From: Entropyfoe@aol.com
Date: Fri Nov 06 1998 - 20:26:25 MST
Although the transition to 300mm Si is in progress now,it is slowed by the
recent slump in the semiconductor business. 200mm will be around a looooong
time as it will be profitable to make certian types of devices on the older
equipment. [Even 150 mm fabs are still making some older style but still
useful devices. Hell, I work in a 100 mm fab, but we still get to do some
additional interesting micromachining work... ].
Despit the remanent smaller sizes, there has been talk, and even some serious
crystal growth work, and calculations for 400mm wafers. [The effect of Dan's
conversion blunder is hearby slightly obscured] The capital costs in these
fabs can run in the 2-10 billion dollar range for state of the art. A single
process tool can easiliy be in the 1-6 million dollar range.
This is an important technology area left to the competition of only a few of
the largest corporations that can afford these investments. This leads to an
inherent conservatism and bottom line mentality perhaps?!?!? The revolutionary
ideas are harder to develop in universities unless they ally with a big
company to get access to the latest equipment.
-Jay
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