美國經濟的緩慢發展，影響了整體研發的費用，半導體制造設備領域預言將看到與去年增長相比而下降的趨勢。 據行業協會SEMI稱：隨著更多的fab建造工程被擱置或推置到年底或下一年，花費在fab建造項目上的成本及fabs裝備將很有可能在今年出現兩位數下跌。 最近的SEMI fab數據資料報告顯示：今年花費在fab設備上的費用預計比去年9％的增長要下降15％，在2007年10月的fab數據資料報告中就已經有下降的趨勢。 鑄造設備的花費預計下降差不多為10％，同時花費在用于記憶和邏輯/MPU部分的設備預計分別下降15％和30％。 今年花費在fab建造項目上的費用與2007年的強勢增長相比，預計要下降9％。12個新fabs預計動工，當完全運營達到每月153萬晶圓時（平均為200mm），也即全部的產量。2008年五個最大的fab建造項目花費者分別是： Flash Alliance （Toshiba/Sandisk JV）, Samsung, Hynix, Rexchip （Elpida/Powerchip JV） 和Powerchip。 同時，今年半導體制造能力有望增長約11％，記憶存儲將最大化保留fab全部容量，將從去年的38％增長到41％。 記憶fabs計劃提高18％的容量，在logic/MPU之后其預期看到5％的生長，鑄造廠預計增加大于8％的容量。 根據美國Battelle Memorial Institute的報告：美國經濟慢速增長會影響今年用于研發上的費用。在通貨膨脹前，美國用于研發的全部費用預期增長為3％，從3550億美元增長為3670美元，但在通貨膨脹之后增長率只能為1.3％。 報告的作者備注到，由于美國經濟出現全面緩慢增長其用于研發的費用較去年會更加謹慎。從20世紀后期開始，在通貨膨脹后，美國用于研發的投資每年以1-2％的增長率在增長。一年前Battelle估計每年的花費會增長3％或是4％，但目前其還是持樂觀態度，預計在未來的三年年增長率為2％。 [FONT=times] original text [/FONT] [font=times][Color=#708090]The slowing US economy is impacting overall R&D spending, with the semiconductor manufacturing equipment sector predicted to see a drop compared to last year‘s growth. As many fab construction projects are put on hold or pushed out to end-of-year or into next year, spending on fab construction projects and fabs equipping will likely see double digit declines this year, according to industry association SEMI. A recent analysis of SEMI’s fab database reports revealed that spending on fab equipment this year is expected to decline 15% compared to the 9% growth last year, reflecting a downward revision of the outlook reported in the October 2007 fab database report. Foundry equipment spending is expected to drop by almost 10%, while equipment spending for the memory and logic/MPU segments expected to fall by 15 and 30%, respectively. Spending on fab construction projects is expected to decline this year by 9%, compared to the strong growth in 2007, with 12 new volume fabs expected to start construction, representing a total capacity addition when fully operational of 1.53 million wafers per month （wpm） in 200 mm equivalents. The five biggest spenders on fab construction projects in 2008 are expected to be Flash Alliance （Toshiba/Sandisk JV）, Samsung, Hynix, Rexchip （Elpida/Powerchip JV） and Powerchip. At the same time, semiconductor manufacturing capacity is projected to grow by approximately 11% this year, with memory retaining the largest share of total fab capacity, and expected to increase to 41% from 38% last year. Memory fabs are projected to increase capacity by 18% year-over-year, followed by logic/MPU, which are expected to see 5% growth, while foundries are forecasted to add about 8% more capacity. On a macro level, the slowing US economy is expected to dampen spending on R&D this year, according a report from research firm Battelle Memorial Institute. Total spending on US R&D is projected to rise about 3% to $367 billion from $355 billion, before accounting for inflation, and after accounting for inflation, the growth rate would be about 1.3%, Battelle reported in news reports. The report’s author noted that overall slowing of the economy is much more than it had been last year prompting more cautiousness about R&D spending in the US. Since the late 1990s, R&D investment in the US has increased annually at rates of between 1 and 2%, after accounting for inflation. A year ago, Battelle estimated that spending would grow at 3% and maybe 4% annually, but is now predicted to grow 2% on the optimistic side, for each of the next 3 years.[/color][/font]