Formerly About Applied Materials Message Board

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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials

AMAT 267.87

-0.6%

Dec 5 9:30 AM EST

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To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (19971)	6/6/1998 1:18:00 PM
From: John L.	of 70976

The only ones who can survive with 5 & 6 inch wafers are companies that have niche markets. Low demand for a product coupled with a high priced product allows for profits on low volume product runs. I worked for a company that made infrared CCD chips, they made a profit on a 5 inch line, but competitors are always right around the corner looking for an opportunity. The new equipment to do .35 micron and below is expensive for companies with small customer bases and sales. Markets that are growing are not using 5 & 6 inch wafers for very long unless they can afford to lose money to the 8 inch competitors. Size is the holy grail in the semiconductor business, bigger wafers and smaller device geometries, this gives us all better toys at a lower cost.

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