IBM and four other semiconductor makers agreed to jointly develop technology for producing 32-nanometer microprocessors.

IBM, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, Samsung Electronics, Infineon Technologies, and Freescale Semiconductor have had a series of semiconductor process development and manufacturing agreements. The latest involve the development of 32nm complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), the most widely used integrated circuit designs. The partners also agreed to develop process design kits to support the technology.

The companies have worked together in the past in developing and manufacturing 90nm, 65nm, and 45nm chips. The smaller the design, the more transistors can be built on microprocessor, increasing its performance to power ratio.

The latest agreement covers design, development and manufacturing of the advanced technology through 2010. The microprocessors would fit in a broad range of systems, from handheld devices to supercomputers, the companies said in a joint statement.