Texas Instruments Introduces 100-Million Transistor Era

TI's TImeline Technology Delivers Single-Chip Systems with Off-the-Shelf Time-to-Market

TI's 0.18-micron (l_eff) TImeline Technology. One of the possible 125 million transistors.

DALLAS (May 28, 1996) -- Texas Instruments today predicted the start of a new era in microelectronics with the announcement of its TImeline Technology. Employing 0.18-micron technology (l_eff-effective gate length), TI's TImeline Technology can pack 125 million transistors onto a single piece of silicon, shaping the most advanced systems integration platform ever available for applications such as wireless communications, Internet servers and high-end computing systems. This platform extends TI's five years of leadership in building application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)-based digital signal processing (DSP) solutions and slashing time to market for customers' new products.

Systems Integration -- The 100-Million Transistor Revolution

"This dramatic order of magnitude increase in transistor availability will create a new systems and applications domain that will revolutionize the electronics industry," said Rich Templeton, TI Semiconductor Group senior vice president and worldwide manager of its application specific products business. According to Templeton, the ability to compress 125 million transistors into a single device will be especially valuable in the convergence of high-end computer and communications systems, enabling new levels of multimedia interoperability and wireless connectivity far beyond the reach of current technologies. Overall system performance will be significantly increased through integration and silicon performance. This is especially applicable in high-end computing systems that require greater than 500MHz performance.

For example, an Internet server, which requires hundreds of identical modems to receive calls and route them through a gateway, could become significantly less expensive and more efficient with TI's TImeline Technology. One hundred and twenty-five million transistors could mean that one platform device would replace 100 current modem boards. Performance up to 10 times that available on 0.25-micron technologies would permit data transfer rates far above the 28,800 baud common today. It will be possible to integrate all the electronics in the home and office into one chip with TI's TImeline Technology.

Unique Platform -- Extends Time-to-Market Advantage

While 125 million transistors opens up new systems design opportunities, the added benefit to the systems designer is the enhanced time-to-market that TI's TImeline Technology introduces. Design productivity is enhanced significantly due to the availability of complex core functions on the same platform as leading ASIC technology. TI is uniquely positioned to help systems designers take full advantage of the increased functionality enabled by the new 0.18-micron TImeline Technology. TI's leadership gate array and standard cell products combined with the industry's broadest standard product and DSP families provide ultimate freedom for the systems designer to choose the best combination of core-based ASICs, and standard product solutions from a single vendor, accelerating significantly the time-to-market for complex systems chips.

Leadership Technology -- TI's Commitment

Introduction of TI's TImeline Technology, along with the recent announcement of the $2 billion DMOS 6 megafab complex in Dallas, which is targeted for DSP production, shows TI's continuing commitment to leadership in integration and DSP solutions. The addition of 0.18-micron technology to TI's 0.65-micron, 0.5-micron, 0.35-micron and 0.25-micron capabilities gives Texas Instruments the most complete submicron technology portfolio in the industry. Initial design engagements employing the TImeline Technology currently are in progress, and TI plans to begin work with beta customers in the third quarter of 1996. Production is scheduled to begin in 1997.

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