Back in May, Intel partnered with TSMC and Samsung to announce their intention of developing and deploying 450mm wafer starts by 2012. The shift from 300mm (12″ diameter wafers) to 450mm was touted as necessary for all the usual reasons—think cheaper, faster chips—and we’ve not heard much in the way of pushback until now. At the Semicon West conference this week, a number of companies voiced their belief that a shift to 450mm wafers was premature, unproven, and would impose a tremendous financial burden.There