TI make Logic at first 300-mm fab

06/01/1997

TI may make logic at first 300-mm fab

On the eve of SEMICON/Europa, several hundred semiconductor executives gathered in Grenoble, France, for a conference on 300-mm strategies sponsored by SEMI and the Grenoble Technologies et Competitive group. The event featured few bombshells but did give a sense that 300-mm development is on course for pilot line introduction in 1999.

Texas Instruments is finding no major problems in early investigations of equipment and materials availability for its 300-mm fab in Avezzano, Italy, but could re-evaluate the facility`s product mix.

"We have very high confidence that we will be able to get the kind of tools we need," said Bob Doering, TI`s factory strategy manager. He noted that TI will establish a "mini-line" in 1999, and that those tools "will necessarily have to be capable of the kind of specs we`ll need in production. We`re sticking with our schedule."

Doering went on to say, however, that TI is currently conducting its annual review of market conditions, and said, "We`re more uncertain now than we were six months ago about whether the highest product demand (when the Avezzano facility starts up) will be for memory. We see indications of more upside need for logic than memory, and we`re looking at alternatives on how we implement the fab. But the time frame will be the same no matter what the product is."

The company was the first formally to announce plans for a 300-mm facility. TI will probably reach volume production at the new $1.2 billion facility in 2000, with a capacity of 6600 wafers/month using 0.28-micron design rules.

SEMI now estimates that nine 300-mm pilot lines will begin operation in the 1998-99 time frame, setting the stage for medium-sized fabs and mega-fabs to follow shortly thereafter. George Lee, director of SEMI`s Global 300mm Initiative, said the five major stumbling blocks, most of which are expected to be addressed in time, are metrology and lithography tools, wafer availability, the timing of the chip industry`s next uptick, and whether enough raw silicon will be available to supply current 200-mm demand as well as 300-mm ramp up. - P.N.D.