In the most complete, public discussion to date on the scope and character of the 450 mm wafer transition, representatives of SEMATECH, policy-makers from the European Commission, industry consortia, and technology suppliers met to discuss the implications of 450 mm transition at SEMICON Europa on October 13-14, in Dresden, Germany. Among the highlights of the 2-day session was the 450 transition price tag estimated by speakers at $25-$40 billion, much of it centered at the Global 450 Consortium (G450C), perhaps with little room for other industry consortia or non-G450C participants.
According to Tom Jefferson, 450 program manager at SEMATECH, by mid-2013 to early 2014, a complete 450 mm production line will be established in New York containing 50 different tool types. The objective of the pilot line will be to develop data to support the purchase of production-line tools and it is unlikely that non-participants in G450C will be favorably considered for 450 production lines. According to many speakers–like the case with 200 mm tools during the 300 mm transition–when 450 mm reaches production, significant 300 mm development will cease.