Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

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

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (10348)	6/11/2004 11:38:02 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 25522

TSMC to move into 'full production' at 90-nm in Q4 By Mark LaPedus Silicon Strategies 06/11/2004, 11:30 AM ET SAN DIEGO--After months of being in the "risk production" stage, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) is expected to enter into "full production" at the 90-nm node by year's end. For some time, TSMC has been in what the company calls "risk production" at the 90-nm node. In 2002, TSMC outlined and disclosed accelerated targets for next-generation ICs fabricated with 90-nm process technology. At the time, the world's largest silicon foundry said it would move into "risk production"--or early production--in the third quarter of 2002. The Hsinchu, Taiwan-based company has been shipping parts to customers based on the 90-nm technology for some time. But it is expected to move into "full production" by the fourth quarter of 2004, said Chuck Byers, director of brand management at TSMC. Full production is defined "by the number of products in volume production--with acceptable yields," Byers said. "Anything below that is risk production." TSMC is shipping its 90-nm process on 300-mm wafers, equipped with low-k technology. The company's rivals, including UMC, are offering both low-k and FSG at the 90-nm node. TSMC is also engaging with customers with its 65-nm process technology, with products expected to be shipped in the first half of next year--or earlier. Volumes for 65-nm products are not expected until 2006.

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (10348)	6/11/2004 12:57:43 PM
From: Cary Salsberg	Respond to of 25522

RE: "The chip manufacturing equipment upswing has been running for nine months while semiconductor unit sales have been in an "up cycle" for 28 months, since January 2002. This 17-month lag between turn-arounds is in contrast to historical patterns, where semiconductor and equipment inflections typically occurred within three months of each other..." As I have repeated a number of times, the normal situation for "semiconductor unit sales" is monotonically increasing, so it was correct to place "up cycle" in quotes, but it was disingenuous to compare unit sales, instead of revenue, to equipment revenue.