Intel's .13 micron fab shortage; AMD Duron bests Celeron in Europe; AMD takes SOI deliveries

[NFS4]

Phew, that's a mouthful

Intel's lack of 0.13 micron fabs

Duron bests Celeron in Western Europe

SOITECH delivers SOI to AMD

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

Yeah, I saw some of that stuff over at the Inquirer. It doesn't say that AMD "takes SOI deliveries", only that "SOITEC began to ship its Unibond wafers in large volume and had also started sampling the 12-inch wafers too." You can bet that some of them are going to Dresden though. Probably not in volume, but enough to begin the trial/sampling process. Things should get interesting next quarter!

 

[BD231]

Take a look at this post, it's said that AMD already has a functioning SOI chip.

 

[Adul]

<< Take a look at this post, it's said that AMD already has a functioning SOI chip. >>



all i see is general hardware.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

That Intel article is HIGHLY misleading, besides being speculative. It makes this out to be an "Intel" problem, whereas it is a problem getting equipment from a supplier. Anybody doing 0.13 right now is likely in the same boat, ie. can't get those SVG tools, unless there is an alternate supplier of the same technology. That "Geeks" article is full of mistakes - actually, it should read "SVGI" tools as that is the actual name of the company (Silicon Valley Group Inc.), they have no idea of the correct number of Intel fabs nor which are/are not moving to 300mm, and they don't even seem to know the different Intel parts that are currently shipping on 0.13 (P3's, P3 mobile, and those "super Celeries" (ie. the 1.2 and up).

Interesting to see that the SOI wafers will also come in 300mm, the previous stories had only mentioned 200mm, which seemed like a stupid move for anybody to use considering the mass transition by the entire industry to 300mm. Although the wafers shipped to AMD must be only 200mm, as the articles all say that Soitec is just now sampling the 300mm wafers. So I would hazard to guess that the wafers that AMD will be receiving will indeed be used for something before Hammer, as by the time Hammer is in production 300mm will be standard.

 

[Pabster]

Sounds like Barton, with SOI to me. Makes sense.

 

[Wingznut]

Midnight, that geek.com article isn't misleading... It's just plain inaccurate. Fab20 in OR is Intel's #1 .13µ Fab... Yet they don't seem to know it exists. Also, we aren't using any SVG scanners for the critical (smallest) layers... So, that's pretty irrelevant. Also, those tools obviously aren't "necessary for 0.13 micron production." Actually, Intel never planned on using said tools for the Tualatin/Northwood process.

(Note to self: Don't rely on geek.com for any reliable news.)


"it's said that AMD already has a functioning SOI chip."

Well, if they are planning on releasing it next year (as well as ordering a bunch of SOI wafers), I'd hope they have many, many working SOI chips (and I'm sure they do.)


"by the time Hammer is in production 300mm will be standard."

Actually, AMD isn't scheduled to have 300mm online until ~2005. They will probably be outsourcing production to UMC, though... And I think they will be up to speed before 2005.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

Wingz, you be the Man, we all know that ... Some of those other people, ie. "Intel sources" such as those quoted by Geek, don't seem to know as much about the company as they ought to, huh? I shouldn't have fallen for it, but when I saw the mention of SVG(I) I thought they might be on to something, as SVGI is obviously a known supplier to Intel.

I guess maybe Geek.com just needed an article to draw "hits" ... and spewing BS about Intel having any sort of problem is guaranteed to draw lots of hits these days.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

<< Actually, AMD isn't scheduled to have 300mm online until ~2005. They will probably be outsourcing production to UMC, though... And I think they will be up to speed before 2005. >>

Agreed on the part about UMC. UMC and TSMC are both in competition to outdo each other, and TSMC already has 0.13 with 300mm (at least that is what they claim, it's right in their company's 2001 annual report), so I doubt UMC is far behind them. And AMD's pending (?) pact with UMC is well known by now, UMC's stock jumped nicely on the rumors.

 

[Wingznut]

And if you want to get technical... SVGL is now ASML.

 

[EricHagen]

I picked up on that story earlier and had been looking for material to write a report on it.

Nothing...


Damn, it's hard to write about things that are supposed to be secret.

Eric

 

[jeffrey]

Isn't Fab 30, Dresden, going to produce .13 SOI? Any word on what Fab 25 in Austin is using?

Has AMD found a partner yet to split the bill on another plant?

 

[AGodspeed]

Isn't Fab 30, Dresden, going to produce .13 SOI? Any word on what Fab 25 in Austin is using?

AMD has said that they will produce SOI based Athlon/Duron processors in the second half of next year.

Has AMD found a partner yet to split the bill on another plant?

There's good reason to believe that UMC will help out AMD. Not only in the conversion to 300mm wafers, but also supposedly in the production of Duron processors.