IDT uses 0.18-micron process to increase fab output
By J. Robert Lineback
Semiconductor Business News
(11/18/99, 04:13:27 PM EDT)
Integrated Device Technology Inc. today announced it has begun ramping up fabrication of products using a new 0.18-micron CMOS process technology. The new process will allow the company to boost overall production volumes in its Hillsboro, Ore., plant by more than 50% in the next 12 months without significant investments in new production equipment.
IDT, Santa Clara, Calif., believes it is making the move to 0.18-micron technology at the right time-as market demand strengthens and shortages of fab capacity push more chip suppliers to third-party silicon foundries, said Mike Hunter, vice president of worldwide manufacturing at the company.
IDT aims to increase the output of its Hillsboro fab by shrinking feature sizes of ICs and packing more devices on an 8-in. wafer. The number of wafer starts is not expected to increase significantly, and IDT said it plans to make a modest investment in additional capital equipment.
However, as market demand for products grows, IDT said the Hillsboro plant could be fully equipped to increase wafer production by as much as 80%.
"IDT gains manufacturing capacity with its advanced 0.18-micron capability that plays an important role in meeting the growing needs of our communications and networking customers for higher-performance communications memories, embedded RISC microprocessors, and networking products," said company president, Jerry Taylor.
Ironically, the inability of IDT's Hillsboro facility to manufacture products using competitive process technology had been cited by analysts as one of the reasons the company sold off its Centaur Technology x86 microprocessor design subsidiary earlier this year.
Now, IDT will use the new 0.18-micron process for its high-growth communications markets, both within the wireless and networking segments. Product shipments in this market segment account for more than 70% of the company's revenues
EBN's Mark Hachman contributed to this report.
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