Rexchip postpones transfer of capacity

LONDON, UK: DRAM maker Rexchip Electronics has announced postponement of transfer of its capacity of 80000 12- inch wafers to a 45nm process.

The decision was made due to the delivery delays of immersion scanners. Rexchip is a DRAM manufacturing joint venture between Elpida and Powerchip Semi conductor Corporation.

Its plan was to first transfer the capacity to 63nm. Stephen Chen, president of Rexchip has been quoted as saying that the schedule for company’s transition to 45nm would commence in 2011.

The DRAM maker was expected to schedule to covert all its 12inch chip production to the yearend 2010. It plans to shift all its production to 63nm in July.

It was said in a report that the transition to 45nm might move away from schedule due to extended delivery lead times of the key tool needed for ramping production on sub 50nm process.

Chen also added that the Rexchip will see its first set of immersion scanner equipment arrive immediately and five to six more sets to arrive by September.

Rival Inotera Memories, a joint venture between Micron Technology and Nanya Technology, recently announced that it was planning to move Micron's 50nm to mass production in 2010.