Seeing the shrink - [electronics foundry]

Intel aims to skip down to the next chipmaking process so that it can either cut the cost of making its microprocessors or put more of them onto one chip. TSMC is working on two forms of the 28 nm process, one using high-k dielectric and metal gates (HKMG) as well as a more conventional silicon oxynitride-gate process. The move to HKMG will allow the company to compete as a foundry with IBM for microprocessor and other high clock-speed designs. Intel already has HKMG in production in its 45 nm-based devices.