OTOTOT...take a break from the warzone to check this out. have you guys ever heard of "Rambus". what a great name for a war movie.
this is the 17th of a total 19 dram mfrs that have announced rambus rdram production. notice the ibm connection. i have always thought even ibm will have to make the switch to rdram soon (ibm already purchased their rambus rdram license. waiting to hear about their rdram products). the bus is getting full.
March 24, 1999 (TAIPEI) -- Nan Ya Technology Corp. expects to catch up with major semiconductor companies in the United States and Japan in early 2000.
The company plans to ramp up production of 64Mb dynamic random access memory (DRAM) microchips in the fourth quarter of this year, and it has already begun developing 128Mb DRAM and Rambus DRAM microchips.
A company executive said that with technology transfers from International Business Machines Corp., Nan Ya was able to skip the 0.25-micron manufacturing technology, and that it will begin with 0.20-micron technology in the production of 64Mb DRAMs. This will enable Nan Ya to be on par with leading international microchip makers.
Nan Ya had losses of about NT$3.5 billion in 1998 due to sliding DRAM prices. However, the company has recovered since November. The recovery is due to a rebound in DRAM prices in the fourth quarter, and its efforts to cut production costs for 16Mb DRAMs. Its success in mass producing 64Mb DRAMs will largely decide the company's performance in 1999.
Nan Ya's No. 1 factory has a monthly output of 22,000 units, most of which are 16Mb DRAMs made with 0.28-micron technology. After starting production of 64M DRAMs, the monthly output will rise to 30,000 units, of which 20,000 units will be made with 0.20-micron and 0.175-micron technology, and the remaining 10,000 units with 0.28-micron technology.
The company's No. 2 fabrication facility has been completed. However, due to uncertainties concerning the prospects for the semiconductor industry, the company has yet to decide when to install the new equipment. If Nan Ya opts to install the equipment by the end of 1999, it will likely issue rights in the second half of the year.
Because it hopes to diversify products at the No. 2 factory, Nan Ya is now developing 128Mb DRAMs on its own.
To retain a lead in related technology, the company plans to introduce the 0.175-micron manufacturing technology in the second half of 2000.
Nan Ya also is working on its own Rambus DRAM microchip without assistance from other companies.
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