While some integrated circuits manufacturers are still experiencing problems with 0.13micron technology, one of the Taiwanese largest memory chip makers, Winbond Electronics, reported that their 0.13micron manufacturing technology works divinely. As to the vice president and chief manager of the company, Mr. Alex Wang, the production of 0.13micron memory chips has been polished so rapidly that they are planning to start mass production next month already with the new technology used instead of the outdated 0.16micron process.

At present, the chip yields with 0.13micron technology are 240 pieces out of an 8-inch wafer, which is only 10% lower than in case of 0.16micron technology. Therefore, Winbond has every reason to expect that next month it will be simply more profitable to manufacture chips with finer technology.

By the end of the year, 70% of all Winbond chips will be manufactured with 0.13micron technology. At present, 0.16micron process covers 60% of all Winbond’s production lines. Moreover, some equipment still uses the old 0.175micron technology.

As you know, 90% of Winbond products are DDR SDRAM chips. 90% of this quantity make DDR333 chips. Also about 1/3 of all chips boast a sufficient safety factor to be marked as DDR400, which some module makers buying chips from Winbond take advantage of. The transfer to 0.13micron technology is most likely to allow Winbond to start making "real" DDR400 SDRAM chips, which we have already told you about in our news.