High Tech Ceramics News articles from February 2003

High Tech Ceramics News archives from February 2003

COLUMBIA DISASTER Groups Offer Better Tiles.
February 1, 2003... Although NASA has not confirmed the cause of the Columbia disaster, the loss of shuttle tiles still remains as a potential cause of the tragedy. Meanwhile, two research groups have offered better tiles for the space shuttles. According to...

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS: Ultrapure Materials to Cross $1.7 Billion.
February 1, 2003... The semiconductor industry is highly cyclical and subject to significant economic downturns that adversely affect the market for ultrapure chemicals, water, and gases and that are characterized by reduced product demand and excess production...

PROCESSING AND TECHNOLOGIES High Alumina Refractory Adhesive.
February 1, 2003... ZIRCAR Ceramics, Inc. (Florida, NY) has introduced a new High Alumina Refractory Adhesive Type HITAC-4. HITAC-4 was developed specifically for bonding low-density insulation materials together without adding significant mass to a fibrous...

Starfire Introduces Brake Materials.
February 1, 2003... Starfire Systems recently announced that it has developed new ceramic materials systems technology for high-performance aircraft and racing brakes. Several companies are currently evaluating the performance of brakes made from Starfire's...

Allied High Tech Intros Sectioning Machine.
February 1, 2003... Allied High Tech Products, Inc. has released its latest generation precision sectioning machine, the TechCut 5. The TechCut 5 is a rugged and versatile programmable sectioning saw designed to cut a wide variety of materials in a broad range of...

Ceradyne Armors Lincoln Town Car.
February 1, 2003... Ceradyne, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRDN) has announced that the company has been selected by Ford Motor Co. to supply lightweight ceramic armor systems components that will be incorporated into the Lincoln Town Car Ballistic Protection Series (BPS). The...

METROLOGY AND ANALYSIS Mini Ion Transducer from MKS.
February 1, 2003... MKS Instruments, Inc. - HPS Products is introducing the new HPS Series 909 Mini Ion Transducer. The Series 909 is an integrated hot cathode sensor and electronics control package. The wide measurement range makes the HPS Series 909 Mini Ion...

POWDERS AND NANO CERAMICS Nanosized Y3Al5O12 via Flame Spray.
February 1, 2003... University of Michigan researchers J.C. Marchal, T.R. Hinklin, and R.M. Laine synthesized high surface area (80 m2/g) Y3Al5O12 powders synthesized by flame spray pyrolysis of novel metal alkoxide complexes as well as other soluble metal...

Nickel Ferrite Particles Synthesized.
February 1, 2003... Researchers at University of New Orleans (J. Fang, K.L. Stokes, J. He, V.O. Golub, C. Wang, and C.J. O'Connor) have been successfully synthesized nickel ferrite nanoparticles through a reverse microemulsion route. The system contains non-ionic...

Two Patents for Copper CMP Slurries.
February 1, 2003... The U.S. Patent Office has granted two U.S. patents to Arch Microelectronic Materials in the field of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) slurries. The fundamentally enabling inventions that are covered by the patents have been incorporated...

Team to Develop Nanoparticle Sensors.
February 1, 2003... Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTI) and Western Michigan University ("WMU") has announced that they have entered into a teaming agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, two research programs, utilizing Altair's nanomaterial science...

Bush Continues NanoTech Funding Level.
February 1, 2003... President Bush plans to give the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) its smallest budget boost ever, but in light of the federal government's fiscal stinginess toward many other research areas, nanotechnology advocates are celebrating the...

COATINGS: CBN Films in Two-Steps.
February 1, 2003... The excellent physical and chemical properties of cubic boron nitride (CBN), that is, its hardness being second only to diamond, high thermal conductivity, chemical inertness, high refractive index and wide band gap in connection with p- and...

Bekaert Introduces Sputter Systems.
February 1, 2003... Over the last decade, Bekaert VDS has played a leading role in the development of advanced rotating magnetrons and enabling hardware. These products have been implemented successfully worldwide for DC and AC sputter processes. Bekaert...

FIBERS AND COMPOSITES Fiber Producer Offers Marketing CD.
February 1, 2003... Rath Performance Fibers, Inc. products are based on alumino- silicate fibers and ALTRA high alumina fibers, manufactured using our proprietary sol-gel process. These fibers are available as bulk fiber, blanket, and vacuum-formed boards and...

Unifrax Introduces Lining System.
February 1, 2003... Unifrax Corp. recently introduced its Foamfrax insulation full thickness lining system, an advanced high-temperature technology for furnace lining applications. As with Foamfrax insulation, this full thickness application method offers...

Zircar Rolls Out Alumina-Silica Paper.
February 1, 2003... ZIRCAR Refractory Composites, Inc. offers a wide range of insulating refractory papers. These non-woven, non-asbestos, fiber-based products are engineered as thermal barrier materials for use in high-temperature applications up to 1,450C...

DIAMOND PRODUCTS: High-Adhesive DLC Using Ion Mixing.
February 1, 2003... Japanese researchers Kenji Fuchigami, Katsumi Suzuki, Masaaki Horiuchi, Kazuo Uematsu, Tadashi Sasa (Research laboratory, Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.; Tel: 813/3534- 3338, Fax: 813/3534-3333; Email: kenji_fuchigami@ihi.co.jp)...

Arc Method Deposits Amorphous Diamond.
February 1, 2003... Australian CSIRO scientist Jawad Haider has used an arc deposition method for high rate deposition of amorphous diamond. An arc is operated in vacuum between a graphite anode and an auxiliary cathode. Constriction of the size of the arc...

STRUCTURAL CARBON: Hitco to Build Sections for Boeing.
February 1, 2003... Hitco Carbon Composites, Inc., an affiliate of the SGL Carbon Group, recently announced that it has entered into agreements with the Boeing Co. to produce up to 60 more large composite tail cone structures (in addition to the 110 already...

FILTERS AND MEMBRANES Corning to Supply Liquid Filters.
February 1, 2003... Corning, Inc. and Ionics, Inc. recently announced an agreement for the supply of Corning ceramic membrane liquid filters to Ionics for the food and beverage processing industries. The multiyear agreement further enhances Ionics' integrated...

ELECTRONIC CERAMICS Growth Seen for Compound ICs.
February 1, 2003... According to a recent survey by IC Insights, the compound- semiconductor IC market is expected to experience an average annual growth rate of 22% from 2002 through 2007 as compared with a 10% rate forecast for the total IC market over the same...

Japanese Wafer Makers Forecast 8% Growth.
February 1, 2003... Silicon wafer production increased 22% in 2002 among Japan's leading manufacturers and is projected to increase another 8% this year, a committee of the manufacturers announced. Wafer production in Japan accounts for approximately 70% of total...

Cree, Hitachi Kokusai Extend Agreement.
February 1, 2003... Cree Microwave, Inc., a subsidiary of Cree, Inc., and a leader in manufacturing high- power, high-performance laterally diffused metal-oxide silicon (LDMOS) RF power semiconductors for the wireless industry has announced that Hitachi Kokusai...

Abrasive-FreePolishing Eases Switch to Copper.
February 1, 2003... Hitachi's HS-C430 abrasive-free chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) slurry allows semiconductor chip manufacturers to make the switch from aluminum to copper and the higher connection speeds they offer. Copper-containing chips are fabricated in...

Dow Corning Acquires Two Units.
February 1, 2003... Dow Corning Corp. has announced the acquisition of the assets of Sterling Semiconductor Inc. for $11.2 million. Dow Corning will acquire the manufacturing and research and development assets of Sterling, an industry leader in manufacturing...

Shipley Opens R&D Facility.
February 1, 2003... Shilpley Co., LLC, a provider of electronic materials and process technology development, has opened its Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The facility is dedicated to the development of lithography, interconnect,...

SUPERCONDUCTORS AMSC Ships Rotor Assembly.
February 1, 2003... American Superconductor Corp. (AMSC) has completed the manufacture and testing of the rotor assembly for the world's first high- temperature superconductor (HTS) ship propulsion motor. AMSC, which is manufacturing the prototype motor under a...

COMPANY NEWS: Spectrian Agrees to Cree Settlement.
February 1, 2003... Cree Microwave, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) has announced that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Spectrian Corp. Under the terms of the agreement, Spectrian agrees to pay Cree Microwave $5 million...

Coors Signs Merger with Keystone.
February 1, 2003... CoorsTek, Inc. has signed a merger agreement for $26 per share in cash with Keystone Holdings, LLC and Keystone Acquisition Corp. This transaction will be effected through a merger with Keystone Acquisition Corp., in which CoorsTek will be the...

NASA Launches Institute for Nanoelectronics.
February 1, 2003... NASA and a group of six colleges led by Purdue University in Indiana are launching the NASA Institute for Nanoelectronics and Computing. The new institute's scientists and engineers will collaborate on methods to make electronics measured in...

Battelle Forecast Predicts Shift.
February 1, 2003... Outside factors are deeply impacting the levels of funding for scientific research, according to the recent "R&D Forecast," a joint effort of Battelle and R&D Magazine. Total R&D expenditures in the United States are expected to increase about...

Pechney Reports Net Loss in 2002.
February 1, 2003... Pechiney recently announced a net loss of 50 million euros in 2002, corresponding to adjusted net income [restated to reflect the impact, after taxes, of restructuring expense, other (expense) income, and other non-recurring items] of 211...

AMK Reports Flat Sales.
February 1, 2003... American Technical Ceramics Corp. recently announced financial results for the second fiscal quarter and the 6 months ended December 31, 2002. Net sales for the quarter were $11,561,000, essentially flat compared with $11,582,000 in the...

AMSC Revenue Drops in Quarter.
February 1, 2003... American Superconductor Corp. reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2003 ended December 31, 2002. Net revenues for the December 2002 quarter were $2.75 million compared with $3.53 million for the third quarter of last...

CTS Profitable in Fourth Quarter.
February 1, 2003... CTS Corp. (NYSE: CTS) has announced results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2002. With fourth-quarter diluted net earnings per share of $0.02, the company realized its best earnings performance since the first quarter of 2001, reflecting...

MEETINGS: Technology Conference and Expo.
February 1, 2003... Innovation drives companies. Developing world-class products and implementing advanced processes are key components to survival. But these days, R&D is expensive and can take years. Where can you find the latest inventions and technologies for...

CALENDAR.
February 1, 2003... March 16-18, 2003. Ceramics and Ceramic Technologies, Exhibition and Conference, New Delhi, India. Contact: Tel: 91+11-25707715. April 7-9, 2003. Ceramic Interconnect Conference, The Westin Hotel, Denver, CO. Sponsored by International...