
SOI was previously applied only in regular processors such IBM's Power chips and the Cell processor that drives Sony's PlayStation 3 gaming console.
The term SOI refers to the use of a layered silicon-insulator-silicon substrate instead of conventional complementary metal-oxide (CMOS) technology in semiconductor manufacturing.
Although SOI is more expensive to manufacture than plain silicon, it allows for a 30 per cent cut in power consumption and a 30 per cent performance boost.
The technology also offers a significant reduction in so-called 'soft errors' compared with CMOS chips. 'Soft errors' occur when a chip attempts to read/write the same location and is a growing concern for mission critical systems.
Asic designs are common in applications including gaming consoles, networking gear, cellphones and consumer electronics devices such as digital cameras.
They typically combine a general purpose processor with programmable memory that allows the device maker to tailor the chip to its needs.
IBM unveiled a technology in February that allows the programmable memory to be manufactured using an SOI production process.
The firm's so-called embedded dynamic random access memory removed the final obstacle for SOI-based Asics.