San Francisco: Intel Corp has brought out its latest line of more energy efficient microchips, made with new manufacturing materials that are less harmful to the environment.

The 16 microchips, made for both servers as well as high-end PCs, were based on a new manufacturing route that shrinks circuit dimensions to 45 nanometers from 65 nanometers.

The company said that its new microprocessors are lead free, and added that it makes them halogen-free by the coming year.

The company’s newly launched chips contain hafnium, which is a silvery component commonly used to manage rods in reactors, to lessen the amount of electrical power leakage, and this makes chips 30% more energy efficient. Intel said that the new chips also have increased (20% more) switching power that means it offers better performance to the users.

The microprocessors are geared to PCs, comprising high-end PCs used by high-end gamers and heavy PC users and notebook computers, and to servers.

The recent development spotlights the industry-wide move to 45 nanometer chip manufacturing technology. Intel started making 45 nanometer chips at its fab in Oregon.

Two weeks back, the company has opened up a $3 billion semiconductor constructing plant based on this new technology in Chandler, Ariz. It plans to take on the new technology at Intel fabs in New Mexico and Israel.