Semiconductor 300, a joint venture between Motorola and Infineon Technologies , has produced its first functional 256Mbit density memory chips made on next-generation 300-millimeter wafers.
Making chips on 300-millimeter wafers allows for up to 2.5 times more chips per wafer than today's 200-millimeter technology. As a result, production costs on next-generation 256Mbit and 1G-bit DRAMs may be reduced by up to 30 percent, according to information posted on Semiconductor 300's Web site at http://www.sc300.de.
The high-density DRAM chips were manufactured using process technology based on geometries finer than 0.2 micron, demonstrating the 300-millimeter wafer equipment capabilities at the Dresden, Germany-based facility, the companies said in a statement.
In October, Motorola and Infineon, the former semiconductor subsidiary of Siemens AG, announced that Semiconductor 300 had started shipping to customers its first 64M-bit DRAMs manufactured on 300-millimeter wafers.
The joint venture between Motorola and Infineon is the result of a 1 billion mark ($US537 million) research and development initiative. The project involves 18 other partner companies and is also supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Technology and the State of Saxony, the statement said.
Motorola, based in Schaumburg, Illinois, can be reached at 1-847-576-5000 or at http://www.mot.com. Infineon can be reached at +49-89-234-0 or at http://www.infineon.com.