Intel to make 0.13-micron chips in six fabs over next 18 months
By Mark LaPedus
Semiconductor Business News
(10/17/01 16:23 p.m. EST)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- While most of the wafer-fab activity has grinded to a halt during the current IC downturn, Intel Corp. is moving full speed ahead in the arena and at a dizzying pace: Gearing up its 0.13-micron technology for its new Pentium 4 microprocessor lines, the company here today announced plans to ramp up the processs in a staggering total of six wafer fabs over the next 18 months.
The move--which could enable the company to widen its lead over its rival in the microprocessor business, Advanced Micro Devices Inc.--appears to be Intel's fastest process ramp in its history.
Today, Intel announced the grand opening of a new 8-inch, 0.13-micron wafer fab in Chandler, Arizona. Dubbed Fab 22, this $2 billion fab actually began 0.13-micron production in September, it was noted.
Meanwhile, Intel today also disclosed that it has begun ramping up 0.13-micron technology in an 8-inch plant in Hudson, Massachusetts and a 300-mm facility in Hillsboro, Ore.
In total, Intel plans to have six fabs ramping up its new 0.13-micron technology, said Brian Harrison, vice president of Intel's Manufacturing and Technology Group. "We will be ramping up six [0.13-micron] factories over the next six or seven quarters," Harrison said in a press briefing at the company's headquarters here.
"If you look at it from a unit point of view, [the 0.13-micron ramp] is the fastest in our history," Harrison said in an interview after the presentation.
The six fabs will make several products, including microprocessors, based on its 0.13-micron technology. This includes its recently-announced, 0.13-micron version of its Pentium III line, which is geared for notebook PCs and other systems.
But more importantly, Intel is gearing up for its code-named "Northwood" products, which are 0.13-micron versions of its Pentium 4 processor line. Geared for notebooks, desktops, and servers, the yet-to-be-announced "Northwood" chips are sampling right now. Intel will officially announce these chips in early next year.
At present, the Pentium 4 is based on 0.18-micron technology. But Intel's 0.13-micron process technology will enable it to reduce the costs for the Pentium 4 line. The 0.13-micron process is said to have about two times the units per wafer, as compared to 0.18-micron technology, according to Intel.
In comparison, AMD is still developing processors based on 0.18-micron technology. But the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company is expected to announce its 0.13-micron process by year's end.
Intel is ramping up its 0.13-micron technology at a dizzying pace. Earlier this year, Intel actually began making and shipping its initial 0.13-micron products in its Fab 20 plant in Hillsboro. The 8-inch fab is making 0.13-micron versions of its Pentium III processor line, and reportedly, the code-named "Northwood" products.
More recently, the company has been producing processors, flash-memories, and other products in its D2 development fab in Santa Clara. The D2 fab is an 8-inch, 0.18-to-0.13-micron plant.
In September, it began producing 0.13-micron chips in the new and massive 8-inch plant in Chandler. The Fab 22 plant in Chandler "will our largest factory for 0.13-micron technology," Harrison said during the presentation.
Intel's Fab 22 plant is a $2 billion fab that will make processors, Harrison said. The fab consists of 133,000-square-feet of clean room space. In total, the fab is a 360,000-square-foot plant.
The fab can also be converted into a 300-mm plant as well. "We don't have plans to convert that facility right now," Harrison said.
At present, Intel is also in the 0.13-micron pilot production stage for Fab 17. Located in Hudson, this fab will move into production by year's end. In 1998, Intel acquired this fab from Digital Equipment Corp.
Not to be outdone, Intel is also gearing up 0.13-micron production in two 300-mm fabs. Right now, the company is ramping up production in its so-called D1C development fab in Hillsboro. The D1C fab initially began producing wafers in March, but production will not begin in this plant until the beginning of 2002.
And in mid-to-late-2002, the company will begin 0.13-micron production in another 300-mm fab, which is located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, according to Intel. |
