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Technology Stocks : Applied Materials No-Politics Thread (AMAT) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TI2, TechInvestorToo who wrote (8870)	2/12/2004 7:51:29 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25522

AKT Launches New CVD System for 7th-Generation Flat Panel Displays Thursday February 12, 7:30 am ET AKT-40K PECVD System Enables Larger LCD TV Screens SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2004--AKT, Inc., an Applied Materials company and the world's leading supplier of PECVD* systems to the flat panel display (FPD) industry, announces the AKT-40K PECVD system for manufacturing 7th-generation TFT-LCD* panels. The AKT-40K system can accommodate up to five process chambers and has a throughput of greater than 60 substrates per hour, making it the fastest processing system available for this application. Seventh generation substrates measure approximately 1800mm x 2200mm (1.8 meters x 2.2 meters) and can produce up to eight 40-inch or six 46-inch panels per substrate. They are the most advanced and largest substrates ever made and are primarily used to make TFT-LCD displays for large, high-resolution flat panel televisions. "Our high-productivity and field-proven technologies and systems are instrumental in enabling our customers' rapid penetration into the large-screen flat panel TV market," said Wendell Blonigan, president of AKT. "The new AKT-40K PECVD system provides customers with highly cost-efficient deposition technology that builds on AKT's proven process expertise and system reliability, which are more critical than ever with the rapid transition to larger and larger substrates. We have already received customer commitments for multiple AKT-40K PECVD systems, and expect to begin shipping these systems in mid-calendar year 2004." The new AKT-40K PECVD system expands on AKT's proven system architecture and technology that have made the company the industry leader in CVD equipment. The system can deposit single layers or in situ multiple-layer films of doped and undoped amorphous silicon (a-Si), silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon oxynitride (SiON) and silicon nitride (SiNx). Flat Panel Display production technologies are similar to those for making semiconductors, although on a vastly larger substrate. According to DisplaySearch, a market research firm, AKT was the global leader in CVD equipment for flat panel display manufacturing in 2003. Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT - News) is the largest supplier of equipment and services to the global semiconductor industry. Applied Materials' Web site is appliedmaterials.com. PECVD = plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition TFT-LCD = thin film transistor - liquid crystal display -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact: Applied Materials, Inc. Betty Newboe, 408-563-0647 (editorial/media) Paul Bowman, 408-563-1698 (financial community) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: Applied Materials, Inc.

To: TI2, TechInvestorToo who wrote (8870)	2/13/2004 10:12:23 AM
From: Kirk ©	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 25522

I actually believe there will be such a capacity shortage, due to under investment in new equipment, that chip makers who have under invested will pay nearly anything to add capacity. We might even see many companies that have gone fabless decide the only way to make sure they have product during good times is to have their own fabs. IF this happens, AMAT, LRCX, etc. will have huge surges in profits as they can charge pretty much what they want in a market where demand far exceeds supply. I'm guessing we'll see these profits in 2005 unless the World enters a new recession. For example, Agilent now can sell to the highest bidder its new chips but when it was part of HP, HP could dictate how much was spent on R&D to deliver chips just for HP... at transfer prices. HP now has to buy chips on the open market while IBM still has fabs... Cary's play on Altera and XLNX could work out or they might run into capacity problems where they have to be taken over by Intel or IBM which would have the fab capacity... or Intel and IBM sell them the extra capacity and get the lion's share of the profits. The question I guess is what will be more valuable in 2 years: Fab Capacity or IP?