FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
George Robillard
Fujitsu Microelectronics, Inc.
(408) 922-9440
Dick Davies
Independent Public Relations Assoc.
(415) 777-4161
Will Enable Faster Conversion to 3.3 V Technology for PC Main Memory
Some PC manufacturers have delayed shifting to pure 3.3 Volt motherboard designs because price premiums for 3.3 Volt DRAM devices would negatively impact system margins. Fujitsu is removing the last barrier to completing a 3.3 Volt conversion in PC motherboard designs, since all other major components, including the MPU, second-level cache, and system logic chip set are now available in 3.3 Volt versions at attractive prices. The shift to 3.3 Volt systems will simplify motherboard designs, and improve system performance, reduce ground bounce and electromagnetic interference. It also will eliminate logic level conversion buffers and drivers.
Shifting production to 3.3 Volt devices will increase output from the new 0.35 micron, 8-inch wafer fabs now entering mass production throughout the industry, according to George Robillard, director of the memory business unit at FMI. "Abandoning 5 Volt interface levels allows smaller die sizes, resulting in higher semiconductor manufacturing yields," he said. "PC manufacturers will benefit from increased DRAM supply as the new 3.3 Volt designs reach full-scale production. Also, 3.3 Volt devices generate less input/output noise in high-speed operation, especially for wideword (x8 or x16) DRAMs and SDRAMs."
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