News Article
IBM Has Agreed To Work With The Packaging And Assembly Companies On Its
IBM has agreed to work with the packaging and assembly companies on its
latest Surface Laminar Circuit (SLC) flip chip substrate and packaging
development. Three companies apart from IBM are taking part - Amkor, ASAT
and ASE. These companies will be enabled to provide flip chip design and
assembly services. IBM will support their efforts with substrate design
along with electrical, mechanical and thermal modelling.
IBM intends to provide the new SLC substrates based on its "build up
technology" currently manufactured in Yasu, Japan. The new IBM SLC package
is constructed with laser microvias and is available with advanced wiring
groundrules and microvia diameters down to 48microns. The package has passed
1000 cycles DTC (-55 to 125C) and JEDEC 3 preconditioning. Prototypes
featuring 150micron C4 area array pitch and 212micron core pitch are planned
to be available in Q4 this year.
ASAT says it plans to begin assembly of packaged chips on IBM-supplied
substrates in Q3. IBM will be its preferred supplier for the flip chip
substrates and modules.
Amkor Technology and Unitive are to collaborate on turn-key manufacturing
services, expanding on an existing two-year relationship.
The service will use Unitive's wafer level packaging solutions and Amkor's
advanced packaging and test capabilities. Unitive will become Amkor's
primary source of wafer level packaging solutions in Taiwan, providing wafer
level design, repassivation, redistribution, and bumping services. Amkor
will provide a broad range of packaging and test services including probe,
wafer thinning, substrate design & procurement, assembly, and final test.
Together, the companies will provide coordinated project management,
seamless logistics tracking, and technical support.
Wafer handling equipment company Adept Technology and etch specialist Tegal
have been made members of the Advanced Packaging and Interconnect Alliance
(APiA). Adept offers wafer-handling automation based on standards used in
advanced packaging such as SMEMA.
Founding members of APiA are August Technology, Casio Computer, Dainippon
Screen Manufacturing, EBARA, the Flip Chip Division of Kulicke & Soffa,
Ultratech Stepper and Unaxis Balzers.
Mitsubishi Chemical and Applied Materials have jointly-developed a cleaning
solution for Applied Materials' new single-wafer Oasis Clean system. The
proprietary AM1 chemistry aims at improved particle removal performance and
simplified chemical management compared to traditional SC1 and SC2 wet bench
chemistries such as the RCA process developed in the late 1960s.
Using the AM1 chemistry, the Oasis system's single-step AM-Clean can be
performed in less than 30 seconds, compared with more than 20 minutes for a
traditional SC1-SC2 cycle. Every wafer is cleaned with a fresh solution,
eliminating wafer-to-wafer cross contamination. However, overall chemical
usage is reduced.
Advantest plans to establish a "Semiconductor Test Consortium" as the first
industry-wide collaboration aimed at solving the challenges of
cost-effectively testing complex logic devices, such as systems-on-chip
(SoC). This nonprofit consortium would focus on supporting the development
of the Semiconductor Test Open Architecture, a new framework created to
enable open test solutions offering true hardware/software interoperability.
Advantest is presently recruiting participants for the consortium from the
ranks of the world's leading integrated circuit (IC) manufacturers.
Currently, Advantest has active participation from half of the world's top
ten semiconductor companies, involved in a working group committed to
launching the consortium.
OMM and Lightwave Microsystems have agreed to develop a new generation of
wavelength management and switching products based on
micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and planar lightwave circuits
(PLCs). Together both companies will develop a series of hybrid-integrated
modules that incorporate the benefits of both wavelength selectable filter
and MEMS technologies for use in scalable optical add-drop and optical
switch building blocks. Delivery of the first samples to customers is
planned this year. Initial products will be capable of dynamic
reconfigurable switching that allows provisioning of individual wavelengths
in optical networks as well as network protection services. OMM specialises
in MEMS and Lightwave in PLCs.
Electroglas is to distribute Applied Precision's waferWoRx probing process
analysis system, under a partnership agreement. Electroglas sales team will
be selling the waferWoRx system into North America, Japan, Korea and parts
of Europe. Applied Precision will continue to provide field service and
technical support. The waferWoRx system enables diagnosis of problems in
probing processes by capturing images of probe scrub marks, measuring scrub
mark data and extracting detailed information about the probing process.
European microelectronics research centre IMEC is setting up a "centre of
excellence" to build on research activities on physics concerning failure
mechanisms, reliability test structures, test methodologies and built-in
reliability. The new centre is equipped with a wide range of reliability
test systems and systems for failure and material analysis. The reliability
centre is looking for collaboration with industry and research centers on
innovative, in-depth research of specific topics in the area of reliability
and failure physics. Potential partners are equipment manufacturers,
semiconductor and microsystems manufacturers, packaging houses and fabless
companies. Collaborations will be performed on a bilateral base in which
cost and IP will be shared. Apart from joint research, IMEC's reliability
centre offers documentation and training on a wide selection of reliability
issues.
Surface Technology Systems (STS) and Xactix have struck a joint marketing
agreement to carry xenon difluoride (XeF2) based release etch processes from
research into production. The companies are looking to the MEMS production
market. XeF2 is aimed to be a wet etch replacement.
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) tool producer Genus is to reduce its staff and
contractors by 35 people, aiming to generate more than $4m in annual expense
savings. The company anticipates that its cash operating breakeven point
will be reduced to approximately $10m in net revenues per quarter. After the
cut, the company's total employee base will be 100 people. While the
workforce reductions affect all departments, a majority of the impact is in
administration and operations, with minimal reductions in technology-related
positions.
"As we indicated in our updated financial guidance announced on July 2, we
have experienced delays in anticipated orders that have led us to lower our
revenue outlook for 2002," says CEO and chairman Bill Elder, adding "We do
not expect today's action to impact our production schedule, manufacturing
capabilities, or the service levels required to meet current and growing
demand."
technology" currently manufactured in Yasu, Japan. The new IBM SLC package
is constructed with laser microvias and is available with advanced wiring
groundrules and microvia diameters down to 48microns. The package has passed
1000 cycles DTC (-55 to 125C) and JEDEC 3 preconditioning. Prototypes
featuring 150micron C4 area array pitch and 212micron core pitch are planned
to be available in Q4 this year.
ASAT says it plans to begin assembly of packaged chips on IBM-supplied
substrates in Q3. IBM will be its preferred supplier for the flip chip
substrates and modules.
Amkor Technology and Unitive are to collaborate on turn-key manufacturing
services, expanding on an existing two-year relationship.
The service will use Unitive's wafer level packaging solutions and Amkor's
advanced packaging and test capabilities. Unitive will become Amkor's
primary source of wafer level packaging solutions in Taiwan, providing wafer
level design, repassivation, redistribution, and bumping services. Amkor
will provide a broad range of packaging and test services including probe,
wafer thinning, substrate design & procurement, assembly, and final test.
Together, the companies will provide coordinated project management,
seamless logistics tracking, and technical support.
Wafer handling equipment company Adept Technology and etch specialist Tegal
have been made members of the Advanced Packaging and Interconnect Alliance
(APiA). Adept offers wafer-handling automation based on standards used in
advanced packaging such as SMEMA.
Founding members of APiA are August Technology, Casio Computer, Dainippon
Screen Manufacturing, EBARA, the Flip Chip Division of Kulicke & Soffa,
Ultratech Stepper and Unaxis Balzers.
Mitsubishi Chemical and Applied Materials have jointly-developed a cleaning
solution for Applied Materials' new single-wafer Oasis Clean system. The
proprietary AM1 chemistry aims at improved particle removal performance and
simplified chemical management compared to traditional SC1 and SC2 wet bench
chemistries such as the RCA process developed in the late 1960s.
Using the AM1 chemistry, the Oasis system's single-step AM-Clean can be
performed in less than 30 seconds, compared with more than 20 minutes for a
traditional SC1-SC2 cycle. Every wafer is cleaned with a fresh solution,
eliminating wafer-to-wafer cross contamination. However, overall chemical
usage is reduced.
Advantest plans to establish a "Semiconductor Test Consortium" as the first
industry-wide collaboration aimed at solving the challenges of
cost-effectively testing complex logic devices, such as systems-on-chip
(SoC). This nonprofit consortium would focus on supporting the development
of the Semiconductor Test Open Architecture, a new framework created to
enable open test solutions offering true hardware/software interoperability.
Advantest is presently recruiting participants for the consortium from the
ranks of the world's leading integrated circuit (IC) manufacturers.
Currently, Advantest has active participation from half of the world's top
ten semiconductor companies, involved in a working group committed to
launching the consortium.
OMM and Lightwave Microsystems have agreed to develop a new generation of
wavelength management and switching products based on
micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and planar lightwave circuits
(PLCs). Together both companies will develop a series of hybrid-integrated
modules that incorporate the benefits of both wavelength selectable filter
and MEMS technologies for use in scalable optical add-drop and optical
switch building blocks. Delivery of the first samples to customers is
planned this year. Initial products will be capable of dynamic
reconfigurable switching that allows provisioning of individual wavelengths
in optical networks as well as network protection services. OMM specialises
in MEMS and Lightwave in PLCs.
Electroglas is to distribute Applied Precision's waferWoRx probing process
analysis system, under a partnership agreement. Electroglas sales team will
be selling the waferWoRx system into North America, Japan, Korea and parts
of Europe. Applied Precision will continue to provide field service and
technical support. The waferWoRx system enables diagnosis of problems in
probing processes by capturing images of probe scrub marks, measuring scrub
mark data and extracting detailed information about the probing process.
European microelectronics research centre IMEC is setting up a "centre of
excellence" to build on research activities on physics concerning failure
mechanisms, reliability test structures, test methodologies and built-in
reliability. The new centre is equipped with a wide range of reliability
test systems and systems for failure and material analysis. The reliability
centre is looking for collaboration with industry and research centers on
innovative, in-depth research of specific topics in the area of reliability
and failure physics. Potential partners are equipment manufacturers,
semiconductor and microsystems manufacturers, packaging houses and fabless
companies. Collaborations will be performed on a bilateral base in which
cost and IP will be shared. Apart from joint research, IMEC's reliability
centre offers documentation and training on a wide selection of reliability
issues.
Surface Technology Systems (STS) and Xactix have struck a joint marketing
agreement to carry xenon difluoride (XeF2) based release etch processes from
research into production. The companies are looking to the MEMS production
market. XeF2 is aimed to be a wet etch replacement.
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) tool producer Genus is to reduce its staff and
contractors by 35 people, aiming to generate more than $4m in annual expense
savings. The company anticipates that its cash operating breakeven point
will be reduced to approximately $10m in net revenues per quarter. After the
cut, the company's total employee base will be 100 people. While the
workforce reductions affect all departments, a majority of the impact is in
administration and operations, with minimal reductions in technology-related
positions.
"As we indicated in our updated financial guidance announced on July 2, we
have experienced delays in anticipated orders that have led us to lower our
revenue outlook for 2002," says CEO and chairman Bill Elder, adding "We do
not expect today's action to impact our production schedule, manufacturing
capabilities, or the service levels required to meet current and growing
demand."
