Monday, March 8, 2004
In agreements that would allow Samsung Electronics (Seoul, South Korea) to share manufacturing capacity with IBM, Samsung announced Friday that it is joining an ongoing semiconductor technology alliance with IBM, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Infineon Technologies.
The partners will focus on 65-nm technology initially, moving on to 45-nm process development later, in research and development work based at IBM's Advanced Semiconductor Technology Center in East Fishkill, N.Y., which began operation in July of 2003.
In a separate agreement, Samsung will license IBM's 90-nm CMOS logic technology for use in Samsung's own logic products, including those used for high definition televisions and other consumer products, as well as for mobile applications. The 90-nm technology also will be available to Samsung's external customers, making it possible for Samsung to be a second source to IBM for high-volume logic products, such as the video game controllers it is making or developing for all three of the major video game companies.
Chang Gyu Hwang, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics' semiconductor business, said "this alliance is expected to create a technology platform for nano-scale CMOS logic processes, enabling customers to enjoy a broader offering of the next-generation logic process technologies."
The agreement between IBM and Samsung comes as worldwide fab capacity tightens up, particularly for leading-edge designs rules of 130-nm and beyond. Samsung has plans to equip a 300-mm fab in South Korea for logic production, its first dedicated fab built initially for logic, rather than memory.
John E. Kelly III, senior vice president at IBM's systems and technology group, said in a statement: "With our existing partners, Chartered and Infineon, we welcome Samsung. Together we will create a global technology platform, providing clients with consistent chip making methods and multiple sources."
The agreement comes just two weeks before a planned grand opening of Chartered's 300-mm fab, which will be capable of 90-nm design rules. Chartered and IBM have an existing agreement that allows them to share capacity at 90-nm design rules and beyond, allowing companies that use IBM's Fishkill fab to use Chartered as a second source.
By: DocMemory
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