In response to growing market demand and increasing demand outlook, 300mm production is ramping around the globe.

Today, Tokyo-based Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corp. said it would expand production capacity of 300mm wafers to 600,000 wafers per month by summer 2008, up from its current capacity of 300,000 wafers per month.

The company said work is under way to increase its production capacity to 400,000 wafers per month by summer 2006. The jump from this level to 600,000 wafers per month is expected to cost $765 million (80 billion yen).

Sumitomo also said it continues to centralize its wafering operation at its Imari, Japan-based plant to utilize company-wide engineering capabilities and maximize cost advantages of volume production. Crystal growing capacity is to be expanded at the company’s Yonezawa and Saga, Japan plants, where 300mm crystal growing technology is already in place.

Sumitomo operates 12 manufacturing facilities located in Asia, Europe and the U.S.

Also reported this week, Chinese foundry SMIC is pulling in its ramp from Q1 2006 to Q4 of this year as it continues to equip its 300mm fab based on announcements from two tool vendors, Fremont, Calif.-based Mattson Technology Inc. and Austrian tool vendor SEZ Group, that said they recently shipped tools to a 300mm fab in China.

Last week, Japan DRAM giant Elpida Memory Inc. and its Hiroshima Elpida Memory Inc. subsidiary announced the first phase of investment for manufacturing equipment had begun for its second 300mm wafer fabrication facility, E300-Fab2.

As part of the company’s plan for the E300-Fab2, Hiroshima Elpida said it would place purchase orders for the manufacturing equipment to allow for 15,000 wafers per month production, including 1,000 wafers allocated to R&D.

By: DocMemory
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