Solid State Technology articles from January 2007

Solid State Technology archives from January 2007

50th anniversary Web site.(Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Solid State Technology is celebrating its 50th anniversary with features throughout the year about the past, present, and future of semiconductor manufacturing technology. We will be presenting the thoughts of some of our former editors, our...

Value creation while maximizing return on capital.(EDITORIAL)
January 1, 2007... The semiconductor industry represents one of the miracles of the capitalist system, requiring steel-nerved risk-takers. Huge infusions of capital are needed to build the world's most intricate and complex factories to make devices that will...

SIA tweaks down chip sales forecast.(BUSINESS TRENDS)(Semiconductor Industry Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has slightly tweaked its outlook for chip sales for the next several years, with growth through 2008 slightly less than what was projected in June: $248.8 billion in chip sales in 2006, a 9.4%...

Wafer shipments surged in 3Q06 to surpass 2000 million sq. in., a 5.5% sequential increase and more than 18% ahead of the same period in 2005.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International)(Silicon Manufacturers Group)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Wafer shipments surged in 3Q06 to surpass 2000 million sq. in., a 5.5% sequential increase and more than 18% ahead of the same period in 2005, according to new data from SEMI's Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG).

NXP Semiconductors (nee Philips Semiconductors) and partner TSMC have raised their ownership stakes in Singapore joint venture Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Co. Pte. Ltd. (SSMC).(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... NXP Semiconductors (nee Philips Semiconductors) and partner TSMC have raised their ownership stakes in Singapore joint venture Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Co. Pte. Ltd. (SSMC), a 0.25-0.14[micro]m CMOS foundry offering derivatives and...

BOC Edwards and Aviza Technology Inc. have agreed to jointly develop atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... BOC Edwards and Aviza Technology Inc. have agreed to jointly develop atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology, combining BOC's chemical precursor formulation with Aviza's hardware to optimize deposition processes for high-k materials and...

Applied Materials Inc. has bought the Brooks Software division of Brooks Automation Inc. for $125 million in cash.(USA)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Applied Materials Inc. has bought the Brooks Software division of Brooks Automation Inc. for $125 million in cash. AMAT also has invested $3.0 million in Solaicx, a privately held manufacturer of single-crystal silicon wafers for the solar...

Magma Design Automation has purchased FEI Co.'s Knights Technology subsidiary.(USA)
January 1, 2007... Magma Design Automation has purchased FEI Co.'s Knights Technology subsidiary, which makes yield management and failure analysis software that collects and graphically analyzes lab data.

Intel Corp.(USA)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Intel Corp. says it has ramped to volume shipments of 65nm-based NOR flash multilevel cell memory products, including a 1Gb monolithic part for cell phones. Smaller-density versions (512,256, and 128Mb) are expected to be released in 2007.

UMC.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... UMC says it has produced functional 45nm SRAM chips at its Fab 12A, using immersion lithography for 12 critical layers, as well as ultrashallow junctions, mobility enhancement techniques, and a k=2.5 ultralow-k dielectric.

TSMC.(ASIAFOCUS)(Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... TSMC expects to start work on a new 300mm fab in the Hsinchu Science Park by next spring, according to several media reports. The foundry's board has already approved an extra $1.13 billion in capital expenditures to expand 65nm and 90nm...

SMIC.(ASIAFOCUS)(Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... SMIC will slash its 2007 capital expenditures by 30% vs. this year's $1.0 billion, according to the Taiwan Economic News. SMIC also expects to quadruple its portion of revenues from 90nm process technologies to 16% this year, though partly...

IMEC.(ASIAFOCUS)(Interuniversity Micro Electronics Center )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... European R&D consortium IMEC has signed memorandums of understanding with Semlndia and the Indian Institute of Science, moves hoped to help solidify India's plans to develop domestic semiconductor fabrication capabilities.

Intel.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Intel is tripling the size and cost of its planned assembly/test facility in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City to a $1 billion, 500,000 sq. ft. site, after determining a bigger and more expensive facility would be more efficient.

Honeywell Specialty Materials.(ASIAFOCUS)(business expansions)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Honeywell Specialty Materials is spending $3.2 million to triple lab space at its Shanghai-based Asia Technology Center, part of a greater $13.5 million expansion at the facility.

Sofradir.(EUROFOCUS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Sofradir, a developer of infrared detectors, has received the green light to build a new 9.0 million [euro] factory near Grenoble, France, to enable production of 3G infrared detectors. The new facility, to be operational by the end of 2007,...

Integrating photonics: Hitachi, Oki put LEDs on silicon.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)
January 1, 2007... Hitachi Ltd.'s central research laboratory reports making a light-emitting diode (LED) from ultrathin silicon thin film with conventional CMOS technology, a step toward potentially putting high-speed optical connections on conventional low-cost...

SEZ adds serious tricks to single-wafer spinner for FEOL.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(front-end-of-line)
January 1, 2007... After 20 years of supplying single-wafer wet-processing systems, SEZ has released a new mass-production tool capable of performing extremely complex processes for front-end-of-line (FEOL) applications. The new Esanti tool combines with the...

Stitching up the rift between design intent and manufacturing.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)
January 1, 2007... Founded in January 2003, software start-up Aprio has been attacking the DFM challenges facing IC manufacturers at advanced technology nodes with a product line that it says enables users to inject manufacturing intelligence into existing design...

New ZRAM 10x better in tests at 65nm and 45nm nodes.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(Innovative Silicon Inc. releases zero-capacitor floating-body random access memory)
January 1, 2007... Innovative Silicon Inc. (ISI), a developer of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) memory cell IP, has released a Gen2 version of its zero-capacitor floating-body "ZRAM" technology, based on a standard SOI logic process with a similar one-transistor...

Scientists mull new state of matter for semis.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... A trio of Stanford physicists say they've found a way to create a new state of matter possessing "extraordinary" properties for semiconductors, including less energy dissipation and less heat generation. The work is based on the quantum...

Cost, production, and logistics implications of C4NP solder bumping.(TEST/ASSEMBLY/PACKAGING)(Controlled Collapse Chip Connection: New Process)
January 1, 2007... The newest generation of bumping technology, called Controlled Collapse Chip Connection: New Process (C4NP), works with lead-free solder alloys. The new process separates the underbump metallization (UBM) deposition from the solder bump...

Native oxide removal for NiSi formation using remote plasma preclean.(DEPOSITION)(nickel-silicon)
January 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW In situ [NF.sub.3/]N[H.sub.3] remote plasma preclean enables NiSi integration in sac devices. This new preclean technology allows reliable, production-worthy integration of NiSi for CMOS technology without plasma damage...

Driving yield learning with advanced scan-based fault isolation.(NEXT-GENERATION PROCESSES)
January 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW As the number of transistors and metal layers increase, traditional fault isolation techniques are less successful at isolating causes of failures. Meanwhile, analysis costs are increasing due to the amount of time...

Improving fab productivity with new standards for equipment data acquisition.(AUTOMATION)
January 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Deploying the set of new SEMI standards encompassing equipment data acquisition (EDA) enables the customization of requests by engineers and other fab personnel for equipment data. This enhanced ability to monitor...

Implementing technologies for reducing PFC emissions.(WASTE TREATMENT/EFFLUENT)
January 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW US semiconductor-related PFC emissions represented -0.11% of overall greenhouse gas sources in 2000. However, due to the long atmospheric lifetimes and high global warming potentials of PFCs, the World Semiconductor...

Developing a consensus-based plan for the next wafer size transition.(PRODUCTIVITY)
January 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW As part of the plan for a next wafer size transition, International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI) is developing a strategy for steering design evolution in 300mm--as a precursor to scaling up to...

Boosting production output by outsourcing CMP.(FAB MANAGEMENT)(chemical mechanical planarization)
January 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Outsourcing the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process module has been successfully implemented to boost production output from an existing wafer fab. By working with Entrepix to provide the additional CMP...

A healthy appetite for chips drives Korea's rapid growth.(ASIA-PACIFIC SECTION)(Company overview)
January 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW South Korea's global leadership in semiconductor manufacturing is on the rise. As of this writing, Samsung is solidly ranked behind Intel as the world's second largest semiconductor manufacturer, and Hynix (formed in...

CVD processing platform.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The Producer GT offers 150 wafers/hour throughput, thanks to a FX robot allowing simultaneous transfer of four wafers and a three-"Twin Chamber" configuration. A double-decker loadlock reduces handling time and increases chamber utilization....

300mm single-wafer cleaner.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The Aquaspin SU-3100 300mm single-wafer cleaning tool, an upgrade from the SU-3000 model, has eight multi-process chambers (two types--one for post-processing and a full-spec for all types of processing), and a new high-speed wafer transfer...

Multimethod edge inspection tool.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The VisEdge CV300 edge-inspection system incorporates optical surface analyzer technology from recently acquired Candela Instruments. A simultaneous multi-channel signal acquisition technology combines four detection methods (scatterometry,...

Ultrahigh throughput stepper.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The NSR-SF150 scan field i-line stepper, a sixth-generation tool for subcritical layers, features 180 wafers/hour throughput--50% more than the previous model--with overlay reduced by more than 30% (overlay accuracy is to [less than or equal...

Diaphragm regulators.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... These high-purity metal diaphragm regulators, for use with calibration gases and low-level VOC and GC-ECD analyses, have 60% less internal volume than standard regulators, the company says. A cleaning process reduces contamination potential vs....

Maskless litho.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The F3000 EB maskless lithography system, for 300mm and 65nm-and below processes, offers [less than or equal to] 40nm minimum linewidths, [less than or equal to] 7nm dimensional accuracy, and [less than or equal to] 20nm overlay accuracy. Image...

"Radical" bonder.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Applied Microengineering Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... This radical activation platform enables in situ alignment for [greater than or equal to] 200mm wafers, equaling the bonding strength of plasma activation, with less surface roughening, improved surface uniformity, and a wider process time...

Upgraded MES software.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... Promis 5.8, an upgrade to the company's manufacturing execution software, includes more flexibility in process modeling, GUI enhancements for expanding functionality, and a refresh feature to update lot specifications. HTTP support for the...

Filters for advanced copper processes.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Entegris Inc.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The Guardian ECD high-flow cartridge filters targets high-purity electrochemical deposition processes such as copper, nickel, and gold plating. A proprietary hydrophilic membrane does not react to various plating bath additives, and reduces...

E-beam litho simulator.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The Layout Beamer 2.0 data preparation system for direct write e-beam lithography systems combines layout processing with proximity effect correction, with support for multiple layouts and tool formats. A drag-and-drop interface lets users...

Vacuum furnace.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The CVF 1000 ultrahigh clean vacuum furnace is designed to reduce outgassing and pumpdown time inside a vacuum environment. Features include a stainless steel water-cooled chamber with hinged front door, thermocouple control to 1000[degrees]C,...

Temperature controllers.(PRODUCT NEWS)(MKS Instruments Inc.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The Series 48 heaters feature an integrated temperature controller, user-friendly communication and display modules, insulated silicone heater mat, and enhanced safety elements. Optional display and communications upgrade modules provide a...

Predicting opto device performance.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The Vertex rapid photoluminescence mapping system targets production control during volume manufacturing of optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes and ultraviolet diode lasers. The company claims the system can forecast diode...

MBE source for As.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Oxford Instruments Group PLC)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The ECellAs valved effusion source is designed for high-performance molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of Arsenic-containing III-V materials. A patented independent heater design prevents valve clogging; a heated secondary filling port allows...

Post-etch residue removal.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The SelectEtch SE-1220 is designed for selective removal of post-etch residue from high-aspect-ratio contacts (bottom and sides) in advanced ICs. Carefully tuned etch rates on different films prevent notching or "stair-stepping" of the sides of...

Process fluid analysis.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The Swagelok CR-288 concentration monitor provides in-line measurements of liquid chemical concentration and temperature. Proprietary software enables the technician to calibrate the unit for chemical mixtures used in semiconductor laboratory...

Assessing the need for FC abatement standards.(INDUSTRY FORUM)(fluorinated compound)(World Semiconductor Council)
January 1, 2007... Without a script, the semiconductor industry nonetheless appears well along the way toward a voluntary goal of the World Semiconductor Council (WSC) to limit atmospheric emissions of gaseous fluorinated compounds (FCs). The goal commits members...