300 mm transition quickens pace

By Lisa A. Karter

Geneva — Nine pilot lines for 300-mm semiconductor wafer fabrication are expected to be in operation by 1998. The pilot lines are expected to produce 500 to 1,000 wafer starts per month (wsm). Another six pilot lines are expected in 1999 with high volume fabs (about 20,000 wsm) predicted for 2000, according to Dr. George A. Lee, director of the Global 300 mm Initiative. Lee provided an update of the global semiconductor 300 mm transition at Semicon Europa in April.

Over the next year, SEMI`s International 300 mm Initiative (I300I) and the Semiconductor Leading Edge Technologies, Inc. (Selete) consortia have 30 to 40 tools scheduled for delivery and evaluation. Currently, I300I has 13 tools being evaluated and Selete was slated to take delivery of 15 more tools last month.

Next month, the consortia will issue a document that will set standards requirements and equipment designs for 300 mm wafer fabs in the U.S. and Japan. In July at Semicon West in San Francisco, three standards will be reviewed: the front opening interface mechanical standard; the cart-to-tool standard interface; and the box open er/loader-to-tool standard interface. These standards are in the process of a final review which is scheduled for completion next month.

Also occurring in July at Semicon West is a 300 mm wafer workshop to be held on July 14. The workshop will focus on development of prime wafer specs for wafer dimensions and other critical properties.

In other news, worldwide semiconductor equipment sales are expected to hit $35 billion in 1999, predicts the SEMI Consensus Forecast. In 1997, the total equipment sales forecast is about $25.3 billion, which will climb to $28.7 billion in 1998, according to SEMI.