AMD Ramps Fab 36

By Jessica Davis -- Electronic News, 4/4/2006

AMD today announced its first revenue shipments of AMD64 processors last month from Fab 36 in Dresden, Germany on 300mm wafers and 90 nanometer process technology.

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based chipmaker said it ramped to volume production in record time, hitting every major milestone on schedule and beginning production at mature yields.

“The timeline of this Fab 36 has been tight and ambitious,” said Hans Deppe, vice president and general manager, AMD Saxony LLC & Co. KG, in a press conference today. “We promised to ship and we made good on that promise.”

The company also disclosed that it has been producing a significant number of 65nm development test chips in parallel with 90nm products at the fab in preparation for volume 65nm production later this year. AMD expects 65nm production shipments in the second half of this year and further expects to be substantially converted to 65nm production by mid-2007.

AMD will use the same strained silicon technology and transistor technology at 65nm as it has at 90nm, Deppe said, making for an easy transition. But the third generation of strained silicon is expected to provide a 40 percent improvement in transistor performance, Deppe said.

At the 45nm node, Deppe said that AMD achieved a 45nm SRAM test chip earlier this year, and is using ultra low-k material in the interconnects.  Deppe said the jury is still out in terms of when the company will begin to use immersion lithography.

“It will be introduced when it is needed,” he said.