[PLUG-TALK] Here’s why TSMC and Intel keep building foundries in the Arizona desert

[Keith Lofstrom]

On Sun, Jun 06, 2021 at 09:08:16AM -0700, Galen Seitz wrote:
> Here's an interesting but brief article.  I was unaware that Intel
> is doing water restoration projects.
> 
> <https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/06/why-do-chip-makers-keep-building-foundries-in-the-arizona-desert/>

When you make micro-acres of microchips rather than mega-
acres of paper, you can afford to pay a lot for process
water, and a lot for virtue-signalling water projects. 
The fabs recycle process water, but employees object to
recycling metabolic process water.  Virtue signalling 
(and water) attracts more thoughtful fab workers.

Besides business friendly, and cheap land ... Arizona's
low seismic risk is VERY important for semiconductor fabs.

When Intel started building in Oregon, little was known
about Cascadia Fault earthquakes.  While those happen very
rarely, when they do they rank among the worst disasters
on Earth.  The Lewis and Clark expedition survived because
the 1700 Cascadia Earthquake wiped out potential hostiles.

A Richter 9 earthquake at Intel's D1X (sited on Tualatin
Valley clay "jello", albeit with pilings down to bedrock)
would overwhelm seismic isolation and hammer billions of
dollars worth of process equipment into scrap.

When Tektronix (where I worked) built its chip fab in the
early 1980s, they did seismic studies before the design. 

Sensitive seismometers could measure the vibration from
heavy trucks rolling down Highway 26 1.5 miles north. 
WAY too unstable.  So, they drove hundreds of pilings 100+
feet down to rock, then shock-isolated the entire factory
floor, with air-bearings and active suspension under the
most sensitive equipment.  Intel's equipment needs 100x
better vibration isolation than Tek's former fab;  Maxim is
there now, but their chips are not as delicate as Intel's.

So yes, Intel can site the design centers in Oregon - chip
engineers are attracted to Oregon's beauty, are mostly
replaceable, and there are plenty more in India where they
came from.  But keep the expensive toys in a safe place
like Arizona.

Keith

-- 
Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com