Monday, December 9, 2002
Infineon Technologies AG pushed its technology-for-capacity strategy into the China market on Monday (December 9, 2002), saying it would swap its 0.14-micron DRAM trench technology with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) in return for an exclusive agreement to make standard memory chips for Infineon. The deal also includes an option to trade 0.11-micron technology in future.
During the past year, Infineon has forged similar agreements with a handful of Taiwanese companies that normally play on the periphery of the DRAM market. It has entered into a technology-for-capacity swap with Winbond Electronics, agreed to build a 300-mm wafer fab joint-venture with Nanya Technologies and is reportedly trying to increase its capacity at Promos Technologies Inc., a 300-mm wafer fab joint-venture between Infineon and Mosel Vitelic Inc. that has been in the spotlight because of management tensions between the companies.
“In entering this production cooperation with the technologically leading Chinese semiconductor manufacturer we are systematically...strengthening our regional presence in the promising market of China and aiming overall at a leading market position in Asia/Pacific,” said Harald Eggers, memory products group chief executive at Infineon. “At the same time the partnership with SMIC will enable us to grow our DRAM business without having to invest in production facilities.”
Pilot runs at SMIC will begin in mid-2003, starting with 256-Mbit double data rate DRAM chips, and if the commodity memory market outlook improves, then the Chinese foundry could produce higher densities, too. By 2005, Infineon estimates the partnership will boost its capacity by about 20,000 wafer starts per month.
For SMIC, having Infineon around adds even more weight to its pursuit of advanced technology. SMIC's chief technology officer, Simon Yang, recently say that his company would begin basic development work for the 90-nanometer technology node next year. The company took delivery of a 193-nanometer scanner in November to help it get underway with that work.
The company has also forged a technology-for-capacity and equity agreement with Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd., covering 0.18-micron processes, and a capacity agreement with Texas Instruments, Inc. It also has a technology-for-capacity deal with Toshiba regarding SRAM.
Citing estimates from market research firm Gartner Dataquest, Infineon said the semiconductor market in China is expected to grow from about $16 billion in 2002 to around $31 billion in 2006. Many of those chips will be for export.
By: DocMemory
Copyright © 2023 CST, Inc. All Rights Reserved
|
