- Economics Chart -

              1970        1990        Change    Comments
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wafer         2"          6"          3x        Most new fabs will
size*                                           use 8' wafers.
                                                
feature       7 micro-    1 micro     1/7x     Minimum size reduces
size            meters       meter              about 50% every 6 yrs.
                                                  

DRAM         1 Kbit       1 Mbit     1000x     Dynamic Random 
                                                Access Memory

chip        .1 square     1 square   10x       Constrained by
area           cm.          cm.                yield

wafer        $50          $500       10x       At end of 
cost                                           fabrication

number       4-7          15-25      5x
of masks

yield*       20%          80%        4x

chip         $2           $4         2x
cost

cost         0.2         0.0004      1/500x   And going down fast
per bit      cents       cents

equipment    $160K       $160M       100x     For 1000 wafers
cost                                          per week
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*reaching ceiling