(Nikkei BP Group)
(No.1 High-Tech News Site in Japanese)
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| ATI to Use 0.18-micron Process for Future Graphics Chips
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October 8, 1998 (TOKYO) -- Canada's ATI Technologies Inc. said it will
start mass producing next-generation graphics accelerator microchips
using 0.18-micron process technology.
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It will start production in the second quarter of 1999. Sample shipments
are slated for the second quarter of 1999.
The company will consign to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.
(TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) in Taiwan the production
of the microchips.
Currently, ATI is consigning to UMC the production of its RAGE PRO microchips
using a 0.35-micron rule, and to TSMC its 0.25-micron RAGE 128 microchips
that were introduced in August.
Although he did not disclose the details, K.Y. Ho, president and CEO
of ATI, said the performance of the next-generation products would increase
by as much as four to five times that of the RAGE 128 microchips.
Regarding microchips using copper wiring, Kevin Oerton, product manager
for the company's Component Marketing Group, said those products would
be marketed in 2000 at the earliest.
Generally, leading-edge processes have been adopted for graphics accelerator
microchips six to nine months after having been used for microprocessors.
Copper wiring also will be used for graphics accelerator microchips
after cost reduction measures have been disseminated, Oerton said.
Both TSMC and UMC already have announced that they will start to use
0.18-micron process and copper wiring in 1999.
Related story: ATI
Chief Says Many Makers Offer PCs with Digital LCD Interface
(Nikkei Microdevices)
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