Toshiba, Sony Develop System Chips Dec 11, 2003

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Toshiba Corp. and Sony Corp. announced the two companies have developed technology to mass-produce customized semiconductors with 65-nanometer circuit widths. Chips made with the technology are likely to be used in Sony's next generation game console, PlayStation 3.

Toshiba said it's aiming to begin sample shipments in March 2004 and mass production of the chips during the first half of the fiscal year starting April 2005, although the release of PlayStation 3 has not yet been announced. Toshiba said it expects to begin mass production of the chips at its factory in Oita prefecture, in southern Japan.

The new Toshiba-Sony System-on-a-Chip( SoC) semiconductors have 32 megabits of on-chip dynamic access memory, which is reportedly enough to be used in DVD recorders.

Global chipmakers such as Intel Corp. have been pursuing the development of system chips with narrower circuit widths to boost speed and reduce power consumption. Earlier this year, the semiconductor industry shifted to mass-production of 90-nanometer chips. Toshiba said it has "several customers" other than Sony that will test its sample chips.

Each of the partners in the consortium has invested Y150 million (approximately U.S. $1.4 million) in the project. Sony is a junior partner and has contributed Y10 million (approximately $92,000).

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