TSMC (CUBE's chip foundry) is moving to .18 micron. This means smaller, usually less expensive (b/c more chips per wafer), faster chips with lower power consumption. Just right for a consumer codec!
pubs.cmpnet.com
TSMC plans 0.18-micron in early '99 and discloses copper in new roadmap
By Mark LaPedus
Electronic Buyers' News
SAN JOSE-- Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) has officially
rolled out its technology roapmap, announcing
plans to offer a copper-metalization process while
also becoming one of the world's first chip makers
to move to 0.18-micron production by early 1999.
Hsinchu-based TSMC, the world's largest
pure-play, IC-wafer foundry company, has taken
an ambitious, quantum leap during the last several
years, jumping from process technologies of
0.8-micron in the early 1990s, to 0.35-micron and
below in 1997.
"We're in the process of ramping up our
0.25-micron process technology right now,''
according to Ron Norris, president of TSMC's
U.S. subsidiary, based in San Jose. ''We will be
0.18-micron by the end of the first quarter of next
year.''
Speaking at a press event in San Jose this week,
Norris said TSMC will continue to advance its
foundry-based logic, mixed-signal, and embedded
memory businesses. In the logic and memory
arenas in 1999, for example, TSMC plans to offer
to its foundry customers a 0.18-micron process
technology at 1.8- to 3.3-v.
Another surprise is TSMC's move into the
copper-metalization arena, a move that would give
its foundry customers a major boost. |
