JV for Dresden photomask facility
07/01/2002
Infineon Technologies AG, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and DuPont Photomasks Inc. plan to establish and operate a new advanced photomask facility in Dresden, Germany, with investments of around EUR 360 million over the next five years.
The facility will be used to develop and pilot-manufacture next-generation lithographic photomasks for exposing patterns on silicon wafers. For this purpose, the three companies are creating a new, equally owned joint venture, Advanced Mask Technology Center GmbH (AMTC). The AMTC facility will be co-located with a new commercial photomask production facility that DuPont Photomasks will establish in Dresden as a separate entity.
The building, which is planned to house the two companies, will have usable floor space of 17,500 square meters. It will be constructed in the immediate vicinity of Infineon's and AMD's Dresden-based semiconductor fabs. The completion date for construction is scheduled for early 2003. As soon as the building is in place, AMTC and DuPont Photomasks plan to install equipment and begin operations in the second half of 2003. AMTC expects to employ around 170 people. Key engineers from all three companies are expected to staff the AMTC and will collaboratively develop a roadmap for technology nodes of 90-65nm and below.
Infineon already operates a photomask development and production facility in Munich, with around 230 employees producing masks exclusively for Infineon's worldwide production facilities. With this strategic shift, Infineon is pulling out of its own complete mask development in favor of cooperation in the area of high-end-masks designed to speed up development cycles and to reduce costs.
Additionally, DuPont Photomasks has been selected as Infineon Technologies' strategic photomask supplier, as the two companies entered into a 10-year supply agreement. As part of that agreement, DuPont Photomasks plans to build a state-of-the-art, commercial production photomask facility in Dresden to support the advanced photomask needs of its global customers, including Infineon. Operations at the new facility are scheduled to begin in late 2003.
During DuPont Photomasks' fiscal 2003, the supply agreement with Infineon is expected to add approximately $14 million in revenues, and approximately $42 million in fiscal 2004. As DuPont Photomasks' Dresden facility ramps to volume production in the middle of fiscal 2004, Infineon plans to cease internal production of photomasks and use DuPont Photomasks as its commercial supplier. The company estimates Infineon's current photomask demand at $50-60 million annually.
Also under the terms of the agreement, in consideration for certain photomask production assets acquired within 18 months and of the 10-year supply agreement, DuPont Photomasks will pay Infineon approximately $53 million over seven years. In addition, DuPont Photomasks intends to purchase from Infineon additional photomask production assets for $28 million, paid out over four years.
Nanotechnology association formed
The European NanoBusiness Association was launched recently in Brussels, Belgium, with the goal of providing a neutral platform upon which the business, academic, and financial communities can come together for the benefit of Europe's nanotechnology initiative.
"In order to get nanotechnology out of the lab and into industry and have it being used," said association Executive Director Tim Harper, "we have to bridge the chasm between science and business." Harper said that technology in Europe has often been a problem because while there is an "excellent research base on an academic level, turning that research into world-class companies has been better [managed] in the US and Japan."
The aim of the association is to bring together all the parties that are interested in nanotechnology and to help plug gaps in expertise. Specifically, the association intends to discuss and promote the development of a dynamic nanotechnology industry; build a common forum in which to rapidly share and disseminate well-researched and realistic information for its members and for public education; promote the development of promising technology arenas; connect its members with the local and global nanotechnology communities; and monitor and benchmark Europe's competitive position in relation to the building and commercialization of nanotechnology.
The association is nonprofit and completely neutral, explained Harper, a major advantage because "the nanotech industry is so diverse and cuts across so many vertical markets, you really need to bring people together in a neutral forum." The association does not make commission on any deals created, and does not charge for published reports or studies. Members need only pay a membership fee for admission. Aside from the informal meetings, there will be a benchmarking exercise every six months, bringing together businesses, science, and governments from all over Europe to assess how the region is faring compared with the rest of the world. "We want to identify what we're doing well, identify best practices, and see what we're not doing very well."