Also, AMD can select and use Fabs of both TSMC and Global Foundries to create their next-gen processors. This is made possible by Global Foundries using similar 7nm pitches and SRAM cells that are very close in design to TSMC, allowing Zen 2 7nm processors to be developed on either Fab without major differences.
Later this year, GF will use immersion steppers to tape out its first 7-nm chip, an AMD processor. An IBM processor will follow with ASICs coming in 2019, said Patton.
GF made the size of its 7-nm pitches and SRAM cells similar to those of TSMC to let designers like AMD use both foundries. AMD “will have more demand than we have capacity, so I have no issues with that,” he said of AMD using the Taiwan foundry. via
EETimes