IBM today announced availability of a new 130 nm generation of its silicon germanium (SIGe) foundry technology "8HP". The new chip runs at 200 GHz, more than double the speed of the previous 180 nm 7HP product. SIGe is used especially in mobile consumer products to combine high-bandwidth wireless communications with low production cost.

Along with 8HP, IBM is offering a lower cost variation (8WL) specifically targeted at wireless applications that can enable longer battery life and increased functionality in cellular handsets in order to help proliferate wireless local area networking and global positioning satellite (GPS) technology, the company said.

IBM aims the 8HP especially at emerging safety systems for automobiles, including radar at 24 GHz for blindside detection and at 77 GHz for collision warning or advanced cruise control as well as 60 GHz Wi-Fi chips for next-generation wireless personal-area networks and backbone nets and software defined radios for cellular handsets which convert signals from the antenna directly into a digital form. (THG)