08 October 2009
SoI cuts power consumption by 40%, says ARM
ARM says a silicon on insulator (SoI) 45nm test chip created in association with Soitec has shown that power savings of up to 40% can be achieved over traditional bulk processes.
The test chip was based on an ARM 1176 processor, allowing a direct comparison between SoI and bulk microprocessor implementations. The results are said to confirm that SoI technology is a viable alternative to traditional bulk process technology when designing low power processors for high performance consumer devices and mobile applications.
The silicon results show that 45nm SOI technology can provide power savings of up to 40% and a 7% reduction in circuit area compared to bulk cmos low power technology operating at the same speed.
Earlier this year, the SoI Industry Consortium predicted a 30% improvement. "This is a significant step for the industry," said Horacio Mendez, the Consortium's executive director. "The collaborative efforts of SOI Consortium member companies have produced a proof point that the energy efficiency of SOI technology could cover battery operated applications. Many companies will benefit from this data in considering their technology manufacturing decision."
ARM's 1176 processor has featured in such devices as Apple's iPhone and the iPod Touch (pictured).
Author
Graham Pitcher
Supporting Information
Websites
http://www.arm.com
Companies
ARM Ltd
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