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Technology Stocks : ASML Holding NV -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: niek who wrote (1074)	1/26/2006 1:42:08 PM
From: niek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 43287

STMicroelectronics increases capital spending for advanced process capacity expansion. Thursday, 26 January 2006 During a lengthy financial analyst conference session to discuss the company's fourth quarter and year end financial performance, STM executives announced that the company would be increasing capital expenditure in 2006, to $1.8 US dollars, up from $1.5 billion in 2005. However, sources attending the conference in Paris told Semiconductor Fabtech that much of the capital expenditure will be allocated to increasing the production of leading-edge devices both at the 65nm node for logic chips and NOR Flash memory. NAND Flash production will also increase with a 60nm designated node for Flash memory devices being started. Funds will also be channelled into increasing IC testing functions. Crolles2 (300mm) as well as STM's leading-edge 200mm fab in Rousett, France will receive funding to migrate technology nodes and increase production in 2006, sources noted. The Rousett fab will increase production of NOR Flash, which is currently producing 80 percent of STM's sales of this device as well as begin the migration to 65nm processing in the second half of 2006.

To: niek who wrote (1074)	1/26/2006 3:08:28 PM
From: Cary Salsberg	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 43287

I think INTC is following a risky path. Most of their 193 nm dry lithography is done by Nikon tools. Wet lithography requires dual processing like ASML's Twinscan and Nikon's newest tool. I suspect that there is no way to modify their current dry tools for immersion. Most, all but INTC, will use immersion for 45 nm and 32 nm. INTC will use dry 193 nm tools for 45 nm and expect to use EUV for 32 nm. ASML has 2 EUV tools that will be shipped this year, most likely to INTC. Those tools will be even more expensive than immersion and INTC will be pioneering the EUV process.