Solid State Technology articles from March 2004

Solid State Technology archives from March 2004

Dual routes for R&D may be best.(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... With research dollars being cut back by both the US government and private companies (see "Will the US lose its lead in research?" Solid State Technology, January 2004, p. 12), it would be wise to tune the funding model to gain maximum...

VLSI: book-to-bill indicates 2003 turnaround for chipmakers and toolmakers.(Business Trends)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The three month average of worldwide bookings for ICs in December was $17.95 billion, with billings of $16.55 billion, up from November's revised levels of $16.47 billion and $13.27 billion, and October's $14.56 billion and $11.5 billion,...

Intel and a group of European retailers have formed a working group to accelerate adoption of electronic product code (EPC) technologies for use in their supply chain operations.(Worldwide Highlights)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Intel and a group of European retailers have formed a working group to accelerate adoption of electronic product code (EPC) technologies for use in their supply chain operations. The EPC Retail Users Group of Europe consists of Carrefour, Metro...

European Component Manufacturers Association.(Worldwide Highlights)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... European semiconductor sales continued an upward growth trend in November 2003, according to data from the European Component Manufacturers Association and reported by Dow Jones. Europe's chip sales were $3.16 billion in November, up 6.4% from...

Dow Corning.(USA)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Dow Corning, Midland, MI, has unveiled new lithographic materials for use in developing 193nm photoresists and antireflective coatings used in 65mn processes. The silicon-based resins currently are being beta tested by several partner...

Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corp. (Sumco).(USA)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corp. (Sumco), the Japanese-owned JV between Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd. and Mitsubishi Materials Corp., plans to double output capacity at its 100mm-200mm wafer plant in Hamilton Township, OH, by early next year,...

Amkor Technology Inc.(USA)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Amkor Technology Inc., Chandler, AZ, will expand capacity for stacked chip-scale packages to meet accelerating demand. The company expects production capacity to approach 50 million/quarter, depending on die-stack configuration, by the middle...

SCP Global Technologies.(USA)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... SCP Global Technologies, Boise, ID, has signed a joint development agreement with an unnamed Asian DRAM manufacturer to create an immersion technology for sub-90nm FEOL processing. SCP has already installed a prototype single wafer tool at its...

Advanced Micro Devices.(China)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Advanced Micro Devices will open AMD (China) Co. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary, with headquarters in Beijing's Zhongguancun Park. The firm will take charge of AM D's regional offices in Shanghai and Shenzhen, as well as the company's business...

Infineon Technologies.(China)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Infineon Technologies has established a new subsidiary and IC design center in China, as part of a planned $1.2 billion investment in domestic operations. Infineon Technologies Xi'an Co. Ltd. will focus on applications for communications,...

Industrial gas suppliers Nippon Sanso Corp. and Taiyo Toyo Sanso have announced their intent to merge.(Japan)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Industrial gas suppliers Nippon Sanso Corp. and Taiyo Toyo Sanso have announced their intent in merge. The new company, Nissan Taiho Corp., will be led by Konosuke Ose, chairman of Taiyo Toyo, with Nippon Sanso's president Hiroshi Taguchi...

Nikon Corp.(Japan)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Japan's Nikon Corp. plans to start full-scale production of extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems this year, with a planned launch in 2006 for use with 45nm and 32nm chips. Nikon formed an EUVL department in January 2003 within its...

Systems on Silicon Manufacturing (SSMC).(Singapore)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Singapore-based wafer manufacturer Systems on silicon Manufacturing (SSMC), a JV between Philips Semiconductors and TSMC, plans to spend $250 million in 2004 to expand capacity of 200mm wafers to 33,000/month, higher than its original plans of...

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing.(Singapore)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing has signed a deal to manufacture 90nm silicon-on-insulator products for IBM, East Fishkill, NY. Production is scheduled to begin at Chartered's 300mm Fab 7 by mid-2005. The deal extends a joint...

Royal Philips Electronics N.V.(Taiwan)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Royal Philips Electronics N.V. plans to invest $68 million this year to expand production at its Kaohsiung facility, according to Dow Jones. The infusion will allow the facility to offer more services for Philips Semiconductors' global and...

Chipmaker Siliconix has awarded a $200 million multiyear contract to Tower Semiconductor, Migdal Haemek, Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post.(Israel)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Chipmaker Siliconix has awarded a $200 million multiyear contract to Tower Semiconductor, Migdal Haemek, Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post. Siliconix will receive wafers from Tower's Fab 1 facility over a 7-10 year period, with $53...

Siemens AG has sold 150 million shares in Infineon Technologies, halving its ownership stake from 40% to 19%.(Eurofocus)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Siemens AG has sold 150 million shares in Infineon Technologies, halving its ownership stake from 40% to 19%. The deal will add about 600 million [euro] ($770 million) to Siemens' 2Q04 earnings. The company said this is part of a longstanding...

Infineon Technologies.(product introduction)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Infineon Technologies, Munich, Germany, has introduced a NAND-compatible 512Mbit flash chip based on its TwinFlash technology. Initial production of the chip, developed through a JV with Saifun Semiconductors, has already begun at Infineon's...

Could jet-printed plastic transistors erase lithography from display plants?(Technology News)
March 1, 2004... Jet-printing technology for depositing polymer-based semiconductor ink on display substrates could be ready for pilot production by the middle of 2005, now that researchers at Xerox Inc.'s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) have successfully...

X Initiative sees 2004 as the year of production chips.(Technology News)
March 1, 2004... With Toshiba's announcement that it produced the first functional silicon at 90nm using X Architecture, and UMC's release of its readiness to accept X Architecture designs for 180nm, 150nm, and 130nm processes, the X Initiative thinks 2004 will...

A new definition of "fracturing".(Front End Of Line)
March 1, 2004... Until recently, mask data preparation (MDP; including fracturing) was considered a commodity service conducted after tape-out that facilitated the transition of the design data into a maskwriting format for mask manufacturing. MDP typically...

Looking forward to 65nm: nonporous low-k dielectrics.(Interconnect)
March 1, 2004... In the early 1990s, when the search started for low-k dielectrics to provide lower capacitance and improve signal integrity by reducing crosstalk between adjacent lines, process engineers wanted low-k materials to be the direct replacement of...

ITRS: increasing complexity creates packaging challenges.(Test/Assembly/Packaging)(International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors)
March 1, 2004... The 2003 edition of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), made available in December (http://public.itrs.net), highlighted many challenges related to system-in-package issues and the increasing complexity of...

Coming clean about "on and off the roadmap": sub-100ppt bulk gas supply.(Gases/Gas Handling)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... OVERVIEW Shrinking feature sizes are making devices increasingly vulnerable to gas-phase contamination. Aggressive gas-impurity milestones set in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) call for a 90% reduction in levels...

BOC Edwards: corporate profile.
March 1, 2004... BOC Edwards is a leading supplier of integrated solutions for the manufacture of microelectronics devices, including silicon semiconductors, compound semiconductors and flat panel displays. Partnering with fabs, foundries and process tool...

Microfabrication process enables: 3D metal microdevices.(MEMS)
March 1, 2004... OVERVIEW Overcoming the limitations of MEMS technology based on planar silicon techniques can be achieved by sequential deposition of high-conductivity metals. This approach enables the design of different structures, including high-Q RF...

High-performance SiGe pHMOS using: reduced-pressure CVD.(Deposition)
March 1, 2004... OVERVIEW A high-performance SiGe p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor heterostructure field effect transistor (pMOS-HFET or pHMOS) has been developed using a well-controlled boron delta-doping and SiGe/Si heterostructure epitaxial process with...

Temporary bonding technology: improves thin wafer handling.(Materials)
March 1, 2004... OVERVIEW The processing of compound semiconductors often requires back-thinning of the processed wafers or backside lithography. The poor mechanical properties of the wafers may result in a high ratio of wafer breakage even during...

Semicon[R] Europa 2004: April 19-23, Munich, Germany.
March 1, 2004... SEMICON Europa will be held from Monday, April 19-Friday, April 23 at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre (see photo). Sponsored by trade organization SEMI, the exhibition will run from April 20-22, and the technical program and events will run...

XRF water analyzer.(Products)
March 1, 2004... A doubling of the boron detection capability for BPSG and CoFeB films has reportedly reduced counting time by a factor of four in PW2830 and RQ Jade wafer analyzers for XRF thin-film analysis. For 2500-20,000 [Angstrom] BPSG films with 4.5wt%...

Noncontact V-Q system.(Products)
March 1, 2004... Models WT-2000, an open cassette tool, and the WT-3000, an SMIF/FOUP system, apply a noncontact, nondestructive measurement technique that replaces traditional C-V measurements for qualifying oxide and/or interfaces in silicon waters. The tool...

Automated device bonder.(Products)
March 1, 2004... The FC150 automated device bonder allows 1 [micro]m 3[sigma] post-bonding accuracy for precise product packaging and assembly. It offers ultrasonic bonding and UV curing, and covers a broad range of applications such as FPA, laser diode, MCM,...

Fab management software.(Products)
March 1, 2004... CIMPortal, an EDA+ software tool, enables fab-level access to critical equipment data such as SECS/GEM, high-speed OEM and fab add-on-based sensor, historical, tool-level software version control, and configuration data gathered from capital...

CMOS platform with AVD.(Products)
March 1, 2004... The Tricent CMOS cluster is a 200/300mm platform for the sub-70nm node and below. It features an atomic vapor deposition (AVD) module for gale dielectrics such as HfSi[O.sub.x], and a metal AVD module for depositing Ru, TiN, and Ta(Si)N; the...

Modular zoom systems.(Products)
March 1, 2004... The Z6 APO 6.3x and Z16 APO 16x zoom systems are reportedly the first apochromatically corrected zoom systems in the market. Both systems deliver ultrasharp, detailed images with color fidelity. The Z6 APO offers 0.117 NA with the 1x...

Ultrahigh-speed ball bonder.(Products)
March 1, 2004... The Max[micro]m plus ultrahigh-speed ball bonder is suitable for all types of ultrafine-pitch applications, including 35[micro]m in-line pitch. The bonder delivers bond placement accuracy of 2.5[micro]m, at speeds up to 10% faster than the...

Contamination control filters.(Products)
March 1, 2004... The Fluorogard RS line of filters provide protection from films, gels, and hard-particle contaminants produced by photoresist-stripping and residue-removal applications used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. The filters are designed to...

ALD system with chamber clean.(Products)
March 1, 2004... The [StrataGem.sup.300] 300mm atomic-layer deposition (ALD) system offers an in situ chamber clean to increase chamber uptime and decrease the time and frequency of chamber wet-cleaning. A new integrated gas system gas box reduces the size and...

E-beam scope system detects nonvisual defects.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The FS3000 EB-Scope system is an electron-beam (e-beam) inspection and metrology system that combines irradiation techniques with a mechanism for measuring pico-level substrate current flows to make nonvisual defects visible by measuring...

E-diagnostics software enables APC.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... eCentre version 2.1 incorporates a light pole status function that allows a user to log into the system to see a tool's status indicator lights as though the user were looking down the aisle in the fab. The option to join an eCentre "session"...

UV/ozone surface treatment works at low temps.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... UV-OZONE PLUS dry surface-treatment technology uses ultraviolet light and ozone to both dean and modify the molecular surface of solids for improved yield, adhesion, and quality of products. Increased surface bond energy is claimed to result in...

Automated cleaning system prevents contamination.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Process One FX30 system has robotic controls that transport FOUPs through the cleaning process, with the robot and cleaning system contained within an individual cleanroom to prevent contamination. The system is designed to clean and dry...

Thick-film material system.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Thick-film materials for use with AlN substrates provide an alternative to beryllium oxide BeO or thin-film AlN systems. The thick-film material system is suited Lo applications that require high power output, efficient heat dissipation, and...

Free 2004 NI measurement and automation catalog.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... The National Instruments catalog is the leading virtual instrumentation resource for engineers and scientists seeking me most productive customer-defined software and hardware tools. You will find everything you need from product specifications...

New Users' Guide for vibration control products.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... New Users' Guide for high-performance vibration control equipment. This 48-page color catalog provides technical information and a selection process for VIBRAPLANE[R] Vibration Isolation Workstations Optical Tables, Vibration-Free Platforms,...

Disposable chemical filters.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... QuickChange[R] disposable filters are designed fur use with any aqueous-based chemical. Shipped water-wet, they require no IPA prewetting procedures preventing alcohol/chemical interaction. This avoids potential sources of contamination, and...

Tool mounted RF power.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... The compact CB series RF generators feature a solid-state design and proven Comdel RF amplifier technology providing precise and repeatable power control and low cost of ownership. The CB series is available in power ranges from 50 to 5000...

New Automation 3200 digital automation platform catalog.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... The Automation 3200 catalog includes information on the intelligent, 32-axis motion, vision. PLC, robotics, and I/0 platform. The Automation 3200 provides a "future-proof architecture, dramatically lower integration costs, a multi-tasking...

VAT, Inc. product line brochure.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... VAT's newest product line brochure profiles the most extensive line of vacuum Valves manufactured today. VAT offers 1,000+ standard valves for a wide variety of applications. VAT combines innovation, state-of-the-art manufacturing quality...

Capacitance Diaphragm Gauges.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... XacTorr[R] Capacitance Diaphragm Gauges provide accurate total pressure measurement independent of gas composition. XacTorr CDG is offered in multiple operating temperatures from 45 to 160[degrees]C for optimum process compatibility, and...

Membranes for photolithography.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... New PCM membrane is an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UPE) surface modified membrane. It's designed to reduce on-wafer defects in advanced photolithography applications such as top AR coatings (TARC) and 193nm photoresists. The PCM...

Gas purifiers.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... AERONEX[R] gas purifiers provide improved process control and greater yield. Available for area, bulk, and point-of-use applications, AERONEX GateKeeper[R] purifiers and INFINITY[TM] Gas Purification Systems remove contaminants such as...

Specialty coating systems 1/30/03.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... This literature features the new SCS G3 Spincoat Series. The spincoat models are available in 8, 12, and 15-inch programmable units and an 8-inch non-programmable unit. Models offer precision and program flexibility to meet customer...

Maglev turbo pumps.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... HiMag[TM] magnetically levitated turbo pumps utilize advanced rotor design and integrated controller to deliver the lowest cost of ownership through superior performance, compact design, reduced cabling and safer operation. Designed for use in...

LITHOGUARD-16 chemical contamination filter system.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... The LITHOGUARD-16 filter system, comprising of filter cabinet and associated filter inserts, supplies high purity air for the latest technology DUV semiconductor processing tools. The system was developed for the removal of the airborne base,...

Power supply catalog.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... Comdel's new RF and DC power supply catalog covers a full range of RF generators in frequencies from 20 kHz to 80 MHz with selected topographies to 150 MHz and power levels from 100 to 100,000 Watts. Configurations include custom packaging for...

All-new TALON.(Literature showcase)
March 1, 2004... Cee[TM], a division of Brewer Science, introduces the most flexible coat/ develop/bake/chill tool in it's class. Industry leading uniformity. Non-linear processing plus dispense and configuration options for MEMS configurability. Multi-axis...

Single-wafer wet-process cleaning series.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The DaVinci series of single-wafer wet-process cleaning systems unite high throughput and small footprint in a modular, multichamber design. The first product in the series, the eight-chamber DV-38F, targets BEOL processing of 300mm wafers with...

Reworkable underfill encapsulant.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... CN-1432 reworkable underfill encapsulant offers easy removal of defective CSPs and BGAs when the component and encapsulant are heated to 220[degrees]C. The encapsulant is fast-flowing with only a single-side dispense in as little as 15 sec....

Inlet system for SIRMS.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The ManiFold inlet system for the IsoPrime stable-isotope ratio mass spectrometer (SIRMS) automatically delivers gas samples prepared offline into the spectrometer. The 50-port assembly reportedly has a 60% greater capacity than other systems....

Inspection software.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The analySIS waferInspector and analySIS filterInspector image-analysis software systems offer fully automatic analysis, classification, and documentation of defects on wafers, residues, filters, or other substrates. In the filterInspector...

Variable-pressure SEM.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The SUPRA 60VP is an ultrahigh-resolution field-emission scanning electron microscope with a large cylindrical chamber, refined six-axis motorized stage, 8-in. integrated airlock, and added variable pressure capabilities. The SEM reportedly...

Web-based Dynamic Reporting module.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Dynamic Reporting supports automation and encapsulation of best practices accessible via the Internet in all installations of the data-ConductorEP yield-management platform. The module can institutionalize the analysis required to monitor and...

Calendar.(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... * APRIL 2004 12-16--MRS Spring Meeting--San Francisco, CA. The 9th International Conference on Electronic Components (ICEM) will be held in conjunction with the Materials Research Society's Spring meeting. Info: ph 724/779 3003, fax...

Mass-imaging process.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Mass-imaging thermal inter face material (TIM) using ProFlow DirEKT Imaging can ensure uniform thickness of TIM deposited between a silicon die and its package lid, resulting in better thermal connectivity between the die and the lid, as well...

EUVL simulation software.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... SOLID-EUV 1.3 is an enhanced extreme-ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) simulation software that determines the printability of defects on masks. Users can create virtual, defective multilayer blanks to assess possible mask defects and develop...

EA PSM material for lithography.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The PSM bilayer system adjusts phase and transmission almost independently, according to customer needs. The layer design consists of Ta controlling transmission and delivering etch stop capability, and Si[O.sub.2] controlling phase shift. The...

Using collaboration to tame Cu/low k: Solid State Technology asked industry experts how collaboration was enabling progress on Cu/low-k integration.(Perspectives)
March 1, 2004... Low k cracks the whip Michael A. Fury, VP, R&D and engineering, DuPont EKC Technology, Hayward, California The industry migration to copper metallization and low-k dielectrics on 300mm wafers drives a long and complex development...

How to use the resource guide.(2004 Resource Guide)
March 1, 2004... TABLE OF CONTENTS This year's products and services are grouped into 13 major categories that are listed in the Table of Contents round on page 6. PRODUCTS & SERVICES LISTINGS The listings are arranged alphabetically within the 13...

Products & services listings.(2004 Resource Guide)
March 1, 2004... The Products & Services listings are arranged alphabetically within 13 major categories. Each company is listed in alphabetical order underneath the appropriate product listing. Resource Guide advertisers are indicated by a star preceding their...

Chemicals.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Chemicals Acids Eastman Chemical Co 423-229-3420 www.eastman.com GFS Chemicals Inc 740-881-5501 www.gfschemicals.com Lab-Pro Inc 408-745-0222 www.labproinc.com Mallinckrodt Baker Inc 908-859-2151...

Gases/gas handling.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Gases, Commodity Argon Air Liquide America LP 972-301-5200 www.airliquide.com * BOC Edwards 978-658-5410 www.bocedwards.com (see ad p17) Hydrogen Air Liquide America LP 972-301-5200 www.airliquide.com...

Process materials.(2004 Resource Guide)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Crystals, Growing/Sawing Crucibles, crystal growing Heraeus QuartzTech Inc 512-251-5530 www.heraeus.quartztech.com Morgan Advanced Ceramics 603-598-9122 www.morganadvancedceramics.com Pyromatics Corp ...

Contamination control.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Abatement Systems Gases ATMI Inc 203-794-1100 www.atmi.com * BOC Edwards 978-658-5410 www.bocedwards.com (see ad p17) Busch Semiconductor Vacuum Group Inc 408-782-0800 www.buschsvg.com Hitachi High...

Fabrication/process technology.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... CIM/CAM, Process Control Manufacturing Software Design/manufacturing, Assembly/packaging Argosy Industries Inc 619-727-7006 www.argosyinc.com Harmonic Drive Technologies 978-532-1800 www.harmonicdrive.com ...

Machinery, tools & equipment.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Automation/Wafer Handling/Robotics Automatic Guided Vehicles SICK Inc 800-352-7425 www.sickusa.com Machine Vision Adept Technology Inc 925-245-6109 www.adept.com Argosy Industries Inc 619-727-7006...

Vacuum technology.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Vacuum Systems/Accessories Bell jars and fixtures * BOC Edwards 978-658-5410 www.bocedwards.com (see ad p17) CHA Industries 510-683-8554 www.chaindustries.com CTI-Cryogenics 508-337-5600...

Displays.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Manufacturing Machinery/Equipment/Accessories Backlighting for display panels Lumex Inc 647-359-2790 www.lumex.com Carriers, quartz United Silica Products Inc 973-209-8854 www.unitedsilica.com Chemicals,...

Test, metrology & inspection.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Analyzers Air Dionex Corp 408-737-0700 www.dionex.com Molecular Analytics Inc 410-472-7300 www.ionpro.com URS Corp 512-419-5878 Capacitance voltage (C-V) * Materials Development Corp 818-700-8290...

Back end production.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Bonding/Die Attach Adhesives, die attach Ablestik 310-764 4600 www.ablestik.com Alphasem AG 41-71-637-6363 www.alphasem.com Epoxy Technology Inc 976-667-3805 Zymet Inc 973-428-5245 www.zymet.com ...

Industry services.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Analytical Services Chemical analysis McCrone Associates Inc 630-887 7100 www.mccrone.com Northern Analytical Laboratory Inc 603-429-9500 www.northernanalytical.com Oneida Research Services Inc 315-736-5480...

Manufacturers' representatives.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Chemicals Chemicals, miscellaneous Eastman Chemical Co 423-229-3420 www.eastman.com Handling, storage/distribution systems Eastman Chemical Co 423-229-3420 www.eastman.com James Nagel Associates 408-567-0111...

Consultants.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... Areas of Concentration Chemicals F&F Associates 781-444-5499 Spectrum Technologies 800-358-7509 www.consultstonline.com Cleanrooms, design/construction Frank Hubach Associates Inc 510-528-1505...

Trade Names.(2004 Resource Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... The Trade Names section is an alphabetical listing of products and services commonly known by a commercial name or name/model number combination, followed by a short description and the name of the service. Further information on the...