The head of Elpida Memory, one of the world’s largest suppliers of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips, has confirmed that the company was interested to merge with ProMOS and, perhaps, even PowerChip Semiconductor Corp.
“We will consider merging with ProMOS Technologies,” Yukio Sakamoto, chief executive officer of Elpida said during his visit to Taipei, Taiwan, reports Taiwan Economic News. Besides, the Japan-based memory maker is also said to be “assessing the feasibility of merging with PowerChip Semiconductor (PSC).
Rumours about possible merge between Elpida, ProMOS and PowerChip emerged last week when it became clear that Mr.
(Full article ‘Elpida to “Consider Merging with ProMOS”, Says Chief Executive Officer’)
News
UMC Manufactures Foundry IndustryВ’s First Chips Using 28nm Process Technology.
UMC Announces Foundry IndustryВ’s First 28nm SRAMs
[10/27/2008 10:40 PM]
by Anton Shilov
United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), a leading contract maker of semiconductors, on Monday announced that it has manufactured the foundry industry’s first fully functional 28nm SRAM chips.
The chips are based on UMC’s independently developed low-leakage (LL) process technology. UMC utilized advanced double-patterning immersion lithography and strained silicon technology to produce the chips, which feature very small six-transistor SRAM cell sizes of approximately 0.122 micron².
UMC incorporates a dual approach for its 28nm technology to address different market applications. The f
(Full article ‘UMC Manufactures Foundry Industry’s First Chips Using 28nm Process Technology’)
Despite of relatively disappointing results revealed by market analysts on Tuesday, Nvidia Corp., the world’s largest designer of graphics processing units (GPUs), is reportedly boosting production orders at its two main manufacturing partners Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and United Microelectronics Corp.
Throughout the Q1 2008 Nvidia contracted TSMC to make 50 thousand wafers using 65nm process technology, whereas UMC landed orders for 7 – 9 thousand of wafers from the graphics chip developer. Citing anonymous market watchers, China Economic News Service reports that in Q2 2008 the fabless semiconductor designer will order 60 thousand wafers from TSMC and 10 – 12 thousand wafers from UMC.
Depending on chip’s die area, one 300mm wafer can fit from about 100 very high-end to 800 entry-level die candidates.
(Full article ‘Nvidia Believes in Further Growth of Graphics Processor Market’)