Philips invests in discrete technologies

10/01/1998

Philips invests in discretetechnologies

In an investment of more than $106 million, Philips Semiconductors Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, an affiliate of Philips Electronics NV, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, has opened PowerFab 2, an advanced power discrete fab and the company`s second manufacturing plant located in Hazel Grove, Stockport, England.

PowerFab 2 draws on techniques from CMOS production by using Philips Semiconductors` 0.8-?m process under Class 10 cleanroom conditions. Typical production is done at 2-4 ?m under Class 100. The main production from PowerFab 2 will use Philips` TrenchMOS process. The company will also begin producing TOPFET2, a new process for producing protected power devices for automotive applications.

PowerFab 2 was completed in February and is achieving 97% yields. The fab will produce about 2 million power discrete semiconductors/day on 150-mm wafers for use in electronic devices. PowerFab 2 is the latest addition to Philips Semiconductors` Power Semiconductors Competence Center in Hazel Grove and provides more than five times the capacity in wafer throughput than the old Power MOS wafer fab.