Intel, Samsung and TSMC has announced that it has reached an agreement for an industry-wide collaboration for larger wafers. They will work together with the semiconductor industry to make sure that they reach their goals. Larger wafers is usually translates into lower overall costs, and the 450mm wafers can hold twice as many dies as the current 300mm wafers. The transition to the new 450mm wafers is expected to start in 2012.
“There is a long history of innovation and problem solving in our industry that has delivered wafer transitions resulting in lower costs per area of silicon processed and overall industry growth.” said Bob Bruck, vice president and general manager, Technology Manufacturing Engineering in Intel’s Technology and Manufacturing Group. “We, along with Samsung and TSMC, agree that the transition to 450mm wafers will follow the same pattern of delivering increased value to our customers.”
