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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices
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To: Jim McMannis who wrote (26668)12/12/1997 12:27:00 PM
From: Paul Engel  Read Replies (1) of 1577394
 
Jim - Re: "What really IS AMDs yield problem?"

I don't know and AMD isn't talking.

As for poor technology - that is not an apt description. Probably it is due to an agressive technology that they implemented without verifying the manufacturability of certain process steps.

During initial production of the K6, they may ahve assumed that low yields would easily be overcome as they gained processing experience. Clearly, AMD has yet to overcome these process problems.

Re: "Could Intel make K6's and yield as good as they do Pentium MMXs?"

Not necessarily. First, AMD uses a local interconnect at the gate/source-drain level that Intel does not use, even on their 0.25 and 0.18 micron processes - possibly because they investigated the difficulty associated with these steps.

Intel's processes are defined cooperatively by the needs of circuit designers and the estimated confidence/capability of the Technology Development group. This is not an easy trade-off as the Tech guys have to commit to producing a high yielding, production worthy process with about a 24 month time projection. This includes the estimation of the various equipment suppliers to develop and deliver any critical pieces of process equipment (for example wafer stepper/scanners) in a future time frame.

So, the Technology Development group has to play to their own strengths - be agressive in areas they are already familiar with without venturing into unchartered waters.

AMD apparently wasn't so cautious in this respect.

Paul
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