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The Texas startup was GlobiTech Inc., which announced plans in 2000 to build a dedicated epitaxial-wafer foundry in Sherman. Its forecast of producing 4 million 200 mm epi wafers annually within three years was a projection—not a verified result. GlobalWafers now lists GlobiTech as a silicon-epitaxy foundry, but its current listing does not establish a CMOS-specific production ranking.
What was GlobiTech’s plan?
In a February 18, 2000 report, EE Times reported that GlobiTech had begun construction on what the company described as the world’s first dedicated epitaxial foundry for advanced CMOS wafers. The project was in Sherman, Texas.
The announcement outlined a substantial build-out, but its figures described company plans and expectations at the time:
- Investment: GlobiTech planned to invest $120 million in the epi-wafer business over four years.
- Facility: The planned factory covered 97,000 square feet.
- Capacity target: The company expected the initial factory to reach annual capacity of 4 million 200 mm epi wafers within three years.
- Schedule: The company expected initial wafer samples in 10 to 12 months, then a high-volume production ramp two to three months later.
These were reported projections, not independently confirmed milestones or present-day production figures. The available sources do not establish whether GlobiTech reached the 4-million-wafer target.
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What is an epi wafer, and what does a foundry do?
An epitaxial, or epi, wafer is a silicon substrate with a thin layer of high-purity silicon grown on its surface. The deposited film can serve as the active-device layer for transistors in integrated circuits. An epi-wafer foundry supplies this specialized wafer-making service to customers rather than merely describing a general-purpose semiconductor fabrication plant.
EE Times reported that GlobiTech planned to use single-wafer chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes in a class-1 cleanroom. The company also said it had secured a long-term supply of silicon substrates and formed strategic alliances with equipment manufacturers, which the report did not name.
Which wafer sizes and film thicknesses were planned?
GlobiTech’s marketing vice president, Mark England, described an intended product range of 150 mm, 200 mm, and 300 mm wafers, with epitaxial film thicknesses from 1 to 20 microns. Those dimensions and thicknesses were part of the 2000 plan; they should not be taken as a current catalog specification.
The stated reason for the business opportunity was a manufacturing challenge. EE Times noted that, as device features fell below 0.25 micron, surface defects and crystal-originated pits could impair volume production. It presented epi-coated wafers as a potentially lower-cost alternative to growing substrates with fewer defects—not as a universal guarantee of lower cost or better results.
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What does GlobiTech offer now?
GlobalWafers’ locations page lists GlobiTech at 200 FM 1417 West in Sherman and identifies its products as 150 mm and 200 mm epi wafers. GlobalWafers describes the operation as “The world’s largest silicon-epitaxy foundry.” That is the parent company’s current description, and it refers broadly to silicon epitaxy.
The listing provides no production capacity or comparison methodology. It therefore does not independently confirm a ranking specifically for CMOS epi-wafer output, nor does it show whether the capacity projected in 2000 was achieved.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should the “world’s largest” claim be read?
There are two distinct claims here. In 2000, GlobiTech described its planned operation as the first dedicated foundry for advanced CMOS epi wafers and forecast a particular capacity. Today, GlobalWafers calls the Sherman operation the world’s largest silicon-epitaxy foundry. The current corporate wording is broader than a CMOS-only ranking, and the available company listing does not disclose the figures needed to verify either capacity or comparative output.
For a supplier comparison, check wafer diameter, film and product specifications, whether the supplier offers foundry services or manufactures for captive use, and independently comparable production capacity. The cited sources provide no comparable pricing or yield data, so they do not support cost or performance rankings.
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