Thursday, August 26, 2010
Russian company Sistema, which is working with STMicroelectronics on producing 90-nm ICs for television, GPS, cellphone and passport applications, is calling for the state to ban imports of competing ICs, according to a Reuters report that cites local newspapers as its sources.
AFK Sistema is being backed in its lobbying by the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (Rusnano), which is supporting the creation of a 90-nm CMOS production line and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is due to consider the matter on Sept. 20 the report said, referencing Kommersant and other local papers.
Sistema, which owns businesses that operate in the IT, telecoms, banking, house building and oil sectors, is controlled by chairman and CEO Vladimir Yevtushenkov. Through its subsidiary JSC Sitronics, which in turn owns chip manufacturer Mikron, Sistema has been working with STMicroelectronics for several years, particular on 180-nm chips for ticketing and passport applications.
In October 2009 Sitronics signed the investment agreement to launch 90-nm production in cooperation with Rusnano, Sistema and Mikron. The signing ceremony took place during a visit by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to the Mikron facility in Zelenograd, Russia.
The total investment budget is 16.5 billion roubles (about $535 million) of which Rusnano will invest about 6.5 billion roubles (about $210 million). The project will also involve debt financing Sitronics said at the time. However it is not clear when the 90-nm production line will start making chips.
Whenever it is completed the 90-nm fab is expected to make ICs for digital TV, Glonass/GPS navigation systems, industrial automation systems, automotive electronics and high security smart cards.
"The launch of the 90-nm microchip production project is of considerable strategic importance for Russia. Nanoelectronic production in Russia plays an invaluable role in the development of the Russian high-tech sector and the country's overall technological security," said Anatoly Chubais, CEO of Rusnano at the time of the investment signing.
Gennady Krasnikov, general director of Mikron, commented: "The introduction of the 90-nm microchip technology will enable us to enter new markets while maintaining market leading positions for our 180-nm products."
According to Reuters the Vedomosti newspaper said the proposal would give priority to Russian made chips for use in passports, travelcards, retail security devices, pharmaceutical products and archive materials. The proposal would also allow only domestic SIM cards to be used in mobile phones.
By: DocMemory
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