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Japan’s Elpida reportedly to move 12-inch fab to Taiwan

Compiled from outside sources; Adam Connors, DigiTimes.com [Friday 12 April 2002]

Elpida, the wafer manufacture joint venture between Japanese heavyweights Hitachi and NEC, is considering moving its 12-inch fab currently under construction to Taiwan, possibly teaming up with Taiwan-based Powerchip Semiconductor (PSC), said the Economic Daily News Chinese-language newspaper. Elpida reportedly was motivated by its need to increase competitiveness.

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Motorola joins ST, Philips and TSMC’s 0.09-micron party in Crolles

Compiled from outside sources; Adam Connors, DigiTimes.com [Friday 12 April 2002]

The world’s number six semiconductor supplier, US-based Motorola, has joined the massive R&D effort in 0.09-micron development led by STMicroelectronics (ST), Philips and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in the Crolles, France plant of ST, contributing to a US$1.4 billion outlay over four years by the two European firms. TSMC will contribute technology but not funding to the venture.

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TSMC announces range of key initiatives, including Nexsys, through US roadshow

Compiled from outside sources; Adam Connors, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 11 April 2002]

A wide range of rapid-fire initiatives has already emerged from the beginning of a TSMC roadshow throughout the US, which began in San Jose this week and moves into the next, as the world’s largest foundry unveils some both unexpected and highly progressive directives.

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Micron offers samples of revised JEDEC-standard DDR333-based PC2700 DIMM modules

Press release; Adam Connors, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 11 April 2002]

Micron Technology announced on April 8 the availability of samples of its PC2700 TSOP (thin small outline package) DIMM (dual in-line memory module) utilizing DDR333 SDRAM, following validation of Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) SiS S551 motherboards using the revised modules and positive results from VIA tests with the KT333 chipset.

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VIA achieves full validation for vendors’ DDR333 chipset modules | DigiTimes

Compiled from outside sources; Adam Connors, DigiTimes.com [Tuesday 9 April 2002]

Independent testing by industry certified validation group Advanced Validation Labs (AVL) has given major memory module vendors the green light in their integration of new chipsets from VIA Technologies ­ the Apollo KT333 for the Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Athlon XP processor and the Apollo P4X333 for the Intel Pentium 4 processor. According to a statement by VIA on April 4, Micron Technology and Kingston Technology have started to ship DDR333 (PC2700) modules following the successful validation.

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Low-k dielectrics to get push by Dow Chemical, US, Taiwan and Japan

Compiled from outside sources; Adam Connors, DigiTimes.com [Monday 8 April 2002]

The process for sub-0.10-micron thin-film, low-resistance (k) material production, stalled under the burden of bad market conditions and slow manufacturing technology advancement, is beginning to achieve acceptance due to a group of key decisions and announcements this past week.

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UMC, Germany’s Micronas in co-op to build flat-panel video controller ICs | DigiTimes

Press release; Adam Connors, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 4 April 2002]

Taiwan’s United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) and German consumer electronics IC design firm Micronas have announced that they have successfully developed and reached first-pass success with a new 0.18-micron mixed-mode CMOS video controller chip, soon to be ready for the flat-panel display market that includes LCD and plasma displays.

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Facing revitalized competition, NEC reorganizes its chip divisions

Compiled from outside sources; Adam Connors, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 4 April 2002]

In a tough new competitive landscape, NEC has announced an internal restructuring of its chip divisions following a recent round of chip business mergers by main local rivals Toshiba, Fujitsu, Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric. NEC has bucked the merger trend and continues to go it alone, remaining the seventh-largest semiconductor company worldwide.

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Mental Notes: April 2002

I am currently spending a couple of days in HK, organising my resident visa for TW. Then Sunday afternoon, a large-ish earthquake knocks the cranes off the top of the half-built 53-storey new financial center, just around the corner from where I used to live on Jenai Rd. (Sorry Tom – architect on the project and friend – a new bit of PR is needed on this one!) It is to be the tallest building in the world. This event reminds me vividly of when best bud Nina escaped the Sept. 27 quake of ’99 by one day. Yeah, that one was bigger by far, 7.6 and 2,400 deaths, but current word from TPE is that this one was one scary ride too. I’m back in TPE tomorrow, ready for rockin’ and aftershockin’. Egads.