Cost of ownership plays role in litho procurement
Mark LaPedus
02/09/2004 5:20 PM EST
URL: siliconstrategies.com
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--Several chip makers are currently evaluating new IC-equipment for the 90-nm node and beyond, but tool prices are not the only consideration in the procurement process.
Overall cost of ownership plays a critical role in tool procurement, said David Bennett, director of strategic equipment technology and alliances for Advanced Micro Devices Inc. of Sunnyvale.
At present, AMD is evaluating lithography tools, low-k dielectric films for the 65-nm node within its 300-mm fab in Germany. In November, AMD broke ground on a manufacturing facility for 300-mm diameter wafers, named Fab 36, in Dresden. The fab, to cost $2.4 billion, is a 65- to 45-nm plant that is expected to move into production in 2006 (see November 20, 2003 story).
AMD is looking at ASML Holding NV, Canon Inc., and Nikon Corp. for a multi-million lithography-tool order for the 300-mm fab.
Tool prices are not the only consideration. "We all know that ASML carries a premium on a stepper-by-stepper basis, and for that reason, AMD looks at total cost of ownership to guide its decision and accounts for things like throughput, technical capability and other factors," he said. |
