Nanya to begin 42m process this month

TAIPEI: Nanya Technology, the DRAM maker, has disclosed plans to commence pilot runs for 12-inch wafer production using a 42nm process this month.

Later this month, Peer Rexchip Electronics will also implement Elpida Memory's 45nm process technology. Nanya revealed that they will switch on to a sample production of Micron Technology's 42nm design later in June, rather than in the third quarter as originally planned.

Moreover, Inotera Memories, Nanya's joint venture with Micron, also plans to move forward its schedule to set up the node by a quarter in September. By the third quarter; Nanya would convert all of its 12-inch chip production to 50nm.

The node accounts for half of Nanya's total 12-inch capacity a month, and 68nm makes up the remainder.

Rexchip, a DRAM-manufacturing joint venture of Elpida Memory and Power chip Technology, has in the meanwhile said it would reassess schedule for trial production using 45nm.

They previously planned to begin trial runs on the node in the third quarter. According to a report, Rexchip officials have been quoted as saying that that due to delivery delays of immersion scanners, the transition to 45nm might fall behind schedule due to delivery delays of immersion scanners.

By the end of third quarter, with the equipment, it is possible to move the node to mass production, the company said.

According to the company, in July, Rexchip is set to transfer all of its 12-inch capacity (80,000 wafer starts per month) to a 63nm process, which is now the company's major production node.