09/03/2008 September 3, 2008: FEI Co., a provider of atomic-scale imaging and analysis systems, has released its new extreme field emission gun (X-FEG) electron source module for the Titan family of scanning transmission electron microscopes (S/TEMs).
09/02/2008 September 2, 2008: Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed a simple process for mass producing molecular tubes of identical -- and precisely programmable -- circumferences, a technological feat that may allow the use of the molecular tubes in a number of nanotechnology applications.
09/02/2008 September 2, 2008: NanoGram Corp., a developer and manufacturer of silicon-based photovoltaics and advanced nanomaterials, has selected OTB Group, a manufacturer of inline production equipment, as one of its contributing partners in building out the company's solar pilot plant currently under construction in Milpitas, CA.
09/02/2008 September 2, 2008: Bruker AXS GmbH has completed the acquisition of Surface Imaging Systems GmbH (SIS), a developer of advanced atomic force/scanning probe microscopy (AFM/SPM) systems. SIS will be renamed Bruker Nano GmbH and will operate under its previous management.
09/02/2008 Elpida's recently unveiled plan to create a $5B DRAM JV in China's Jiangsu Province is the final stage in an industry "turf war" with the ultimate prize being simply survival, according to CEO Yukio Sakamoto, in an interview with Japan's Nikkei daily paper.
09/02/2008 Worldwide semiconductor sales have picked up a little, thanks to continued strong demand for consumer electronics, PCs, and cell phones, and despite continuing softness in the memory sector, according to the latest data from the Semiconductor Industry Association.
09/01/2008 The extreme field emission gun (X-FEG) electron source module for FEI's Titan family of scanning transmission electron microscopes (S/TEMs) combines higher brightness with the high, ultra-stable current of thermally-assisted field emission. This combination is said to improve resolution, speed, sensitivity and ease of use to the Titan.
09/01/2008 Temperature Stabilization for MEMS Devices By Seri Lee, Ph.D., Nextreme Thermal Solutions
Advances in thin-film thermoelectrics enable novel temperature stabilization for applications in MEMS packaging. As the electronics industry moves towards smaller packaging form factors and higher heat densities, non-uniform thermal conditions can directly affect the performance and reliability of MEMS devices.
09/01/2008 Designed for advanced MEMS manufacturing and 3D wafer bonding, the CBC200 from SUSS MicroTec is a fully-automated, wafer bond cluster with up to 90 kN bond force and 600°C thermal capacity. These features are said to enable die size and cost reduction for MEMS devices. Additional features include post-bond alignment accuracy for metallic bonds to 1.25µm and cluster design concept and software for 24/7 production.
09/01/2008 In celebration of its new 55,000 sq.ft. wafer bumping and back-end processing facility in Penang, Malasia, Pac Tech Packaging Technologies is planning a grand opening ceremony and technical symposium on September 18 and 19, 2008, respectively. The festivities are intended to bring attendees up to date on all facility's capabilities, and inform them on new developments in packaging technology.
09/01/2008 Burgeoning demand for a host of new products enabled by MEMS devices means the sector will likely see a healthy increase this year despite any general semiconductor slowdown, and will remain on track to maintain its 17% average growth for the next five years.
09/01/2008 If nothing else, the recent Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak from contaminated jalapeño and serrano peppers demonstrates that food trace-back in the global supply chain requires a combination of resources, coordination, and speed.
09/01/2008 The recent passage of an international standard for particle-counter calibration–ISO 21501-4–is having a ripple effect among contamination control practitioners:
09/01/2008 I set off on what I thought was a simple quest a couple of months ago, to identify a few of the most sophisticated microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices in the world.
