NEC Corp yesterday unveiled technology for next-generation 0.10 micron chips that it aims to have ready by early 2003 for use in goods from supercomputers to mobile phones.
NEC said design rules for most of the transistors in the large-scale integration (LSI) chips would be set jointly with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), the world's largest contract chipmaker.
It is the two companies' closest cooperation to date in chip technology.
"If we can have it ready in the first quarter of 2003, I think we'll be in the top group globally," said Osamu Kudo, an NEC general manager for device development.
"There's not much difference between standard devices. The competition is only in terms of speed," he said. "Getting out ultra-high speed or low-power products depends on process technology."
The world's leading chipmakers, currently shifting their cutting-edge processes to 0.13 micron rules from 0.18 micron, or millionth of a metre, are racing to breach technological barriers still blocking the next step to 0.10 micron.
The semiconductor sector's relentless march to ever-finer circuitry has enabled a steady stream of cheaper, faster chips, but the daunting costs of the advance are forcing many big manufacturers to join forces.
Toshiba Corp, Japan's biggest chipmaker, and Sony Corp announced plans in May for a joint development project to March 2004 to develop 0.10 and 0.07 micron process and design technologies for LSI chips.
NEC officials said the collaboration with TSMC, which already supplies chips to the Japanese company on a contract basis, would be limited to designs for standard or high-speed transistors in LSI chips for high-volume products.
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