Blackout has minimal impact on IBM's 300mm chip fab
Jack Robertson
EBN

08/15/2003 4:00 PM EST
URL: http://www.eetimessupplynetwork.com/13100361

IBM Microelectronics' 300mm fab in East Fishkill, N.Y. emerged unscathed from the huge power blackout and is expected to be back in production over the weekend, an IBM spokesman told EBN late Friday.

A second 200mm fab in Burlington, Vt., was unaffected by the blackout.

IBM said backup power kicked in immediately when the East Fishkill plant lost electricity. Although not designed to keep the fab fully operational, the backup system powered down tools and the production line into a standby mode, the spokesman said. Critical tools, such as lithography systems, must be kept in a hot maintenance mode to avoid damage to sensitive lenses and alignment, he added.

Initial assessment showed no damage to crucial equipment, such as quartz boats that handle wafers, according to the spokesman. Gas and water distribution systems were undamaged.

IBM is surveying the wafers that were in production at the time the fab lost power, "but we believe there was minimal impact on the work in process," he said.

The fab is expected to resume production over the weekend. IBM has long declined to disclose the present wafer start capacity of the 300mm facility as it ramps up to full capacity.