Could IBM be next partner for Crolles2?

By Richard Wilson -- Electronics Weekly, 1/22/2007

It is likely that a major semiconductor company will join the Crolles2 Alliance following the decision of founding member NXP Semiconductors to pull out of the international process technology alliance at the end of the year.

Alliance partners STMicro­electronics and Freescale Semi­conductor are already in discussions to bring a big name semiconductor manufacturer into the Alliance which has developed leading edge CMOS process technology in Europe since 2000.

“We are now in discussions with major semiconductor companies to continue and reinforce technology cooperation in Crolles, as of 2008,” said ST.

IBM is one name which has been mentioned. While foundry TSMC may be interested in stepping up its involvement with Crolles2.

In 2002, the Alliance partners signed a joint development programme with TSMC for process technology alignment.

Reports have suggested that while Freescale has been pushing to bring IBM into the alliance, ST may favour inviting in TSMC.

According to Malcolm Penn, CEO of analyst Future Horizons, Crolles2 has “global credibility” but finding a new partner will be important. “They probably need to find a new partner, the investment is too big a burden for just the two of them,” said Penn.

Samsung could be a potential partner and Japanese firms have also been looking to form technology alliances.

Without the future benefits of the Alliance, NXP, which had been expected to make some changes to collaborative ventures following its acquisition by a private equity fund, will rely on its own R&D. This involves close links with IMEC in Belgium and it also intends to partner more closely with Taiwanese foundry TSMC.

Electronics Weekly is the London-based sister publication to Electronic News, part of The EDN Network.