Solid State Technology articles from June 2008

Solid State Technology archives from June 2008

450mm by 2012: reading between the lines of PR lingo.(Web Exclusives)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After a period of saber-rattling on both sides of the 450mm debate, the logjam may finally be breaking up. Some big chipmakers are eager to transition to 450mm wafers because of cost savings, but many semiconductor...

ASMC keynote: success in lean manufacturing.(Web Exclusives)(Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SST editor-in-chief Pete Singer reported from the recent Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference, where a keynote by Doug Grose, senior VP of manufacturing and supply chain management at AMD, touched on the...

'Chindia' rushes into solar.(Web Exclusives)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... A crowd of new entrants is rushing to join and support the growing photovoltaics manufacturing infrastructure across Asia. China surpassed Japan in PV production last year, and suppliers plan to ramp up production of 3GW in thin-film cells over...

SEMI targets IP protection to ensure industry innovation, survival.(Web Exclusives)(Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International)(intellectual property)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SST senior technical editor Debra Vogler and SEMPs Vicki Hadfield sift through the findings of a yearlong study detailing real-world challenges that SEMI member companies have experienced protecting their...

New roadmap targets cycle time, waste.(Editorial)
June 1, 2008... Assume that a semiconductor manufacturing factory is completely empty, with all resources ready to run. You have just one wafer to process-the hottest hot lot of all time--and you have to do so ASAP. That, said Eric Englhardt, senior director,...

Big 4 still rule foundry roost, but Samsung moving up.(BUSINESS TRENDS)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
June 1, 2008... The top-four foundries stayed comfortably ahead of the pack in 2007, with SMIC and Chartered still battling for third place behind TSMC and UMC, according to IC Insights. But making a big push into the top 10 is a big-name IDM with a burgeoning...

Intel, Samsung, and TSMC say they want a 450mm-wafer-capable pilot line tested and ready by 2012.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Intel, Samsung, and TSMC say they want a 450mm-wafer-capable pilot line tested and ready by 2012, through cooperation with the rest of the industry, particularly with ISMI.

Global semiconductor sales inched up 3.8% sequentially in Q1 2008 to $63.B, according to the SIA.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Semiconductor Industry Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Global semiconductor sales inched up 3.8% sequentially in Q1 2008 to $63.4B, according to the SIA. Taking out memory, Y-Y growth would have been 11% in March instead of 3.4%.

IBM and Spansion have signed a seven-year patent cross-licensing deal involving access to IBM patents.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)
June 1, 2008... IBM and Spansion have signed a seven-year patent cross-licensing deal involving access to IBM patents, including recently developed "Racetrack" technology. Both companies also are planning future flash memory development targeting China.

IBM and Matheson Tri-Gas have agreed to jointly develop new high-purity gases and delivery systems for the 32nm node.(USA)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... IBM and Matheson Tri-Gas have agreed to jointly develop new high-purity gases and delivery systems for the 32nm node, with mass production set to start in 2012.

SVTC Technologies.(USA)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... R&D foundry SVTC Technologies is launching a photovoltaics business that is offering a development center and services, including reliability, testing, and certification, initially serving about 10 customers and expanding to 25-30 firms in...

TSMC.(ASIAFOCUS)(Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... TSMC is getting ready to enter the MEMS business, according to presentations and comments made from a recent press meeting and mulled by local media. Included in the talk was a roadmap of the MEMS process.

Korean chemical/finance conglomerate Hanwha Group is denying reports that it is mulling a bid for domestic chipmaker Hynix Semiconductor, according to local media reports.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Korean chemical/finance conglomerate Hanwha Group is denying reports that it is mulling a bid for domestic chipmaker Hynix Semiconductor, according to local media reports. LG Electronics also has been suggested as an interested party.

Elpida Memory.(ASIAFOCUS)
June 1, 2008... Elpida Memory's top executives are reducing their salaries until the company starts posting a monthly operating profit again.

A $40m VC investment in a US-based BridgeLux's LED epitaxy technology has ties to TSMC.(ASIAFOCUS)(Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... A $40M VC investment in a US-based BridgeLux's LED epitaxy technology has ties to TSMC, fueling speculation that the foundry is making a push into this market segment, notes the Taiwan Economic News.

Researchers at Chuo U. have developed technology that could slash costs for high-output long-wavelength lasers by 90%.(ASIAFOCUS)
June 1, 2008... Researchers at Chuo U. have developed technology that could slash costs for high-output long-wavelength lasers by 90%, reports the Nikkei Business Daily.

The European Commission is funding a three-year program on maskless lithography for IC manufacturing.(EUROFOCUS)
June 1, 2008... The European Commission is funding a three-year program on maskless lithography for IC manufacturing ("MAGIC") to explore and promote maskless lithography technologies.

Suss MicroTec and Philips Research say they are developing a new nanoimprint lithography technology.(EUROFOCUS)
June 1, 2008... Suss MicroTec and Philips Research say they are developing a new nano-imprint lithography technology, "substrate conformal imprint lithography," that's targeting sub-50nm patterning.

ASM International.(EUROFOCUS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... ASM International has a new plan to make its front-end business profitable: Exit the RTP market, shift more work to its Singapore facility, and standardize on a single-wafer platform. The company is also moving its headquarters to Almere.

Qimonda AG is creating a JV with German solar company Centrosolar Group to build, equip, and operate a solar cell manufacturing plant in Portugal.(EUROFOCUS)
June 1, 2008... Qimonda AG is creating a JV with German solar company Centrosolar Group to build, equip, and operate a solar cell manufacturing plant in Portugal. Fab construction is planned for mid-2008, with production starting in 2H09 with initial capacity...

Mask defect inspection tool duel: KLAC vs. AMAT.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(KLA-Tencor )(Applied Materials)
June 1, 2008... As chip feature sizes have fallen to less than one-third of the exposure wavelength, the advanced photomask has become more and more of an optical element. Mask patterns now contain sub resolution assist features (SRAFS) to enhance...

Toshiba, ponte solutions team up on full-chip VCE modeling.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)
June 1, 2008... Earlier this year, Michael Buehler-Garcia, Ponte Solutions' vice president of marketing and business development, discussed its strategy of taking DIM to the IP level, and indicated the company was completing a physics-based etch model for...

AMAT's cleaning cluster.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(Applied Materials)
June 1, 2008... Making photomasks has historically been incredibly difficult yet profitless, and maskmaking equipment has to be innovative to handle the creation of phase-shift masks with sub-resolution assist features (SRAF). Cleaning has always been...

Thermo-PV: heat makes photons, too.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The vast majority of photovoltaic (PV) installations capture photons emitted by the sun, but many other sources of electromagnetic radiation exist. Combustion of any kind emits photons in the infrared portion of the spectrum-so waste heat...

Instrumented wafers enable etch chamber matching.(ETCH)(Cover story)
June 1, 2008... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW This study describes Qimonda's use of autonomous instrumented temperature and voltage sensing wafers for determining the causes of chamber mismatch in production plasma etch systems. Our testing showed clear...

Graphene: a playground for physics.(NANOTECHNOLOGY)
June 1, 2008... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Graphene, a two-dimensional carbon sheet, has attracted enormous interest because it appears to combine the desirable properties of nanotubes with a manufacturing-friendly planar structure. On closer inspection, the material...

Enhanced process metrology using plasma parameters in FDC.(APC)
June 1, 2008... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Automotive device manufacturers have to meet increasing levels of quality as their customers demand a zero defects quality level. However, quality and reliability at reasonable costs require excellent process control,...

Dispensing for the OLED encapsulation process.(DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY)(Organic Light Emitting Device)
June 1, 2008... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW As OLED manufacturing matures, larger substrates are required as they enable higher dispensing throughput for UV sealants. Jetting the gaskets of seal materials has provided an increase in performance and dispensing...

Polishing pads.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... IC1000 AT and VisionPad CMP pads have a new groove design that targets 200mm and 300mm tungsten polishing processes and improves slurry delivery to the leading edge of the wafer. According to company claims, the design achieves up to a 35%...

Toxic gas detection system.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The Draeger Guardian Gas Detection System uses electrochemical sensor technology for detecting hazardous gas leaks, such as hydrochloric acid and vapors at low concentrations, where by-products can foul tubes, pipes, and instruments. The unit,...

Wafer scanner.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The WS 3840 is the latest addition to the Wafer Scanner product family for inspection and metrology of back-end semiconductor manufacturing processes, including bumping, probing, sawing, and dicing. The scanner integrates the company's laser...

Rotary vane pumps.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... PentaLine rotary vane pumps have a new optimized drive system, which provides environmentally friendly vacuum for applications in the low and medium range of [10.sup.-3] mbar. Available in pumping speeds up to 35 [m.sup.3]/h, PentaLine is...

Fiber-optic temperature sensors.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... FluoTemp-HT (high temperature) is a new series of fiber-optic temperature sensors capable of accurate temperature measurement up to 450[degrees]C, claims the company. Operating beyond the capabilities of conventional temperature measurement...

Plasma etching system.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The PE-100 plasma etching system is suitable for universities, small R&D laboratories, and pilot production facilities. The system provides a small vacuum chamber that accommodates up to 240 inches of process area capacity per run cycle. An RF...

Toolset for process setup and control.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... VR Matching provides an interactive, graphic toolset to comparatively quantify and model changes in Inter-Lot or Intra-Lot performance as well as process and tool matching for sub- 65nm lithography. Outputs consist of descriptive Internet...

Attachment for scanning electron microscopes.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The microCT module produces 3D images that reveal the internal 3D microstructure of an object without requiring any sample preparation. The module attaches to any SEM in place of a standard sample stage. The device consists of an X-ray anode,...

Laser for FPD repair applications.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The Polaris-300 laser for advanced flat-panel display (FPD) repair applications employs diode pumped solid state (DPSS) laser technology to achieve a 100Hz repetition rate in continuous air-cooled operation. The high-performance laser system...

Dry DC-drive vacuum pumps.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... Variflow vacuum pumps are suitable for OEM and laboratory applications. These totally dry DC-drive variable speed vacuum pumps can be used for full chemical-duty and standard-duty operation. They offer a high-performance, two-stage diaphragm...

Test system.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... Automated Characterization Suite (ACS) software includes optional wafer level reliability (WLR) test tools for semiconductor reliability and lifetime prediction testing applications. Version 4.0 builds on the ACS software's existing single- and...

Safety frame for raised access floors.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The new Safety Frame For RAF provides a previously unavailable degree of safety for most major types of raised access floor systems, according to company claims. Fabricated with 304 stainless steel, the frame purportedly reduces the risks...

Micro-fabricated VROC.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... This "Viscometer/Rheometer-on-a-Chip" technology enables microliter size samples to be used for high-resolution, accurate, and repeatable viscosity measurement. The small chip geometry extends viscosity measurements beyond conventional...

Photovoltaic panel scribing system.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... Featuring both mechanical and air-bearing versions of split-axis and gantry-style systems for maximum application flexibility, the SolarScribe Photovoltaic Panel Scribing System has a control system with real-time position-based laser firing...

Silicon drift detector.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The Apollo XV SDD silicon drift detector for X-ray microanalysis uses the latest generation of SDD chip technology leading to performance specifications such as energy resolutions of [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Piezoceramic nanopositioning motor.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2008... The NEXACT ceramic linear motor actuator bridges the micropositioning/ nanopositioning gap and combines high forces and long travel ranges with sub-nanometer resolution. It features millisecond responsiveness and high bandwidth, stepping mode...

Key building blocks for a 22nm transistor.(INDUSTRY FORUM)
June 1, 2008... Understanding what a 22nm transistor will look like requires answers to many diverse factors. As a start, high-k/metal-gate stacks in a planar CMOS architecture, additive strain in the transistor's channel, and abrupt junctions in combination...