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Politics : RAMTRONIAN's Cache Inn -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lou who wrote (5438)	5/8/1998 2:27:00 PM
From: Mark Oliver	Respond to of 14464

There has been discussion of embedding FRAM in MPU's. In fact, I believe Fujitsu has made such an announcement? I was just reading this note on Japanese spending going forward for Semi Equipment. It suggests they will focus a lot of spending on MPU's with embedded memory. Will DRAM be the main memory used in these systems? If so, is this due to ease of making, capacity to size ratio, or compatibility of materials or processes between the MPU and memory? Of these 4 companies mentioned, I believe Hitachi has a FRAM license. Do these other companies have any announced plans to use FRAM? There is discussion of the new materials (PZT) used to make memory more long lasting. Is there any reason why some materials would not be compatible with other components on a LSI chip? From an revenues and earnings standpoint, will Ramtron actually make much money licensing a patent for a system like this? Regards, Mark Japan microchip makers plan huge System LSI investment May 8, 1998 Source: Kyodo Kyodo: TOKYO, May 7 (Kyodo) _ Four of Japan's main microchip makers are planning combined investments of 800 billion yen by the end of the year 2000 to boost manufacturing capabilities for a next-generation ''system large-scale integrated circuits (System LSI)'' chips used for multimedia, according to company officials. The four companies hoping to boost profits from System LSI chip manufacturing are NEC Corp., Hitachi Ltd., Toshiba Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. Chip divisions at these companies have taken a beating in recent years from falling prices of computer memory chips and are pinning high hopes on the sale of value-added System LSIs, industry sources said. NEC envisages investing some 300 billion yen in the System LSI business by the end of the year 2000, NEC officials said. Its next-generation System LSI chips will feature electronic circuit widths as thin as 0.18 micrometer, the officials said. One micrometer is one-1,000th of a millimeter. The targeted line width compares with the current thinnest circuit width of 0.25 micrometer as found in the present generation of System LSI chips, they said. NEC will begin sample shipments of the next-generation System LSI chips in October and is planning to manufacture 2 million units a month starting next year using plants in Yamagata and Kumamoto prefectures, they said. System LSI chips combine a microprocessor, a dynamic random access memory chip and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and can either be mass-produced or custom-made in accordance with customers' needs. They are installed on multimedia and other advanced high-tech gadgets. Toshiba plans to spend some 300 billion yen to manufacture next-generation System LSI chips, Toshiba officials said. Mitsubishi Electric said it plans to arrange for its group of companies to annually manufacture some 120 billion yen worth of next-generation chips by fiscal 2000, adding that a capital outlay for the project will exceed 100 billion yen. Hitachi officials said the company plans to mass-produce ASIC chips with circuit widths of 0.18 micrometer starting at the end of the year at its plant in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, at an investment cost of some 100 billion yen.

To: Lou who wrote (5438)	5/8/1998 2:27:00 PM
From: Gutterball	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14464

That's just great. Appears the market is waiting on the analysts to provide some direction and now that's on hold until Gummy Bear files his hard copy. Concerning Form 424B3 filed 5/6/98. This is directed primarily at Neil who has a fixation on BEA. BEA is not listed as a Selling Security Holder in Form 424B3 #reply-4371128 I'm still reading Form 424B3. First impression, Ramtron didn't do itself any favors. They have to be one of the greatest groups of under achievers... It's like having one of those dreams where you are trying to run but can't. Anyway, I'm not that far into the document, but that's my first impression.