Product category:
Memory Devices and Modules
News Release from: Spansion
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 20 September 2007
Flash facility begins producing 300mm
wafers
The SP1 wafer manufacturing site is the first factory constructed by Spansion since becoming an independent company.
Flash memory specialist Spansion has started production of MirrorBit technology at 65nm on 300mm wafers at its Spansion 1 (SP1) facility in Japan, and expects to ship to customers in high volume by the end of the year To celebrate this milestone, Spansion held a dedication ceremony at SP1, which is the world's first 300mm NOR manufacturing facility and is integral to Spansion's strategy to produce leading-edge differentiated Flash memory solutions
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 4 Jun 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Flash features in FPGA development
Spansion Flash memory is an integral part of the new Avnet Xilinx Spartan-3A reference board, providing configuration storage as well as code and data storage.
Flash memories cut handset design costs
MirrorBit Eclipse architecture-based MCPs offer exceptional user experience in mid- to high-end mobile phone platforms.
During the ceremony, Spansion executives demonstrated working silicon of MirrorBit technology at 65nm and gave a tour of the fab.
The SP1 wafer manufacturing site is the first factory constructed by Spansion since becoming an independent company.
Spansion has invested a significant portion of its planned US $1.2 billion to construct and equip SP1.
Further reading
Next-generation ORNAND targets NAND applications
MirrorBit ORNAND2 architecture will use a SONOS-like memory cell connected in a NAND memory array at 45nm, featuring fast write performance with high packing density.
NOR Flash is ready for Chinese handset designs
Prequalification of Flash memory will enable manufacturers to get cost-effective, high-performance phones to market faster in China and other high-growth regions.
Spansion expects that this investment will produce capacity of 15,000-20,000 300mm wafers per month.
With additional investment, Spansion has the capability to expand capacity to produce 30,000-40,000 wafers per month in the future.
Spansion plans to produce leading-edge products at SP1, such as MirrorBit Eclipse devices, with products at 45nm expected in 2008.
SP1 is co-located with Spansion's other fab in Aizu, JV3, and shares some resources with JV3 such as employees and facilities.
"We are on schedule for scaling MirrorBit technology to 45nm on 300mm wafers", says Bertrand Cambou, President and CEO, Spansion.
"By leveraging this next-generation facility, and the cost and technology advantages of MirrorBit technology, we can deliver on our promise to bring more value to our customers and redefine the Flash memory industry".
Spansion started the 300mm development at its MirrorBit technology-dedicated R and D centre in Silicon Valley, Submicron development Centre (SDC).
The 65nm MirrorBit technology process was developed at the SDC and has since been transferred to SP1 for production.
The SDC is now currently running full flow development 300mm wafers, 45nm technology, which is targeted for transfer to SP1 in 2008.
The SDC is the only 300mm NOR Flash memory R and D facility in California.
MirrorBit technology offers higher yields than traditional floating-gate NOR, and scales more easily to higher densities.
When compared with floating-gate NOR technology, MirrorBit technology offers a simpler memory cell, which requires fewer critical manufacturing steps to produce than competing floating-gate technologies.
As a result, MirrorBit technology can be produced at a lower overall wafer cost.
Spansion's aggressive process technology roadmap features the transition to a new process node each year.
Spansion leverages a single technology, MirrorBit, in all of its fabs for efficient production of code and data storage solutions.
• Spansion: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
