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To: richard surckla who wrote (49968)	8/16/2000 12:36:13 AM
From: Don Green	Respond to of 93625

DRAM Production to Increase by Large Margin in 2nd Half The production of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips is expected to increase by a significant margin in the second half to meet the strong demands of personal computer makers. Industry sources said yesterday that while current prices are not as high as DRAM makers would like them, they should be strong for the remainder of this half even with increased production. The increase in production is mainly being pushed by PC makers which are heading into their peak season and chipmakers are finding new technology that can help boost volume. ``Companies like Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Electronics Industries are both kicking off the operation of new lines and refining their processing technology,'' one industry analyst said. Samsung, which currently has nine lines running at its production facilities in Kihung, Kyonggi-do, will launch operation of the 10th line for 16,000 more 8-inch wafers per month from October. HEI is also planning to start the operation of a new line at its plant in Chongju for processing 20,000 additional 8-inch wafers per month from the fourth quarter of this year. Aside from the new lines, what these chipmakers are doing is refining the design rule (the distance between circuit lines) to the thinnest possible extent. At present, most companies, both Korean and foreign, are using the 0.20-0.22 micron design rule but they are striving to reduce this to 0.17-0.19 micron. Samsung has already converted a considerable portion of its production into the 0.17-0.19 micron design rule and it is the process of converting the remaining 30 percent. As for HEI, it has succeeded in converting about 30 percent of its lines for applying the 0.17-0.19 micron design rule and it hopes to increase the percentage to 70 as quickly as possible. ÀÔ·Â½Ã°£ 2000/08/15 16:45