The correlator PDR panel unanimously recommended a change from 0.25 to 0.18 micron technology for the correlator chip, provided that further experience confirms that this will result in a chip with lower power consumption and lower overall cost. It was recommended that the decision to go to an 8K chip should not be made until a detailed evaluation of the power dissipation of the 8K, 0.18 micron chip was available.
Currently, the project remains committed to the 4K lag/chip 0.25 micron technology, on the basis of expected lower yield for the 8K lag/chip, 0.18 micron technology chip, its higher estimated power dissipation requirements, and the $1.8M higher cost for that technology. The major scientific gain expected for the 8K lags/chip would be that the number of frequency channels would double in every mode, thus increasing the frequency resolution by a factor of 2. Finally, the foundries that can produce 0.18 micron chips are fully booked and prototype chips would not be available until 2002 if this technology were pursued now.