08/13/2007 August 13, 2007 - After suffering through a "painful" 1H07, there's renewed optimism that the 2H07 will be better, as firmed-up pricing, demand drivers, and a challenging tech migration balance customer pressure for cheaper high-density devices, according to a report from IC Insights.
08/13/2007 The U.S. Government has increased federal spending for research and education in a bid to boost US competitiveness in science and engineering.
08/10/2007 Jerry Coder, president emeritus of the semiconductor materials business unit of Dupont Electronic Technologies, was elected by SEMI as chairman of the industry association's International Board of Directors. Coder succeeds Archie Hwang, chairman and CEO of Hermes-Epitek, who served for the past year.
08/10/2007 J P Sercel Associates (JPSA) expanded its contract manufacturing, job shop, and applications laboratory capabilities with various laser types, including infrared (IR) and "green" lasers for thin-film solar-panel manufacturing and other developing industries. The company also supplemented its DPSS and excimer laser capacity with more workstations, performing tasks such as wafer singulation and LED lift-off.
08/10/2007 BPM Microsystems shipped the first units of its next-generation NAND and NOR flash device programmer, Flashstream. Flashstream is the company's first dedicated hardware design for flash memories.
08/10/2007 August 10, 2007 - Taiwanese chip firms' semiconductor capital spending is expected to surge 50% this year to $13 billion -- vs. just a 5% industrywide capital spending growth, and on the backs of not only its foundries but also memory expansion, according to Strategic Marketing Associates.
08/10/2007 August 10, 2007 - Elpida Memory Inc. aims to ramp to mass production of 65nm DRAMs during the current fiscal year at its Hiroshima plant, and will "quickly move to introduce the technology" to its Rexchip JV with Taiwan's Powerchip, according to the Nikkei daily.
08/10/2007 InteliCoat Technologies sold its electronic and engineered films (EEF) business unit to Exopack Holding, Inc., for an undisclosed amount. The division gives Exopack a European facility and new markets.
08/10/2007 PI's (Physik Instrumente) new high-resolution, 3-axis nanopositioning / scanning stage features parallel-kinematics design for fast operation. It is designed for nanomanipulation, imaging, and materials research.
08/10/2007 The Scripps Institute, which developed Leginon software for automated control and image acquisition from TEMs, and FEI Company, which has marketed the product since 2003, say they will make the software available as open source code.
08/10/2007 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's concept paper for its proposed Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP) outlines how the NMSP will likely be structured once it's finalized. A recent public meeting drew about 150 people and highlighted some of the program's challenges.
08/10/2007 The EPA's recently released Toxic Substances Control Act guidance helps nanomaterials developers determine whether their products are subject to chemical reporting requirements.
08/09/2007 August 3, 2007 -- /FDA News/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat certain brands of French Cut Green Beans in 14.5 ounce cans manufactured by Lakeside Foods Inc., of Manitowoc, WI, because the product may not have been processed adequately to eliminate the potential for botulism toxin.
08/09/2007 August 7, 2007 -- /PRNewswire/ -- SOUTHAMPTON, PA -- Environmental Tectonics Corporation's Sterilization Systems Division announced today the creation of a new Professional Services Group within the Sterilization Systems Group (SSG).
08/09/2007 August 7, 2007 -- /PRNewswire/ -- NEW DELHI, INDIA -- DuPont today announced that it is expanding its manufacturing capabilities in India to deliver critical products for one of the country's fast-growing segments: animal and human health solutions.
08/09/2007 August 9, 2007 - ProMOS Technologies and Toppan Printing have agreed to collaborate on manufacturing CMOS image sensors (CIS) using Toppan's proprietary on-chip color filters and microlens technologies. Manufacturing will be done at ProMOS' 300mm line, Fab 2, in Taiwan's Hsin-chu Science Park -- which will soon become depreciated, which will keep manufacturing costs low for the CIS work, the firms noted.
08/09/2007 August 9, 2007 - Researchers at the U. of Texas/Austin say they've developed a nanoparticle technique that provides more insight into the formation of "deep traps," which are desired for memory devices built with plastic semiconductors but undesirable for things like solar cells and LEDs.
08/09/2007 August 9, 2007 - AMD says it plans to raise $1.5 billion through the private placement of 5.75% convertible senior notes due 2012, plus another $225 million to cover any overallotments.
08/09/2007 Qualmark Corporation sold a Typhoon Chamber HALT/HASS system to a major consumer-electronics manufacturer in Japan. The country provides advanced electronic components and products, said Charles Johnston, president and CEO, Qualmark, adding that this niche suits use of accelerated test systems to help bring products to market.
PI's (Physik Instrumente) new high-resolution, 3-axis nanopositioning / scanning stage features parallel-kinematics design for fast operation. It is designed for nanomanipulation, imaging, and materials research.