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 : Cymer (CYMI) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TechHunter who wrote (8724)	11/7/1997 6:00:00 PM
From: BillyG	Respond to of 25960

More on fab migration to .25 and .18 micron............. techweb.cmp.com Chip packager preps first foundry By Craig Matsumoto BUCHON, Korea -- Amkor Technology Inc. is preparing to launch its first wafer-fabrication plant, in a move designed to add manufacturing to the roster of the chip-packaging powerhouse. With technology garnered from Texas Instruments Inc., Amkor plans to build three fabs on one site here. The first, due to handle process technologies of 0.35, 0.25 and 0.18 micron (Leff), is expected to be ready for prototype order entry this week, with qualification for production-volume runs expected next month. Technically, the $1.2 billion Fab 1 is owned by Anam Semiconductor, one of several manufacturing ventures within the Anam conglomerate, which is owned by Amkor. At full capacity, the fab will run 25,000 8-inch wafers/month. Amkor hopes to match deep-submicron manufacturing with the high end of its packaging business. Ideally, Amkor wants to act as a "pure play" foundry, taking a recipe of design and intellectual property from its customers and returning assembled and tested chips. Package-design aid The company wants to combine its services in a "virtual manufacturing" package it calls Silicon-Package Architecture, in which Amkor will help engineer a product's design to include the packaging issues that will crop up. "Silicon designers quite often design silicon without taking full consideration of the constraints of the packaging on the system," said John Weekley, vice president of marketing. "The silicon is capable of doing whatever the designer can dream of," but the packaging has hard physical limits involving pin counts and power dissipation. Amkor is setting up a design center to work with third-party core providers, for customers wanting those added to the design. Amkor purchased TI's technology for an undisclosed sum last year and is negotiating with TI for 0.18-micron technology. In return, the company granted TI a portion of wafer capacity from Fab 1. TI engineers are helping Anam fit its fab with TI process technology, which involves as many as five layers of metal interconnect.