Foundry is the first to successfully implement both RibbonFET gate-all-around transistors and PowerVia backside power technology for foundry customers. Through ecosystem EDA and IP tools and process flows, RibbonFET and PowerVia are groundbreaking innovations that Intel Foundry makes available to all customers through Intel 18A.
How it Works: In successfully booting operating systems without additional configurations or modifications, both Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest clearly indicate the health of Intel 18A—the company’s leading-edge process technology that is expected to return Intel to process leadership in 2025. Other signs of health include Panther Lake DDR memory performance already running at target frequency. Next year's Clearwater Forest, the archetype of future CPU and AI chips, will mark the industry's first mass-produced, high-performance solution combining RibbonFET, PowerVia, and Foveros Direct 3D for higher density and power handling.
How Customers are Involved: In gaining access to the Intel 18A PDK 1.0 last month, the company’s EDA and IP partners are updating their tools and design flows to enable external foundry customers to begin their Intel 18A chip designs. This is a critical enabling milestone for Intel’s foundry business.
More About RibbonFET and PowerVia: These core Intel 18A technologies enable greater processor scale and efficiency, which is required to drive forward AI computing. RibbonFET allows for tight control over the electrical current in the transistor channel, enabling further miniaturization of chip components while reducing power leakage, a critical factor as chips become increasingly dense. PowerVia optimizes signal routing by separating power delivery from the front side of the wafer, thus reducing resistance and improving power efficiency. Together, these technologies demonstrate a powerful combination that could lead to substantial gains in computing performance and battery life in future electronic devices. Intel’s first-to-market position with both technologies is a win for foundry customers worldwide.