Intel, Samsung, and TSMC--big players in the fabrication of semiconductors--have announced that they will be collaborating in order to target an industry-wide transition to 450mm wafers starting in the year 2012. Most semiconductors today are manufactured on 300mm wafers--a transition that started in 2001--which was 10 years after the transition to 200mm wafers. Targeting 2012 as the next transition period keeps "in line with the historical pace of growth." The reasons for this planned transition were spelled out in a joint press release from the three companies:

Putting the weight of industry leaders behind this initiative increases the probability that the rest of the semiconductor fabrication industry will follow suit. Moving to a 450mm-sized wafer is the next logical step in semiconductor fabrication--and therefore would happen whether there was industry collaboration or not. However, by encouraging such collaboration, "the semiconductor industry can improve its return on investment and substantially reduce 450mm research and development costs by applying aligned standards, rationalizing changes from 300mm infrastructure and automation, and working toward a common timeline. The companies also agree that a cooperative approach will help minimize risk and transition costs."

Further proving that this will likely be an industry-wide initiative, Intel, Samsung, and TSMC are all members of the SEMATECH consortium, which includes 50 percent of the worldwide semiconductor market. Other members include AMD, IBM, and Texas Instruments. The joint press release states that the three companies will continue to work with the SEMATECH consortium, which will be "coordinating industry efforts on 450mm wafer supply, standards setting and developing equipment test bed capabilities."