12/17/2003 (December 17, 2003) Leuven, Belgium—IMEC, Europe's largest independent microelectronics and nanotechnology research center, has successfully demonstrated the use of high-k dielectrics and metal gates to values below one nanometer. Achieving this level of electrical performance using materials other than the traditional polysilicon-based counterparts removes one of the industry's so-called 'red brick wall' barriers to advancing semiconductor technology.
12/17/2003 When Sir Harold Kroto recently took the stage at TriesteÂ’s Giuseppe Verdi Theater at the recent EuroNanoForum, it was before a full house of nanocognoscente. Every one of the seats in the Italian theater was taken by an audience member intently drinking the words coming from the small figure up front. Yet Kroto still considers himself just a fundamental scientist looking for answers.
12/16/2003 (December 16, 2003) Fremont, Calif. — ChipPAC Inc., a provider of assembly and test services, announced that it expects continued, significant growth in the stacked-die packaging market share over the next several years. ChipPAC estimates that it already has a 65 percent market share for 3+ stacked-die packages, which shipped in approximately 10 percent of cell phones in 2003.
12/16/2003 (December 16, 2003) Kenosha, Wis. — Specializing in PCB handling equipment, selective laser soldering, intelligent routing systems, technical furniture and workstations, assembly lines, work cell production, and conveying solutions, Pro-mation Inc. has secured a distributorship relationship with ADEON Technologies NL, which is based in The Netherlands.
12/16/2003 December 16, 2003 - SOI implantation equipment provider Ibis Technology Corp., Danvers, MA, lowered its 4Q03 sales estimates, due to customer's fiscal adjustments and delayed orders.
12/16/2003 December 16, 2003 - Dutch firm PANalytical, a supplier of analytical devices for x-ray diffraction and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry, says it has developed a method that doubles the detection capability of XRF wafer analysis of boron concentrations for thin-film semiconductor wafers.
12/16/2003 DEC. 16--SAN JOSE, Calif-- Attorneys for IBM Corp. are trying to block testimony about chemical exposure levels in cleanrooms models simulating the company's former disk drive manufacturing plant here.
12/16/2003 Original employees of IntelliSense have acquired the MEMS software business unit assets of Corning IntelliSense, which will close early next year.
12/16/2003 Who says geeks can't look good? It was like any other Paris fashion show: a long rectangular runway, special guests in front-row seats and lots of champagne. Only at this event, technology buffs mingled among the fashionistas. Last month's i-wear fashion show, part of the recent European Science and Technology Week, presented the latest intelligent garments, some of them enhanced by small tech.
12/15/2003 (December 15, 2003) Tokyo, Japan— Fujitsu Ltd. has developed technology that enables the formation of ultrafine-pitch 35-micron solder bumps, and high-precision flip chip bonding interconnection—increasing connection density approximately 50 times compared to conventional flip chip interconnections.
12/15/2003 (December 15, 2003) Norwalk, Conn.—The global market for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) and post-CMP equipment, CMP slurries, and CMP pads, conditioners and others consumables is estimated at $1.7 billion in 2003, according to a report from Business Communications Company Inc. This market is expected to approach $3.3 billion by 2008.
12/15/2003 December 15, 2003 - Cree Inc., Durham, NC, says it has developed new gallium nitride power transistors with much higher power densities than previously achieved.
12/15/2003 December 15, 2003 - Inotera Memories Inc., a JV between Taiwan's Nanya Technology Corp. and Germany's Infineon Technologies AG, plans to invest $2.2 billion over the next three years to build up its 300mm wafer plant, used primarily for DRAM chips.
12/15/2003 December 15, 2003 - Kenet Inc., Reading, MA, a fabless semiconductor company for mixed-signal devices led by industry veteran John Fan, has won a contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
12/15/2003 DEC. 15--KENNESAW, Ga.--CryoLife, Inc., a human tissue processing and bio-surgical device company, announced today that it has licensed a patented technology from Clearant, Inc. designed to inactivate microorganisms, including pathogens, from tissue obtained from human donors.
12/15/2003 (December 15, 2003) Palo Alta, Calif. — Falling silicon fingerprint sensor prices resulting from decreasing sensor sizes and technological advancements in packaging will boost adoption, according to Frost & Sullivan, an international growth consultancy.
12/15/2003 Zyvex Corp., a Richardson, Texas, supplier of nanotechnology-related tools, products and services, announced that Thomas Cellucci was named president. Cellucci has been chief operating officer since January 2003 and will continue as COO.
12/15/2003 In two years, NASA will send astronauts into space to rendezvous with the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew will install a wide-angle camera and spectrograph to observe ultraviolet radiation, sure to delight astronomers with new images. It will be among the first uses of nanotechnology in space.
12/12/2003 (December 12, 2003) North Billerica, Mass. —
BTU International Inc., a supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment for semiconductor packaging, surface mount and advanced materials processing, has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification.
