37.1 INTRODUCTION

Those who are in the semiconductor business realize that there are many pressing issues that determine the success or failure of semiconductor manufacturing facilities. This single chapter can t address all of those issues in detail. Accordingly, our intent is to address at an overview level many of the concerns, as well as the business strategies, that are among the most pivotal in the planning, design, and construction of these facilities.

The semiconductor industry is renowned for the accelerated rate of its technological evolution. The pace of that evolution is like no other dominant manufacturing enterprise since the Industrial Revolution, not even the steel, automotive, agriculture, timber, or textile industries. Much of that breakneck pace is attributable to the unprecedented expectations placed upon the product ultimately produced. At the heart of this relentless technological march is the renowned Moore s law, which dictates a doubling of semiconductor performance every 18 months.

Such ambitious expectations for the products manufactured apply similar expectations to those responsible for producing the products. Semiconductor fab owners increasingly want more performance for their money. At the same time costs are soaring above $2 billion for a new fab and the margins earned on every chip are shrinking due to increased competition and the migration of the industry to lower cost locations.

Today prudent owners are making comprehensive business planning and cost modeling as important a part of their fab planning process as the design and construction processes for the fab itself.

Design/build...