Solid State Technology articles from September 2008

Solid State Technology archives from September 2008

SEMICON West video interviews.(Web Exclusives)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pete Singer, editor-in-chief, and Debra Vogler, senior technical editor of SST, made their rounds at this year's SEMICON West, where they covered state-of-the-industry analyses, 3D integration, 32nmn ultrashallow...

Just the text, please.(Web Exclusives)
September 1, 2008... Browse through all the write-ups from SST editors who related what they saw and heard at this year's SEMICON West: new products and process improvements, corporate strategy updates, event sessions on device scaling concerns, and market...

450mm: behind closed doors with ISMI.(Web Exclusives)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... ISMI provided SST with exclusive insights from its closed-door meeting during SEMICON West, where discussions continued between its members and equipment suppliers about key programs and topics such as the next-generation fab (NGF) targeting...

IBM's next lean-manufacturing frontier: equipment procurement.(Web Exclusives)(International Business Machines Corp.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Mark Dougherty, manager of IBM's fab transformation team at its East Fishkill, NY, operation, describes how the company is extending and implementing principles of lean manufacturing, from process design and equipment procurement to changing...

SST on the scene's Debra Vogler talks 3D with industry experts.(Web Exclusives)
September 1, 2008... Steve Dwyer, EV Group; John Knickerbocker, IBM; and Bob Sankman, Intel offer perspectives on 3D integration from their respective postions in the market. Dwyer discusses wafer-to-wafer and die-to-wafer integration and selecting wafer carrier...

The power and allure of "other".(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
September 1, 2008... It is relatively easy to define the mainstream semiconductor market as simply silicon-based CMOS logic and memory. That's the big market; that's where the most advanced technologies come into play and that's our core focus. Increasingly,...

Chip sales still chugging along, slowly.(BUSINESS TRENDS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Worldwide semiconductor sales in Q2 2008 totaled $64.7B, up 3% from Q1 2008, and H12008 chip sales totaled $127.5B, up 5.4% from 1H 2007--together suggesting that rising oil prices have had little impact on demand for electronic products, and...

KLA-Tencor has agreed to acquire Vistec Semiconductor Systems' microelectronic inspection equipment (MIE).(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... KLA-Tencor has agreed to acquire Vistec Semiconductor Systems' microelectronic inspection equipment (MIE) business in Weilburg, Germany--a deal analysts tell SST is likely motivated by a market grab in photomask metrology.

STMicroelectronics.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... STMicroelectronics may be close to a deal to offload its 200mm fab in Phoenix to an Asian pure-play foundry, according to one analyst. The site is one of several worldwide chosen a year ago to be mothballed to save money and carve out...

iSuppli.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... China's domestic consumption of locally designed semiconductors will rise by >60% through to 2012 to $42.1B, according to iSuppli. But overall chip consumption in China is clearly decelerating: 2008 consumption is pegged at $81B, up just 7%...

TSMC is said to be producing only the 55nm GPU for AMD's Fusion processor.(WORLDWIDE HIGHLIGHTS)
September 1, 2008... TSMC is said to be producing only the 55nm GPU for AMD's Fusion processor; the CPU will initially involve 45nm processes on SOI.

IBM.(USA)(International Business Machines Corp. investing in its semiconductor plant )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... IBM is investing $1B over the next three years in its semiconductor plant in East Fishkill, NY, with the state kicking in $65M in funds, according to local media reports.

Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI).(ASIAFOCUS)
September 1, 2008... Taiwan's government-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is backing a consortium with nine semiconductor companies to develop 3D IC technology.

Toppan Printing and DuPont in the US are teaming up.(ASIAFOCUS)
September 1, 2008... Toppan Printing and DuPont in the US are teaming up to boost production of solar cell backsheets.

Hynix.(ASIAFOCUS)
September 1, 2008... Hynix says the US is lifting a 23.78% duty on its DRAM chips.

Oerlikon.(EUROFOCUS)
September 1, 2008... Oerlikon has shipped its first 200mm MEMS cluster tool to Korea.

Qimonda.(EUROFOCUS)
September 1, 2008... Qimonda saw its quarterly net losses nearly double Y-Y, while revenue fell 48%.

Linde.(EUROFOCUS)
September 1, 2008... Linde said its profits in Q2 2008 EBITDA would rise 11.8% on strong gas demand.

Seeking process windows for 32nm USJs using MSA.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(millisecond annealing)(ultrasonic/sonic jackhammer)(West Coast Junction Technology Group)
September 1, 2008... Susan Felch, principal member of the technical staff, frontend development at Spansion, summarized research she conducted while at Applied Materials--and done with IMEC--at the West Coast Junction Technology Group meeting, sponsored by the...

IMEC, ASML: another step closer to production-worthy EUV.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(extreme ultraviolet )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Kicking off this year's SEMICON West, IMEC said it has been able to achieve electrically functional 32nm SRAM cells (FinFETs). The fin and gate levels were prepared using immersion lithography, but the contact hole level was exposed using EUV...

IMEC/ASML 32nm EUV rivals Intel work.(TECHNOLOGY NEWS)(extreme ultraviolet )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Essentially what IMEC and ASML have done is print 45nm CD contact holes with a 50% exposure latitude using EUV. With DUV, exposure latitude would have been 6x-8x smaller and the most likely method would have been to print larger contacts and...

Optimizing feedback time using high-throughput dark field imaging.(METROLOGY)(Cover story)
September 1, 2008... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW A fab's inspection strategy is based on many variables, including the process technology, defect mechanisms, inspection equipment, fab logistics, and financial parameters [1]. Adjustments are made to the inspection strategy...

Model-based mask verification on 45nm logic gate masks.(PATTERNING TECHNOLOGY)
September 1, 2008... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW In the continuous battle to improve critical dimension (CD) uniformity, especially for 45nm advanced logic products, one important recent advance is the ability to accurately verify the mask CD uniformity contribution to...

On-the-fly circular substrate centering for robotized vacuum systems.(AUTOMATION/APC)
September 1, 2008... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW A new method for on-the-fly detection and correction of substrate-centering inaccuracies of a circular substrate is presented. The method employs a set of photoelectric sensors externally mounted on the transport chamber...

Tool hookup: a paradigm shift to modularization.(FAB MANAGEMENT)
September 1, 2008... EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW As semiconductor manufacturers continue to address cost, speed, and safety as key components of capital equipment tool installations in the last several years, few solutions exist to address the need to reduce installation...

Turbopumps.(PRODUCT NEWS)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HiPace, an expanded line of compact turbopumps, comes in pumping speeds that range from 1000 to 2000 liters/second. The pumps feature a new rotor design that reduces run-up time by 50% and provides high gas...

Anisotropic etching system.(PRODUCT NEWS)
September 1, 2008... The PE-200-RIE Convertible is suitable for anisotropic etching of nitrides, oxides, and polyimides. The system has a 13"X13" water-cooled RIE electrode for substrate processing as well as a movable parallel plate ground electrode on a unique...

Automated material handling.(PRODUCT NEWS)
September 1, 2008... Agile Automation is a new approach to automated material handling in semiconductor fabs. It enables increases in fab productivity through modular enhancements to the existing AMHS system and can load and unload several tools in parallel while...

Software packages.(PRODUCT NEWS)
September 1, 2008... The TEMography Suite soft ware package automates data acquisition, 3D reconstruction, and visualization on the company's TEMs. TEMography allows cross sectional and 360[degrees] observation at any tilt angle. Automated alignment algorithms...

Metallization paste.(PRODUCT NEWS)
September 1, 2008... Solamet PV159 thick-film metallization paste for frontside PV solar cell metallization purportedly has a favorable environmental profile, as it is made without cadmium as an ingredient. The newly developed chemistry in the paste is being used...

Probe test card.(PRODUCT NEWS)
September 1, 2008... The PrecisionWoRx VX4 is the next generation of the company's probe card test and analysis tools. The system, which will replace the PrecisionPoint VX3, adds configurable channels, higher loading forces, a user interface and soft ware...

Ashable hard mask process technology.(PRODUCT NEWS)
September 1, 2008... An ashable hard mask (AHM) process configuration serves the company's VECTOR Extreme PECVD platform. As configured on the VECTOR Extreme, the AHM technology employs an RF power configuration, optimized process gas chemistry, and integrated...

Remote connectivity reduces costs for burgeoning solar industry.(INDUSTRY FORUM)
September 1, 2008... The solar industry is blazing a new trail around the globe in a very similar way to the global expansion that the semiconductor industry experienced in the 1990s. New turnkey, solarmodule fabrication facilities are cranking out solar-energy...