[sdiy] Interesting Pease column in ED issue 50-14 (July 8,2002)

[Grant Richter]

> I think I will write him and ask *why* the LM13600 is obsolete.

The less silicon you can use to perform a function, the more profitable it
will be for the fab to produce.

The motivation for moving to lower and lower voltage parts is to increase
the profitability of the silicon fabs. Lower voltage means less silicon area
needs to be used to make the part, therefore more parts are on each silicon
wafer, which produces more money from each wafer.

+/- 15 volt silicon needs wide spacing to withstand the voltage. Chips of
this type are less profitable than 1.8 volt digital, because you get fewer
saleable parts from each wafer.

It's a book keeping thing.