Semiconductor processes can have a rather long and interesting life cycle. At first, a new process defines the leading edge. This is cost-no-object territory, where performance is king. The process is new, the equipment to make it is expensive, and its use is reserved for those that have a market (and budget) big enough to justify its use. As the technology matures, yields go up, costs go down, access becomes easier and more mainstream applications start to migrate toward the node as newer technologies take the leading-edge spot… Full article on SemiWiki