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.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kenith Lee who wrote (58408)	5/17/1999 4:33:00 AM
From: Process Boy	Respond to of 1574203

Kenith - <As I had explained to Yousef, there is no quantum leap in process technologies. Gates are routinely shrunk to get performance.> This is of course true. <While that is done, it lays the path for the next process shrink. One can not go from 0.22um to 0.13um in a flash. It takes many small steps.> I know this. I do this for a living. But unfortunately, you are making leaps in your logic that ostensibly make sense, but in the detail are not accurate. Just because the .18 guys may be shrinking gates to 150nm, doesn't mean they call up their .25 buddies and say "Hey, we did it. Here's how you do it". Doesn't work that way. As you said, incremental steps are taken over time that are specific to the current process generation worked on, not by borrowing from the next generation. There's most likely different tool sets, topographical considerations, gate ox scaling to be done in conjunction, etc. <Remember that 0.18um is still DUV. Wait and see when 193 is massively used. You may be looking at under 100nm gate soon.> Already seen 'em. Not on .18 however. :-). PB

To: Kenith Lee who wrote (58408)	5/17/1999 10:28:00 AM
From: Yousef	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1574203

Kenith, Re: "One can not go from 0.22um to 0.13um in a flash." Are you making excuses for AMD, Kenith ... I actually agree with you that it does take time and the solving of various process/device technical problems to improve each generation. Much of what is learned in the previous generation can be "brought forward" ... This is one of the reasons that I am especially worried about AMD. They are behind in process development and have decided to "purchase" their next process from Motorolo. Rumor is that the best process engineers have already left AMD ... Is this why Maxwell is still there ?? <ggg> Make It So, Yousef