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Technology Stocks : Asyst Technologies (ASYT) Good Value/Where is the Bottom? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JZGalt who wrote (1328)	6/9/1999 1:15:00 PM
From: Tom Smith	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2313

Very good news for ASYT! ---------------------------------------- 06/09 12:24 INTEL <INTC.O> TO BEGIN TRANSITION TO 300 MILLIMETER SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS PALO ALTO, Calif., June 9 (Reuters) - Intel Corp. <INTC.O>, the world's largest computer-chip maker, on Wednesday said it will begin the move toward using 300-millimeter semiconductor wafers, a step long awaited by the chip-equipment industry. Intel said it expects to lower costs by about 30 percent for each chip made on the larger wafer, and will pass along savings via lower prices. A lingering question in the semiconductor industry has been when the chip companies would move to the dinner-plate-sized wafers from the current salad-plate sized ones.

To: JZGalt who wrote (1328)	6/9/1999 9:35:00 PM
From: SemiBull	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2313

Infineon-Motorola 300-mm yields exceed those for 200-mm wafers DRESDEN, Germany -- Semiconductor300, the 300-mm joint venture between Infineon Technologies AG (formerly Siemens Semiconductors) and Motorola Inc., today announced that its pilot line yields have surpassed the maximum potential yields from 200-mm wafers. "This is an exciting breakthrough that confirms the promise of 300-mm to represent next-generation manufacturing technology," said Bill Walker, senior vice president of the Order Fulfillment Organization for Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector, based in Austin, Tex. "As yields climb, this milestone confirms our decision to jointly develop a 300-mm pilot line to pave the way to the next great frontier in chip manufacturing cost reduction. "This milestone proves that our decision to develop 300 mm technology at the time given was right," added Harald Eggers, senior vice president at Infineon's Memory Products Division who is responsible for worldwide frontend manufacturing, based in Munich. "Now we need to further capitalize on these achievements." The best wafers have shown test yields of more than 60%, representing about 145% of the total possible die from a 200-mm wafer, he said. The wafers, holding 64-megabit DRAMs processed with 0.25-micron technology, have been processed through a new backend process where good dies were assembled in a standard Thin Small Outline Package (TSOP). This makes them the world's first packaged products from 300-mm wafers. Semiconductor300 is aiming to achieve improvements in manufacturing effectiveness by reducing costs 30- 40% per chip, compared to 200-mm wafers, utilizing process technologies below 0.25 micron. In February, the fab became the first to process fully functional chips entirely on 300-mm equipment (see Feb. 9 story). The fact that the Dresden pilot line has already demonstrated the successful production of 300-mm wafers in volume and the attendant packaging steps throws into question the status of Motorola's planned 300-mm fab at West Creek, Va. "Our intention remains to build a 300-mm lab and fab at West Creek," said a Motorola spokesman based in Austin. "While the market seems to be recovering, we've not yet seen sufficient evidence to justify the large, sustained investment that West Creek will require. It is a matter of when, not if, for transfer of our 300-mm toolset to West Creek." On the other hand, Intel Corp. has decided it is time to move ahead with its 300-mm fab and development line in Orgeon. The Santa Clara, Calif., chip giant said today that it was reactivating the stalled project and plans to be in production by 2002.