The Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA) published on Monday the results of its annual wafer demand survey, showing the fabless industry’s own predictions for its wafer demand over the next two years. Predictions show a 45% increase in demand over 1998, followed by a 30% climb in 1999. Additionally, participants said that 61% of their wafer needs would be for geometries of 0.35 microns and lower, (a measurement that represents the smallest feature that can be created on a chip). The FSA survey covered 63 public and private fabless semiconductor companies, but the board of the FSA has issued a cautious statement regarding these figures. Overall, semiconductor industry growth is predicted to remain flat this year, it said, and historically, the fabless sector survey has tended to overstate future demand.
