News

Monday 31st March 2003

Diodes Incorporated has developed an ultra-low leakage, high voltage Schottky barrier rectifier process.

Monday 31st March 2003

Fab Solutions, a US provider of electron beam metrology systems targeting advanced semiconductor process control, has selected John P Kummer Group (JPK) as its European sales representative.

Monday 31st March 2003

A research team at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK has been exploring a range of options for cutting the costs of producing photovoltaic (PV) cells.

Monday 31st March 2003

Engineers and technicians at International SEMATECH (ISMT) have pioneered an etch process that allows the removal of high-k film from a wafer surface without damaging the underlying silicon.

Friday 28th March 2003

Infineon Technologies and Chinas Semiconductor Manufacturing International have signed an agreement to expand co-operation on production of standard memory (DRAMs). Under the terms of the additional agreement, Infineon will transfer its 0.11micron DRAM trench technology and 300mm wafer know-how to SMIC. In return, SMIC will manufacture products in this technology exclusively for Infineon. Infineon expects to increase its overall capacity by 15,000 wafer starts per month through SMIC’s 300mm plant, which is currently being built in Beijing. In December 2002, the two companies signed an agreement whereby SMIC would manufacture memory chips in its 200mm plant in Shanghai using Infineon’s 0.14micron DRAM trench technology exclusively for Infineon. Following ramp-up at Beijing, the additional 300mm wafer starts to the 20,000 in 200mm will result in a total capacity of 58,000 wafer starts in 200mm wafer equivalents. First products from the new 300mm plant are expected for summer 2004.

Thursday 27th March 2003

A new GBP4.2mn facility is to be built in Scotland dedicated to the commercialisation of research in packaging technology for complex optoelectronic chips. The new facility will be located in Livingston and will commence operating in the summer of this year. Processes will be developed to align delicate circuitry to optical fibres and electronic connections. Solutions that can be transferred to other emerging technologies such as biochips for diagnosis and treatment of illness will also be sought.

Thursday 27th March 2003

Samsung Electronics has signed a licensing agreement for ASML’s technology to be deployed at Samsung’s semiconductor production facilities worldwide. The patented ASML technology is designed to significantly enhance the imaging performance for current and future technology generations. Samsung is licensing the technology through the life of the patents.

Thursday 27th March 2003

Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) says that it has dramatically improved the life performance of display devices based on light emitting polymer (LEP) technology, achieving more than 11,000 hours of operation for its blue polymer research devices.

Thursday 27th March 2003

Infineon Technologies announced availability of "Flow-Thru" biochips and a matching complete analysis system. Infineon markets the products with its US partner company, MetriGenix. The biochips are miniaturised sample substrates made of silicon, on which hundreds of simultaneous biomolecular tests can be performed using optical evaluation techniques. The Infineon biochip uses a three-dimensional micro-array - a network of fine micro-channels that run between the upper and the lower side of the chip. In contrast, traditional planar biochips on glass substrates have a two-dimensional sensor surface. Analysis using the Flow-Thru Chip (FTC) is a multi-step process. The micro-channels of the biochip are prepared by MetriGenix, which populates the chip with segments of known genes that fix themselves on the walls of the micro-channels. Then the gene sample to be analysed is repeatedly pumped back and forth through the pores in the Flow-Thru technique. This causes matching genes of the sample to bind with known genes on the pore wall. A luminescent dye is added in another step, binding with the matched gene segments. The dye emits light that is captured by a CCD (charge coupled device) camera and forwarded to a computer.

Thursday 13th March 2003

US and European scholars are to converge on the University of South Carolina (USC) during March 20-23, 2003, for the first of two international conferences to discuss the social implications of nanoscale science and technology on a global scale. The conference will examine the philosophy, ethics, politics and culture of nanoscience.

Thursday 13th March 2003

Georgia Institute of Technology researchers will describe a nanometre scale optoelectronic device that can perform addition and other logical operations in the coming issue of the US Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (March 18).

Thursday 13th March 2003

Light emitting polymer (LEP) developer Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) is to provide its full colour ink-jet printing manufacturing technology and process knowledge to DuPont Displays for use in LEP organic light emitting diode (OLED) manufacturing.

Thursday 13th March 2003

Japanese company Seika is to become the exclusive distributor in China for products based on Soitecs proprietary Smart Cut technology. Seika will staff its Shanghai office with a sales force dedicated to Soitecs offerings.

Thursday 13th March 2003

Toshiba introduced a 2Gbit single-die NAND Flash memory with double the capacity of the companys present largest single-die NAND Flash device. Toshiba also announced a 4Gbit NAND Flash IC that stacks two of the 2Gbit NAND Flash dies in a single package.

Thursday 13th March 2003

Aixtron has delivered its first commercially available organic vapour phase deposition (OVPD) research system to Princeton University (PU). The researchers will use the tool for the deposition of state-of-the-art organic materials (plastics).

Thursday 13th March 2003

IMEC and International SEMATECH (ISMT) have agreed joint work together on advanced technology aimed at speeding the development of 157nm lithography. In parallel, several collaboration agreements between IMEC and leading IDMs are also under negotiation.

Thursday 13th March 2003

Indium Corporation will be at Semicon Europa to exhibit a wide range of new and established high performance interconnect products. Distributors are worldwide with manufacturing facilities in USA, UK and Singapore. Indium has been supplying high quality products since 1934. NEW Lead free Chip Attachment Solder CP-6106 & CP6121 are nitrogen reflow, no clean solder pastes with Type 6 (15 – 5) powder, specifically formulated for flip clip attachment. Indium provides type 6 SnAg and SnAgCn lead-free solder powder to be compatible with the flux for excellent stencil release for ultra-fine pitch printing. Flip Chip Epoxy Fluxes PK-001 and PK-002 are Halide Free No-Clean fluxes for Flip Chip or CSP soldering, designed for use with Sn62 and Sn63 Eutectic Solders. They provide a powerful metal surface, oxide cleaning capability during reflow and help good soldering. Benefits include compatibility with standard underfill materials and conformal coating. PK-001 and PK-002 are VOC free and environmentally friendly. Precision Spheres Indium has for many years manufactured spheres with highly accurate diameters, bright shiny surfaces and highly spherical shapes. SPC supports sphere production. All spheres are made from pure metals, which combine to produce exact alloy compositions and are classified for size in an automated, high capacity process for smooth bright surfaces. A wide variety of alloys and sizes are available. Interconnect Flux WS-363 - Water-soluble, Halide-free for BGA bumps W-363 Interconnect Flux is a high viscosity paste-type flux for use in high yield BGA bumping, board level attachment and rework. Benefits include excellent cleanability. Residues are removed at room temperature with DI water. Also stencil printable with high tack, Halide-free with excellent solderability. Support Products from Indium Indium supplies a full range of chip-scale assembly products, including TACFLUX™ high viscosity fluxes to hold spheres in place during the attachment process, our patented INTEGRATED™ Solder Preform Arrays for BGA fabrication and repair applications. Flip Chip Fluxes, Die Attach Adhesives and a full range of solder pastes for attachment and bumping applications. Visit SEMICON Europa booth A1.621 or our website www.indium.com We look forward to seeing you. If you will not be present at the exhibition, please contact us at: Email : [email protected] Tel : + 44 (0) 1908 580400 Web : www.indium.com

Thursday 13th March 2003

Click Here To Receive 2004 Catalogue... VAT is the worlds largest manufacturer of vacuum valves. Design and manufacture is based in Switzerland. A network of regional customer support, sales and distribution offices are located around the world. VAT employs around 500 people globally. Customer service is the most important focus in all activities within the company. VAT is a well established and key supplier to the Semiconductor Industry. The main product ranges supplied within the industry are Gate Valves, Angle Valves, Adaptive Pressure Control Valves, Wafer Transfer Valves, Edge Welded Bellows and Seals. VAT devotes a high level of resources and people to product innovation and development. With the fast technology cycles within the industry, bringing new products to the market quickly, whilst still ensuring total reliability, with the highest possible level of support is the basis on which VAT have built its excellent reputation on. Gate Valves: High and ultra high vacuum valves from DN16 to DN1000 and above. These valves are typically used for pump isolation or chamber to chamber isolation. Angle Valves: In the size range DN16 to DN160 and above. These valves are used in a variety of applications from gauge and backing line isolation to gas inlet systems and rough pumping. Adaptive Pressure Control Valves: A very wide range of butterfly, gate and pendulum valves for downstream pressure control. Wafer Transfer Valves: Rectangular slit valves typically used to between process chambers and load locks or robot chambers. These valves are available in a range of sizes suiting all standard wafers up to 300mm and larger on request. Edge Welded Bellows: VAT run a bellows manufacturing facility that is able to produce custom bellows to exactly meet each individual requirement. Bellows are produced to either customer drawings or VAT produced drawings. Seals: VAT has nearly 40 years experience with specifying, designing and manufacturing sealing systems. During the last few years many semiconductor processes have become significantly more aggressive in terms of seal degradation. This has led to an ever increasing number of seal compounds being available on the market. VAT has extensive experience in working with these materials. Contact VAT to discuss the valve and sealing requirements for your process. You will be assured of the highest quality solution with the lowest possible cost-of-ownership". Click Here To Receive 2004 Catalogue...

Wednesday 12th March 2003

NuTool has delivered its 300mm LuminaCu integrated system to "a leading European semiconductor manufacturer". The tool is configured with the companys patented Electrochemical Mechanical Deposition (ECMD) and Reverse Linear CMP (RL-CMP) process modules for Cu damascene technology development at the 65nm technology node and beyond.

Wednesday 12th March 2003

RF IC supplier Sirenza Microdevices has received a US patent for a "Microwave Field Effect Transistor Structure on Silicon Carbide" No. 6,521,923. This is Sirenzas first patent for the "silicon on silicon carbide" (SiSiC) class of semiconductors.

Wednesday 12th March 2003

Toshiba is planning to invest JPY350bn in 300mm before March 2007. With other investments, the companys annual spend on semiconductor technology is expected to be JPY130bn. This compares with Toshibas total 2002 spending of JPY204bn and projected investments of JPY840bn in the three years to March 2006.

Wednesday 12th March 2003

The official cornerstone laying ceremony marks progress on Wacker Siltronics new 300mm raw wafer production facility in Freiberg, Germany.

Wednesday 12th March 2003

Intel plans to push its way into the wireless networking market with its "Centrino" mobile technology. Centrino combines the Pentium M processor, Intels 855 Chipset Family and the Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 Network Connection.