News Article
Israel fab readies 90nm copper Flash
Intel's Fab 18, Israel, will be the first to produce the company's next-generation 90nm Flash technology in volume.
Intel's Fab 18, Israel, will be the first to produce the company's next-generation 90nm Flash technology in volume.
Zvi Ginosar, Fab 18 Business Planning Manager, reports that the biggest change for the facility will be the introduction of copper processing - not only a change, but a challenge. Silicon's vital semiconducting characteristics are poisoned by copper. This is why aluminium has been the metal of choice in the industry until very recently.
The 90nm Flash was developed at Intel's prototype facility in Santa Clara, California. Fab 18 (Kiryat Gat) is already running 90nm Flash wafers through its wafer sort machines in preparation for full production.
Intel produces only NOR Flash, but is seeking to develop products for the data storage markets traditionally covered by NAND devices.
