Faraday Technology has launched its first ARM v5 instruction set architecture (ISA) compliant processor, the 32-bit RISC FA626TE. This processor is specially designed to target applications like infortainment, PNDs (portable navigation devices), IP set-top-boxes (STBs), industrial PCs, high-speed network and storage SoCs.
The first hard core which reaches the worst case clock speed of 533MHz is available now in UMC 0.13-micron process, according to the company. Faraday expects its next versions for 90nm at United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), running at 667MHz and 800MHz in the worst case, will be available in early fourth quarter and the end of 2007, respectively.
For ARM's v5 ARM9 family, to reach any speed beyond 650MHz is only doable at 65nm semiconductor processes. However, this requires very expensive mask costs and lengthy manufacturing time. Faraday's FA626TE is thus designed to enable 667 MHz and 800 MHz clock speed in today's mainstream 90nm process.
"We are very glad with the delivery of this high differentiated v5 processor core, " said Charlie Cheng, vice president of marketing at Faraday. "As one of just a few architectural licensees in the ARM ecosystem, it's our responsibility to expand the ARM ISA into new territories, and in this case, reaching beyond 800 MHz to encroach into PowerPC and x86 architecture territories," he added.