1st Silicon is first Malaysian foundry to make 0.13 micron wafers

BY JACK WONG IN KUCHING

1st Silicon (M) Sdn Bhd has reached a major milestone in technological development with the commercial production of 0.13 micron wafers. 

The company is expected to send the first shipment of the 0.13 micron wafer NOR Flash products to Sharp Corporation of Japan, a leading supplier of NOR Flash products, before the end of next month. 

Sharp Corp is 1st Silicon’s initial technology partner. 

The NOR Flash products with density of up to 128MB are manufactured using the aluminium black end process, chief executive officer Dr John Nelson said yesterday. 

1st Silicon is the first foundry in Malaysia to produce the 0.13 micron wafers. 

Announcing this successful third-generation technology transfer, Dr Nelson said it was through close partnership that 1st Silicon and Sharp had developed the ability to rapidly transfer and bring to mass production the NOR Flash technology. 

“Based on our experience in this NOR Flash, 1st Silicon will expand our embedded flash technology portfolio. Apart from serving NOR Flash customers, 1st Silicon’s business strategy also focuses on serving the niche markets by offering embedded flash, image sensor, high voltage and automotive processes,” Dr Nelson added in a press statement. 

1st Silicon’s 200mm wafer fab facility at the Sama Jaya Free Industry Zone, Kuching is designed to produce more than 45,000 wafers a month at full ramp-up capacity for 0.25 micron wafers down to 0.13 micron wafer geometries. 

It started production of 0.25 micron wafers in early 2001 and then migrated to 0.18 micron wafers. The 0.15 micron wafers are expected to be in production in the third quarter of this year. 

The company invested some US$300mil in the past two years (2003 and 2004) to expand its plant.