Intel increases 300 mm capacity in New Mexico fab

Intel said that it will invest $650 million to increase the 300 mm wafer capacity of its Fab 11X in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. According to Intel, the fab will produce 90 nm and 65 nm chips. The increase in production capacity will be in full operation by early 2007 and will add 300 new manufacturing jobs, Intel said.

Intel currently has four 300 mm fabs - 11X in Rio Rancho, D1D and D1C in Beaverton, Oregon, and 24 in Ireland.

Manufacturing with 300 mm wafers (dramatically increases the ability to produce semiconductors at a lower cost compared with more widely used 200mm wafers. The total silicon surface area of a 300 mm wafer is 125 percent larger than that of a 200 mm wafer, and the number of printed dies is increased by 140 percent, Intel said.