|
Hynix Semiconductor on Thursday announced a plan to expand cooperation with Taiwan's ProMOS Technologies in the production of DRAM chips based on the latest 54-nano technology. The Korean company also plans to buy as much as 10 percent of ProMOS and participate in its management.
The 54-nano process is state-of-the-art technology which so far only Samsung Electronics, among all memory chip makers worldwide, has applied to mass production.
Hynix aims to begin producing chips based on the 54-nano technology this month. It has been using ProMOS as its overseas production base to cut costs and avoid countervailing duties imposed on Korean goods imported into the U.S. and Europe. Hynix has been seeking to transfer its 60-plus-nano technology to the Taiwanese firm since last year.
A Hynix official said, "ProMOS wants 54-nano technology, a more state-of-the-art technology than the 66-nano technology which it earlier agreed to license. We've also decided that the transfer of such technology would be profitable to us as well. The technology transfer will take place either at the end of this year or early next year."
Hynix's proposal to send the advanced technology overseas will almost certainly throw fuel on an ongoing debate over the possibility of a technology drain.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
