NEC Corp said it has developed a technique to print 0.13-micron rules on semiconductors and will start using the new process to mass-produce large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs) from next April. The CMOS technology enables logic circuits for high-speed calculation, analogue circuits and low-power-consuming electrical circuits to be mounted onto a single microchip.
NEC will use the technique to make system LSIs for use in a set-top box that can function as a terminal for next-generation cellular phones and digital broadcasting, a company statement said. The company will spend 15bn yen ($142m) to build an advanced production line able to process 6,000 8-inch wafers a month and will also boost capital investment for the current year by 20bn yen to 150bn yen to allow production of the LSIs at other affiliated plants.
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