Replies to post #4309 on Intel Corp (INTC)

[SemiconEng]

Huh? I certainly hope Intel has functional transistors on 90nm on 300mm wafers. I wouldn't want to think Prescott was done with discrete components. And you think 130nm might not be a candidate for 300mm? What are those 300mm fabs doing right now?
EP

I don't know specifically what intel is doing, it just doesn't make sense to me to use your cutting edge Manufacturing Facilities, on anything else except your cutting edge Process. Since 0.13u is > 2-3 years old, and from reports, stable, No doubt intel used 0.13u to test the 300mm wafer yields, and run the Process Tools through their paces. Once that's done (intel says it is), I wouldn't still be running 0.13u in MY 300mm Fab.

While the transition from 0.13u to 0.09u involves Process changes from all areas of the Fab, when you boil it down to it's core, it's really a Litho Mask Change, and everyone else shooting for those Critical Dimensions. If you look at the timeline of intel's previous announcements about functional transistors, then that should mostly be done for 0.09u. If intel is still running 0.13u on 300mm, then most likely it is at some low level, or ramping in a downward path as 0.09u ramps up. JMO.

Semi