Fab French

Citation

(2000), "Fab French", Work Study, Vol. 49 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.2000.07949eab.007

Fab French

Philips Semiconductors (an affiliate of Royal Philips Electronics) and STMicroelectronics are investing $700 million to jointly build an advanced 12-inch (300 mm) wafer pilot-line fab in Crolles, France. The agreement expands the existing technology cooperation agreement that has been in place between these two leading semiconductor companies since 1992. By developing deep sub-micron semiconductor processes to 0.10 micron and below, this new 12-inch pilot line will keep both companies at the forefront of semiconductor technology. The pilot line will initially be designed to produce up to 1,000 wafers per week, with potential to ramp up to 2,000 wafers per week as needed. Site preparation and building of the pilot-line fab commenced in April, with the first 12-inch wafers expected to be processed in around 18 months' time. Standardisation of libraries, design tools and process flows, which are already well aligned as a result of previous cooperation, will mean that new process technologies designed in the joint R&D and pilot-line facility can be transferred directly into other STMicroelectronics and Philips fabs. This will ensure a fast ramp-up of production once these new processes come on-stream.