Intel Corporation, the world's largest chip maker, announced plans today for a new semiconductor plant in Arizona which is expected to be ready for production in two years. The plant will be located alongside Intel's existing facilities in Chandler, Arizona and will manufacture 300mm silicon wafers. Construction was scheduled to begin immediately.
The plant is being designed to produce silicon wafers for Intel's slated line of 45 nanometer chips in the second half of 2007. To give perspective, 45nm is roughly 1/1333rd the width of a human hair. Intel and its chief rival AMD currently produce processors based on 90nm technology.
The new addition in Arizona will bring Intel's employment in Chandler up to 10,000. The new facility will join another plant already in production and a second which is currently being updated with new technology to handle the new parts.
News source: Reuters
