TSMC plans “dramatic” 90nm ramp up in 2005
Production levels will be ramped to even higher volumes during 2005, the company promised. The company is forecasting that nearly 40 single-product mask sets will tape out in 2004 and that 30 more products will tape out on mask-sharing wafers before year's end. Among these products, close to ten have entered production stage and others are either in qualification or design verification.
"TSMC expects that 90nm demand will increase at a rapid pace in 2005, across a range of applications in consumer, communications, PC and industrial markets," said Dr Genda Hu, vice president of marketing for TSMC.
To support this strong demand, TSMC is preparing a major capacity expansion and an aggressive ramp of 90nm technology in Fab 12 and Fab 14 during 2005. TSMC's 90nm technology is the only foundry process at that node to feature copper interconnect, low-k dielectrics and 12-inch wafer production as standard.