Design Article
Comment
peter.clarke
eemikee
According to STE's press release the processor is actually dual-core running in ...
ST-Ericsson shows FDSOI smartphone processor
Peter Clarke
1/8/2013 7:46 AM EST
LONDON – ST-Ericsson is launching a chip made using silicon-on-insulator technology that it claims is the world's fastest and lowest-power smartphone application processor with integrated LTE modem. The company is demonstrating the chip at the Consumer Electronics Show taking place in Las Vegas.
The NovaThor L8580 ModAp – ModAp for modem and application processor – is the first LTE-capable application processor designed to be implemented in 28-nm fully-depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) process technology. It integrates a dual-core Cortex-A9 processor capable of operating at up to 2.5-GHz clock frequency at peak performance, but also capable of operating down at 0.6-V to conserve power. This is a direct result of using an FDSOI manufacturing process.
ST-Ericsson has dubbed its implementation of the dual-core Cortex-A9 on the FDSOI process eQuad. ST-Ericsson argues that two physical cores can run in two different modes, creating an electrically-enabled quad core.
The L8580 also includes a PowerVR SGX544 graphics processor running at 600-MHz and a multimode LTE modem operating at up to 150-Mbits per second. The L8580 will be available in sample quantities in the first quarter of 2013, ST-Ericsson NV (Geneva, Switzerland) said.
In the low-power mode the L8580 can deliver 5,000 DMIPS of performance at 0.6 volts, which is enough computing power for most applications, according to the company. The low-power mode consumes 50 percent of the power at the same performance when compared with bulk CMOS platforms, ST-Ericsson said.
The integrated modem supports up to ten LTE/HSPA/TD-SCDMA/GSM bands for ease of global adoption of LTE smartphones and supports 3GPP Release 10 with LTE up to Category 4 (150Mbps).
The NovaThor L8580 also supports 1080p video encoding and playback at up to 60 frames per second, 1080p 3D camcorder functionality, support for displays up to WUXGA (1920x1200) at 60 frames per second and support for cameras up to 20 megapixels.
The platform provides connectivity support for Bluetooth, GPS, FM, WiFi Direct, Miracast and NFC aided by the CG2905 and CW1260 chips.
"Building on the architecture of our first-generation NovaThor L8540 LTE ModAp announced last year, we believe our new platform represents a real industry breakthrough," said Didier Lamouche, CEO of ST-Ericsson, in a statement., "It combines the most advanced technologies available, including STMicroelectronics' innovative 28-nm FDSOI process, to create an unrivalled blend of unsurpassed performance with unequalled power efficiency in an advanced LTE integrated ModAp."
Lamouche continued: "The creative combination of the key technology ingredients – FDSOI, ultra thin active and isolation layers and innovative double-gate vertical transistors enabling smart body biasing – delivers the response the mobile industry needs in terms of higher performance, extreme power efficiency and technology robustnesss. The results we see on our NovaThor L8580 confirm the disruptive nature of FDSOI technology and next generations of high performance LTE platforms will be able to fully benefit from our breakthrough technology and designs."
Related links and articles:
www.stericsson.com
News articles:
London Calling: Could gate-switched FDSOI win?
28-nm FDSOI is production ready, says ST
FDSOI roadmap renames next node as 14-nm
Considerations for bulk CMOS to FDSOI design porting
|
|
|
|
|
Navigate to related information
eewiz
1/8/2013 8:21 AM EST
Fastest application processor? Nvidia and Qualcomm has announced Quad core A15's and they STE cant claim Quad core A9 to be faster than that. The integrated LTE modem is interesting. I guess this chip is aiming at budget smartphones and tablets.
Sign in to Reply
peter.clarke
1/8/2013 8:29 AM EST
@eewiz
I think by fastest ST-Ericsson meant fastest clock frequency (2.5-GHz), not the highest performing.
Sign in to Reply
peter.clarke
1/8/2013 8:32 AM EST
@eewiz
As I remember Nvidia does not yet have an integrated LTE baseband. It still requires an outboard chip to support the Icera i500 soft-modem. The integrated version, codenamed Grey, is coming later in 2013.
Sign in to Reply
sid28
1/8/2013 8:44 AM EST
low power is the key/significant point here, @0.6V delivering 5000 DMIPS is extremely encouraging , i dont think anybody still claims to be at this level of low power consumption with such performance, be it qualcomm or be it nvidia,,,,,i guess this is going to be really a break through in smartphone/tablets with agrressive speed/low power requirements..
Sign in to Reply
iniewski
1/8/2013 3:41 PM EST
To Didier Lamouche: would anyone from ST-Ericsson be interested in presenting this technology at emerging technologies symposium in Whistler in 2013? www.cmosetr.com, kris.iniewski@gmail.com
Sign in to Reply
StupendousGuy
1/9/2013 5:56 AM EST
Well done STE!
The key achievement here is the ability to operate with a so wide voltage range (0.6V to more than 1.1V I guess).
Also, low voltage operation is the key for low power (CV^2).
This is made possible by FD-SOI technology. I would like to see performance (and power) figures at lower than 0.6V, which is not achievable in bulk CMOS.
Sign in to Reply
Kresearch
1/9/2013 5:45 PM EST
Wait to see the stories of
1) STE beat Qualcomm and Nvidia in the near future.
2) STM+GF(FDSOI camp) beat SAMSUNG+GF+UMC(IBM camp) and TSMC in Bulk CMOS and FINFET.
Look foreward to seeing more evidence soon.
Sign in to Reply
xx19xx
1/9/2013 10:45 PM EST
@eewiz
compared to existing high performance processors it is not the best, rather fall in average performance category. But mastering processor's "Power" is I think the best and right step forward.
Sign in to Reply
HS_SemiPro
1/10/2013 1:58 AM EST
Performance should always compared at a specific leakage or Power spec for a given silicon area & cost.
Sign in to Reply
lola159
1/10/2013 6:27 AM EST
I heard that ST-Ericsson is planning to shut-down in 6 months (after St Microelectronics leaving) after selling some of its existing products, is that true??
Sign in to Reply
peter.clarke
1/10/2013 7:06 AM EST
@lola159
Who is your source?
If that happens it would be shame but probably the FDSOI technology would find another home.
Sign in to Reply
lola159
1/10/2013 8:43 AM EST
After STMicroelectronics decision to exit the JV, many speculations have been spread lately in the net about the company.
Sign in to Reply
jwtech
1/12/2013 3:36 AM EST
It's not a quad core, but a dual core. Read the NOTES TO EDITORS under the press release.
Sign in to Reply
eemikee
1/14/2013 8:25 AM EST
According to STE's press release the processor is actually dual-core running in either high performance or power save mode: "This is achieved by transistor-level electrical bias switching to allow each of two physical cores to run in two different modes, creating an electrically-enabled quad core."
Quoted from http://www.stericsson.com/press_releases/L8580_eQuad.jsp the section Notes to Editors, eQuad.
Sign in to Reply
peter.clarke
1/14/2013 8:52 AM EST
@eemikee
You are quite correct and thanks for pointing it out. ST-Ericsson references to Quad are to a virtual quad-core based on a physical dual-core.
I have amended the copy to reflect this.
Sign in to Reply