ARM Announces POP IP for Cortex-A50 Series Processors on TSMC 28nm HPM and 16nm FinFET Processes

An essential element of ARM’s comprehensive implementation strategy, POP technology enables ARM partners to quickly close timing of dual- and quad-core implementations across a broad envelope of power, performance and area optimization points. This solution optimizes implementation, reduces risk and improves time-to-market in the development of Cortex processor-based system-on-chips.

The Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53 processors can be used independently or in a big.LITTLE processor combination for optimal performance and energy efficiency. ARM has licensed POP IP for the Cortex-A57 processor for 28HPM to multiple lead partners, which are now implementing designs. The 16nm FinFET version of POP IP solutions for the Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53 processors will be available to licensees in the fourth quarter of 2013.

These new POP IP products complement the existing portfolio of products on 28HPM, including the Cortex-A7, Cortex-A9, and Cortex-A15 processors and the ARM Mali-T624 GPU up to the Mali-T678 GPU. ARM partners are currently shipping SoCs with POP IP in such applications as mobile gaming, DTV, set-top box, mobile computing and smartphone applications.

POP IP technology is composed of three elements necessary to achieve an optimized ARM processor implementation. First, it contains ARM Artisan Physical IP logic libraries and memory instances that are specifically tuned for a given ARM core and process technology. This Physical IP is developed through a tightly coupled collaboration between ARM’s implementation and processor design engineers. Second, it includes a comprehensive benchmarking report to document the exact conditions and results ARM achieved for the core implementation. Finally, it features POP implementation knowledge including a user guide, floorplans, scripts and design utilities that detail the methodology used to achieve the result, to enable the end customer to achieve the same implementation quickly and at low risk. POP IP products are currently available from 40nm to 28nm, with a roadmap down to 16nm process technology for a wide range of Cortex-A series CPU and Mali GPU products.

“ARM is currently enabling its lead partners on Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53 processor implementations with POP IP and physical IP platforms, and we are committed to support our partners on the leading process nodes,” said Dr. John Heinlein, vice president of marketing, Physical IP Division, ARM. “Only ARM can offer a complete roadmap of POP IP core-hardening acceleration solutions so deeply integrated and tightly aligned with ARM processor development activities now and into the future.”