First opened in 1998, the Samsung Austin DRAM fab will be updated from 130-nm technology to 90-nm design rules, with a 40,000 sq. ft. addition to the existing clean room. The facility upgrade will start next month.

The official announcement is set for May 2nd, with Samsung group chairman Lee Kun-hee, Texas governor Rick Perry, and other Samsung executives attending the ceremonies here. Former U.S. president George H. Bush, who lives in Houston, may participate as well.

The visit is timed to coincide with South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun's state visit to the United States later in May. The United States is South Korea's largest export destination, and DRAMs have been a continual source of dumping allegations and trade friction between the United States and South Korea.

Current president George W. Bush was governor of Texas when the original Samsung facility was announced. Since then, Austin's role as a chip manufacturing center has come under pressure, as AMD, Motorola, and others have looked to Singapore, France, and the Taiwan foundries for semiconductor manufacturing.

Subsidies for high-tech have become a major political issue in Texas, particularly since the state of New York lured International Sematech to position its EUV mask blank and EUV resist programs in Albany, N.Y.

Gov. Perry and other state officials are said to be preparing a financial support package for International Sematech to ensure that the main portion of Sematech's activities remain in Austin.

By: DocMemory
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