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This paper offers a sneak preview of the content of Semiconductor Fabtech Edition 39.

By Ernst Richter, Oguz Yavas, Chia-Yen Cha & Markus Sickmoeller, Inotera Memories Inc.; Juergen Daleiden, Stefan Holzhauser, Theam Wah Lee, Thomas Huber, Giorgio Schweeger & Ruediger Twele, Qimonda AG

ABSTRACT

This article follows up on a previously published paper that introduced the 110nm technology transfer of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) for the Inotera Memories joint venture at start-up [1]. In this paper, technology transfer and ramp of the 75nm DRAM technology is outlined for Inotera in full production mode. Again, technology transfer was done from Qimonda (previously Infineon Technologies) at Dresden in Germany where the technology was jointly developed with Nanya Technologies. Inotera at Taoyuan in Taiwan was the first receiving site to repeat the technology qualification. Continuous sales price reduction puts pressure on memory firms for fast introduction of technology shrinks to remain cost competitive [2]. Delays as short as a few days in the production ramp can translate into millions of dollars of missed opportunity in revenue. This paper sets forth the steps taken by the two companies to avoid such setbacks in the technology transfer.