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ASML to Buy Cymer for $2.6 Billion to Boost Chip Technology: 450mm Implications
October 17, 2012
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Editor’s Note: Though this is not a exactly a 450mm story, for those in the industry, it has strong implications. This is a positive move forward for 450mm. The political and supply-chain implications are enormous. Intel’s significant investment (partial ownership) of ASML
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A 450mm World…Preparing for Battle
September 26, 2012
450mm Schedule By all appearances, 450mm, an industry disruption, is now on track. In recent announcements, Intel effectively decoupled EUVL from 10nm, which allows the 2018, 450mm target date to stand intact regardless of any EUV slip. If EUV is delayed to 7nm, there’s still a 450mm
Continue Reading →TSMC Slips 450mm to 2018: Is Anyone Surprised?
September 05, 2012
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has made public what many in the industry have known for some time: Don’t expect 450mm until 2018. In an article in the Taiwan Times, TSMC’s technology roadmap is discussed, which now includes 10nm transistors on 450mm in 2018 (hi
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Dan Hutcheson: The Outlook for the Semiconductor Industry
August 31, 2012
Hutcheson, who is CEO of VLSI Research in Santa Clara, Calif., has seen scores of major factories around the world. He has a detailed understanding of the industry supply chain and equipment manufacturers, and has a record of success predicting trends based on sophisticated economic m
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Will Technology Slowdown help 450mm?
August 27, 2012
Background As it becomes more difficult and expensive to keep the cost of technology node advancement under control, there is certainly a possibility that the pace of transistor shrinkage will begin to slow. An obvious question that many have asked themselves over many years is, ̶
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Blast from the Past: 300mm Expectations Video
August 20, 2012
In an enlightening video from 1997, this series shows the plans laid out for the 300mm wafer size transition. The video (broken into three sections), features staff from Texas Instruments and Intel.
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Intel puts more “Skin in the Game”
August 17, 2012
A sign that 450mm is very serious is Intel’s investment in ASML. Suppliers have stated all along that if the big chipmakers want suppliers to follow their lead, they must truly lead. Lithography equipment is likely the most critical tool in the fab for 450mm. There have been co
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EU Commission Report: Europe must organize on 450mm
June 10, 2012
This report, co-authored with the French firm Decision, has just been authorized for publication by the European Commission. It is the result of a 14-month study undertaken by Future Horizons and the French firm Decision between January 2011 and February 2012. It involved face to face
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450mm Wafer Size Change and its Security Implications
March 13, 2012
Increases in wafer sizes have been a natural evolution and manufacturing efficiency improvement for the semiconductor industry for decades. However, this next transition, the costs entailed, and the state of the industry might make this transition a little different, particularly for
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