SEMATECH spins off R&D wafer fab

July 8, 2004 – July 8, 2004 – International SEMATECH, Austin, TX, has created an independent subsidiary of its R&D wafer fab and associated analytical laboratories, to offer a range of services including custom development and prototyping, wafer-processing, and analytical and electrical testing.

The new Advanced Technology Development Facility Inc. (ATDF), which began operations on July 1, will offer a range of services to meet R&D needs of the semiconductor and related industries. Among the subsidiary’s offerings: nonclassical CMOS, custom development, and prototyping services; wafer-processing services for both SEMATECH and external customers including equipment and materials suppliers; and analytical and electrical testing services for advanced materials and device characterization.

“While the SEMATECH consortium continues to focus on our core business of building industry infrastructure in lithography, materials, and manufacturing, the new company represents a complementary effort to meet the more targeted R&D needs of individual companies and universities,” stated SEMATECH president and CEO Mike Polcari.

The ADTF group, which will continue as SEMATECH’s primary R&D facility under a service agreement, includes a 62,000 sq. ft. Class 1 cleanroom with 200mm and 300mm processing capabilities, along with SEMATECH’s process characterization laboratories offering metrology and analytical services. About 240 SEMATECH employees (roughly half of its workforce) will be part of the new company.

“ATDF will be the place where semiconductor research meets manufacturing,” claimed Juergen Woehl, GM of the new division. “We’ll serve chipmakers, equipment and materials suppliers, universities and companies…our vision is to become the world’s leading technology R&D center.”

POST A COMMENT

Easily post a comment below using your Linkedin, Twitter, Google or Facebook account. Comments won't automatically be posted to your social media accounts unless you select to share.