Solid State Technology articles from November 2007

Solid State Technology archives from November 2007

The innovation imperative.(Editorial)
November 1, 2007... Where does innovation come from, and how can we foster more of it? That question is becoming critical around the world as every nation faces a transition to a new economic order. The global economy is forcing every industry to squeeze out...

Tracking growth in PAT, and the rise of outsourcing.(BUSINESS TRENDS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Growth in global packaging and testing (PAT) revenues is expected to slow significantly in 2007, but will pick up marginally in 2008 and 2009, according to new data from Gartner Dataquest. Total PAT revenues will top $48.16 billion this year,...

MEMS revenue will double from 2005-2011 to $10B.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(microelectromechanical systems)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... MEMS revenue will double from 2005-2011 to $10B, with a "select group of large, well-established MEMS suppliers" benefiting from growth in the automotive sector, and "new, emerging entrants" capitalizing on opportunities in consumer,...

After spending >$10B in each of the past three years on equipment, global TFT-LCD firms will cut back investments by 35% this year to $8.2B, according to DisplaySearch.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... After spending >$10B in each of the past three years on equipment, global TFT-LCD firms will cut back investments by 35% this year to $8.2B, according to DisplaySearch. But the firm thinks TFT-LCD array equipment spending will return to growth...

Sony Corp. and Qimonda AG say they have agreed to create a 50/50 joint venture to design high-performance, low power, embedded and customer specific DRAMs for consumer and graphic applications.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)
November 1, 2007... Sony Corp. and Qimonda AG say they have agreed to create a 50/50 joint venture to design high-performance, low power, embedded and customer specific DRAMs for consumer and graphic applications. The proposed venture, Qreatic Design, would be...

Aviza Technology Inc. and Mosel Vitelic Corp. plan to jointly develop advanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) materials for next-generation flash applications.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Aviza Technology Inc. and Mosel Vitelic Corp. plan to jointly develop advanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) materials for next-generation flash applications. Aviza will provide the hardware and process expertise for materials development, with...

Intel.(USA)(chipsets)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... At its annual developer forum, Intel debuted working test chips built with 32nm process technology, saying it will start production at the next node sometime in 2009. The 32nm SRAMs house more than 1.9 billion transistors, utilizing high-k and...

IBM.(USA)(developed integrated semiconductor technology)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... IBM says it has developed a low-cost, integrated semiconductor technology that enables integration of multiple RF/analog functions on a single chip. The "CMOS 7RF SOI" technology, based on IBM's 0.18[micro]m process, uses SOI as a lower-cost...

Fujifilm's Electronic Materials Division has acquired Air Products' OptiYield positive photoresist developer line for undisclosed terms.(USA)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Fujifilm's Electronic Materials Division has acquired Air Products' OptiYield positive photoresist developer line for undisclosed terms. Transfer of supply and support functions from Air Products' facility in Tempe, AZ, to Fujifilm's site in...

Analog Devices has agreed to sell parts of its Baseband Chipset Division.(USA)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Analog Devices has agreed to sell parts of its Baseband Chipset Division, including its Othello radio and Soft Fone baseband chipset product lines, as well as certain cellular handset baseband support operations, to Taiwan's MediaTek for $350M...

Sony reportedly plans to sell system chip fabrication lines to Toshiba for nearly 100B yen (about US $870M).(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Sony reportedly plans to sell system chip fabrication lines to Toshiba for nearly 100B yen (about US $870M). A new JV between the two firms would fabricate system chips (e.g., the Cell microprocessor as well as image-processing chips), with...

Spansion.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Spansion says it has begun production of 65nm process-based MirrorBit NOR flash memory devices at its SP1 300mm fab in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan, with shipments due out by year's end.

Hynix Semiconductor and STMicroelectronics' jointly owned chipmaking facility in Wuxi.(ASIAFOCUS)(Hynix Semiconductor and STMicroelectronics merged with China Resources (Holdings) Co. Ltd.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Hynix Semiconductor and STMicroelectronics' jointly owned chipmaking facility in Wuxi, China, has sold its 200mm line "C1" to Chinese conglomerate China Resources (Holdings) Co. Ltd. for an undisclosed amount.

Intel.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Intel says it has started groundbreaking for its proposed "Fab 68" in the coastal Chinese city of Dalian, the chipmaker's first wafer fab in Asia and first greenfield fab location in 15 years. The $2.5B 300mm fab is slated to come online in...

Toshiba is accelerating its planned 25% increase in CMOS image sensor production by roughly six months, augmenting some lines at its system chip plant in Japan's Oita Prefecture to minimize the investment, notes the Nikkei daily.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Toshiba is accelerating its planned 25% increase in CMOS image sensor production by roughly six months, augmenting some lines at its system chip plant in Japan's Oita Prefecture to minimize the investment, notes the Nikkei daily. Meanwhile,...

Following a similar European Commission ruling this summer.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Following a similar European Commission ruling this summer, the South Korean Fair Trade Commission has formally charged Intel with violating antitrust laws, alleging the firm pressured computer customers with a variety of tactics to buy its...

FormFactor.(ASIAFOCUS)(FormFactor Inc. will operate its facility in Singapore)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... FormFactor will spend ~$200M to expand its wafer probe card manufacturing operations in Singapore with a new 300,000 sq. ft facility, expected to ramp in early 2009.

Samsung Electronics.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Another half-minute power outage at Samsung Electronics' K2 production line in its Giheung facility caused no damage, a spokesperson told the Korea Times. A more severe blackout in early August knocked out six lines at K2, ultimately denting...

Grace Semiconductor.(ASIAFOCUS)
November 1, 2007... China's Grace Semiconductor has named Ulrich Schumacher, former CEO of German chipmaker Infineon Technologies, as its new president and CEO.

SanDisk Corp.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... SanDisk Corp. has opened a flash memory assembly/test plant in Shanghai's Zizhu Science Park, its first production facility in China. The site, which will focus on system-in-package (SiP) chips and flash memory products, is expected to meet...

Dai Nippon Printing.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Dai Nippon Printing has developed a method to fabricate 18nm-design rule templates for nanoimprinting circuit patterns, avoiding the problem of overlapping the e-beam by creating a tighter spot and adjusting the beam's strength and exposure,...

Tokyo Electron Ltd.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Tokyo Electron Ltd. is bringing production for each type of its chipmaking equipment under one roof, in order to cut costs and boost group operating margins to 20% by fiscal 2011 (vs. 16.9% last year), according to the Nikkei Financial Daily....

Gigaphoton.(ASIAFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Japan's Gigaphoton says its GT61A argon fluoride (ArF) excimer laser light source is part of a new immersion litho tool now installed at an unnamed "major Korean chipmaker," and expected to ramp into high-volume production by year's end.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE).(ASIAFOCUS)(NXP Semiconductors Inc.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE) and NXP Semiconductors have completed their assembly/test JV in Suzhou, China, about 10 months after its formation. "ASEN," launched in February 2007 with ASE as the 60/40 majority owner, initially...

Freescale Semiconductor.(EUROFOCUS)(Freescale Semiconductor (UK) Ltd)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Freescale Semiconductor has put two Scottish facilities on the market for sale, one already producing 150mm/0.35[micro]m devices, and the other an unoccupied 200mm shell upgradeable to 300mm.

Intel.(EUROFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Cutbacks at Intel's Leixlip factory are already underway, mainly targeting contractors and extending "significantly" beyond the expected 200 voluntary resignations, reports the Irish Times. Most of the layoffs are said to be at Intel's Ireland...

The European Commission has authorized 200M [euro] (~$277M) in funding over five years to support the "NanoSmart" R&D program.(EUROFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The European Commission has authorized 200M [euro] (~$277M) in funding over five years to support the "NanoSmart" R&D program, which aims to develop advanced substrates for microelectronic and optoelectronic components.

Synova SA and Manz Automation AG say they've created a hybrid inline laser edge isolation system for photovoltaic manufacturing of mono- and multicrystalline solar cells.(EUROFOCUS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Synova SA and Manz Automation AG say they've created a hybrid inline laser edge isolation system for photovoltaic manufacturing of mono- and multicrystalline solar cells. The ILE 2400, aimed to be "production-ready" by year's end, targets edge...

Doubling down at BACUS.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)
November 1, 2007... Double patterning technology (DPT), self-aligned or not, seemed to be the consensus choice for the next half-pitch node or two for the maskmakers convened in Monterey for SPIE's annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology (Sept. 16-21). The...

Electron transport via quantum tunneling in metal insulator diodes.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)
November 1, 2007... The humble diode is the focal point of what Phiar Corp. hopes will be the beginning of a future that includes nonsemiconductor materials for junction transport via quantum tunneling--and the first credible alternative to semiconductors since...

Intel finds signs of heterogeneous life after silicon.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(Intel Corp.)
November 1, 2007... CMOS circuits using silicon channels are hitting the performance wall, and doping with germanium and straining the lattice have already been used to push the limits. Thus, compound semiconductors are again under consideration as building blocks...

Pyxis banks on single-pass manufacturability and yield optimization.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(Pyxis Technology Inc.)
November 1, 2007... Building on its relationships with partners PDF Solutions, Ponte Solutions, and Brion Technologies (recently acquired by ASML), Pyxis Technology has launched its Nexus Solution Suite, having matured the product through implementation on 60...

Annealing process speeds up self-assembly for sub-30nm features.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)
November 1, 2007... Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) say they've come up with a new "cold zone" annealing technique that processes block copolymers and other thin films to align into regular patterns of nanocylinder lines,...

MFC design for semiconductor processing using computational fluid dynamics.(CHEMICALS)(mass flow controller)
November 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Mass flow controller (MFC) designs must evolve to meet the need for ever more precise control of chemical and gas precursors used in semiconductor manufacturing. The flow-bypass thermal MFC technology that has been...

Improving yield through parametric variability characterization and modeling.(DFM)
November 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Random and systematic process variations reduce parametric yields significantly at the leading 65nm and 45nm CMOS process technologies. Parametric yield, distinct from the traditional notion of defect-limited yield,...

Hydraulics vs. pneumatics for improved wafer-level bonding.(M E M S)
November 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Many emerging wafer bonding technologies are requiring higher applied force for successful wafer level encapsulations. Pneumatic and hydraulic systems have both been used to apply force in wafer bonding equipment,...

Converting nickel film to nano particles using hydrogen plasma treatment.(NANOTECHNOLOGY)
November 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Nickel particles on silicon wafers are popularly used as catalysts in growing carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Hydrogen plasma treatment is the typical process in converting nickel film into particles. Experimental results in...

Combined illumination sources for hyper-NA contact hole printing.(LITHOGRAPHY)(numerical aperture)
November 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Patterning of contact layers with minimal half pitch below 90nm has proven to be a very dif. cult task. In general, difficulties in contact patterning are driven by the low depth-of-focus (DoF) toward isolated contacts...

Technology interdependence and the evolution of semiconductor lithography.(HISTORY OF LITHOGRAPHY)
November 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Advances in semiconductor lithography have driven the rapid growth of the semiconductor industry since its beginnings. From the contact printers of the 1960s to today's 193nm immersion scanners, this progress has been...

Is nucleoepitaxy in the future?(Photomasks)
November 1, 2007... The semiconductor industry's growth over the past 50 years has been fueled in part by a host of lithography innovations. The key innovations related directly to the photomask include the reduction stepper, the pellicle, the electron beam mask...

New uses of IC technology will enable better opportunities for optical lithography.(Future Applications)(Integrated circuits)
November 1, 2007... Remember our roots. Sixty years ago in 1947, the transistor was invented at Bell Labs. In 1961, college courses were still teaching vacuum tube technology. By 1963, William Shockley was making individual bipolar transistors at Transitron in...

Modeling vehicle-free transport to enable elimination of bottlenecks.(AUTOMATION)
November 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Automated material handling systems (AMHS) are critical to the infrastructure of a 300mm fab. Modern AMHS must support movement demands that dynamically range from 1000 FOUP moves/hr up to 10,000. Demand in a single bay...

High efficiency wet processing system.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The CenTurio high efficiency wet processing system features an 8-in. system design with half-space technique for maximized throughput and efficiency. This fully automated wet process bench is equipped with the...

Two coating/dispensing technologies.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... Two coating/dispensing technologies apply catalyst inks onto membranes in electrode assemblies of proton exchange and direct methanol fuel cells: spray coating and discrete dot dispensing. DispenseJet technology deposits the ink with a uniform...

C-V measurement instrument.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... The model 4200-CVU instrument comes as a module that plugs into any available instrument slot of the model 4200-SCS semiconductor characterization system, allowing fast and easy capacitance measurements from femtoFarads (fF) to nanoFarads (nF),...

Laser interferometer encoder.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Renishaw Inc.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The RLE20 differential interferometer-based encoder system reduces noise-induced positional errors in the Vistec VB300 e-beam lithography tool through improved mechanical rigidity. These errors are reportedly expected to be <3nm. The VB300 tool...

Phase metrology system.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Carl Zeiss SMT AG)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The Phame phase metrology system enables high-resolution, in-die phase shift measurement of photomasks for 193nm lithography. It measures and analyzes the phase-shift of high-end PSMs and offers the ability to measure the much smaller...

200mm auto gapping system.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... The AGS200 200mmWaferSense auto gapping system is a wireless, wafer-like device that improves film deposition, sputter, and etch processing. The system was designed to measure the gaps between the shower heads and wafers, and then report the...

Photovoltaic metallization paste materials, system.(PRODUCT NEWS)(DuPont Microcircuit Materials)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... A new series of screen printable thick film materials enables solar cell manufacturers to reduce their cost per watt by reportedly achieving higher cell efficiencies, higher production yields, and lower material consumption. The Solamet thick...

Thin-film measurement system.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... The F20-UVX thin-film measurement system uses the wavelength range of 200nm to 1700nm for increased thin-film analysis capabilities. This new system can measure the thickness of films from 30[Angstrom] to 450[micro]m thick and optical constants...

Dicing die attach films.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... The Hysol QMI5100 and Hysol QMI5200 dicing die attach film products are designed to streamline the die attach process, particularly for stacked die applications. Hysol QMI5100's and Hysol QMI5200's formulations combine the properties and...

Microspectroscopy system.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Jasco Inc.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The MSV-300 series microspectroscopy system is a UV/VIS/NIR microspectrophotometer that provides transmittance/reflectance measurements of microscopic sample sites for a wide range of wavelengths, from the ultraviolet to the near infrared....

Precision motion slides.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The RGSW and RGSWX series slides provide linear motion performance to engineers in demanding industries such as packaging, assembly, medical and life sciences, semiconductor manufacturing, and factory automation. Like the original RGS slides,...

Optical and portable profilometers.(PRODUCT NEWS)(nanoJura)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The NJ-Optimal and NJ-Portable profilometers are designed for high-precision measurement of micro- and nano-surface geometry and 2D/3D surface texture. The NJ-Portable is light and compact and can be placed over the surface under study. It is...

Ultra-low defectivity CMP pad.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... The EcoVision 4000 ultra-low defectivity performance CMP pad is designed specifically for advanced copper barrier processes for 45nm technology nodes and beyond. Its design and chemistry is said to allow users to achieve a reduction in cost of...

Universal bond tester.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... The system 650 universal bond tester is a dependable, compact test system with expandability to support advanced packaging requirements. The System 650's quick-start test modules permit rapid changeover between wire pull, tweezer pull, ball...

Automated wafer packing/sorting system.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... The WPC EVO wafer handling/packing/ unpacking machine is a next-generation 300mm tool that provides the capability to fully automate wafer packing, unpacking, and sorting processes between industry standard cassettes, FOUP/FOSB and horizontal...

Electroplating tools for WLP development.(PRODUCT NEWS)(Ascent 200mm and Leapfrog 300mm from Surfect Technologies Inc.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Two new development electroplating tool versions leverage this company's Ascent 200mm and Leapfrog 300mm scalable plating tool platforms. These new development tools are designed to enable more companies to enter and support the market for...

CMP slurries for low-k devices.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... This company has improved its B6600 platform of barrier CMP slurries for an integrated solution for copper barrier CMP at advanced technology nodes. The barrier slurry platform is tunable, enabling the products to be customized to deliver good...

Custom-grown single crystals.(PRODUCT NEWS)
November 1, 2007... These single crystals of more than 30 metals and alloys can normally be grown to order using a range of techniques, for example, Bridgman or Czochralski. Crystals can be supplied with specific or random orientations and in a variety of shapes...

Pure-play development foundries offer accelerated innovation.(INDUSTRY FORUM)
November 1, 2007... When process innovation is a requirement, a sound process development strategy is a must. Differentiation on silicon that is process- vs. design-based can hold very high returns for investors and technologists provided the innovation is...

Solid State Technology: The gold anniversary.(INTRODUCTION)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Amazingly, it is now 50 years since Sam Marshall launched Semiconductor Products magazine, which has evolved into today's Solid State Technology and the web site at www.solid-state.com. The initial magazine covered all aspects of semiconductors...

Fifty years on, IC industry's greatest invention is itself.(SEMICONDUCTOR HISTORY)(Industry overview)
November 1, 2007... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW Founding a semiconductor magazine, or company, in 1957 required a leap of faith. Yet for more than five decades, the semiconductor industry has exceeded all supposed limits to its growth and innovative potential. In the...

50th anniversary perspectives.(Industry overview)
November 1, 2007... On the occasion of Solid State Technology's 50th anniversary, we asked our Editorial Advisory Board and other luminaries to opine on the past 50 years and future 50 years of semiconductor manufacturing. We asked them a series of questions: What...