Intel Corp and Sharp Corp, partners on Flash memory devices, are holding out the hope of even smaller cellular telephones, digital cameras and portable computers. The partners have got design rules for 8M-bit Flash chips down to 0.4 of a micron, reducing the size of the chips by 44% compared with current 0.6 micron technology. Intel and Sharp together shared nearly 45% of the global Flash market in 1995, the market researchers say. Intel looks for sales of Flash chips to quadruple in the next three years to an annual market of $7,500m by 1999. Intel currently runs two Flash memory lines at its Albuquerque, New Mexico fabrication plant and plans one in Israel; Sharp has one line at its Fukuyama plant. Samples of the new chips are due this week, with volume in September.
