06/19/2007 A Memorandum of Cooperation — developed during a visit in China between Jim Drehle, first past president, IMAPS; Steve Adamson, president elect, IMAPS; and professor BI Keyun, president of China Electronics Packaging Society (CEPS) and China Institute of Electronics (CIE) — will enable the societies to develop relationships in technical participation and international chapters.
06/19/2007 Solvay Solexis and Thin Film Electronics ASA have agreed to jointly develop materials for printed electronics. The partners hope to optimize ferroelectric polymer materials to enhance the manufacture and performance of Thinfilm's memory technology; and to formulate appropriate inks.
06/18/2007 BESI will consolidate its Laurier division into the Datacon Technology GmbH die-attach equipment division, integrating sales, customer support, and manufacturing and product management. The reorganization is based on complementary product lines and markets, said Helmut Rutterschmidt, president and CEO, Datacon.
06/18/2007 Developed for university and research laboratories inspecting wafers and substrates, the NAT-31 42×–540× microscope inspection system includes a USB 2.0 color camera with high-clarity-zoom optics and 1-µm or below feature resolution. When used in conjunction with the company's probe station, the system detects defects, alignment, and probe placement.
06/18/2007 Keratherm 86/77 flexible thermal circuit (FTC) comprises a thin, etchable copper layer bonded to a thermally conductive silicone film. It can be attached with thermally conductive adhesive to to non-linear, heat-spreading structures, and provides an electrically conductive bonding site for LEDs and other high-heat components.
06/18/2007 The DSM200 automated metrology system performs cassette-to-cassette front-to-back alignment for front- to back-side alignment applications, such as MEMS, power semiconductor, and optoelectronics assembly.
06/18/2007 Targeting the MEMS and nanotechnology industries, the IntelliSuite v8.2 software tool for MEMS/nano-device development includes nanostructure design tools to enable carbon nanotube (CNT) and nano-structure use in computing, display, medical, sensor, and related devices.
06/18/2007 The Flip Chip PiP combines a baseband digital signal processor (DSP) flip chip with stacked memory and analog devices for a small package-to-die ratio and high I/O with a small footprint. This package-in-package (PiP) suits a range of mobile devices, including cell phones.
Part I of this article discussed noise sources in packages, supply collapse and bounce, and return paths. Part II covers more on return paths, noise ripple, resonances, differential signals, thermal benefits, and the exceptions to the rule.
06/18/2007 Suppliers of graphics chips, mobile phone components, LCD driver ICs, and memory modules are driving business growth at packaging houses in Taiwan, according to CENS. Capacity utilization at Taiwan-based SATS providers is reported to be in the 90% range, up from forecasts of 80–90% earlier in 2007. CENS suggests that the increase in packaging capacity will create an increase in demand for substrates and contact probes at Taiwan-based assemblers.
06/18/2007 J microTechnology has introduced the NAT-31 42X-540X Microscope Inspection System with USB 2.0 camera for $7000. It works with J microTechnology's probe station to resolve features of <1 micron.
06/18/2007 The ISE-CCM Nanotechnology Index (ISE: TNY) is up 1.01% year to date, versus 8.76% for the S&P 500, 10.39% for the DJIA, and 8.17% for the NASDAQ, reports Cronus Capital Markets.
06/15/2007 June 15, 2007 - NEC Corp. and NEC Electronics Corp. say they have jointly developed a "breakthrough" yield-evaluation method to enable robust design of low-power, high-performance system LSIs.
06/15/2007 June 15, 2007 - Renesas Technology Corp. has developed a technology for implementing SRAM in 32nm processes and beyond for on-chip SRAM incorporated into a microprocessor or SoC.
06/15/2007 June 15, 2007 - Renesas Technology Corp. is reporting improved results for its high-performance transistor technology with "low-cost fabrication capability" for 45nm-and-below microprocessors and SoC devices, utilizing the company's complimentary metal insulator semiconductor (CMIS) hybrid structure first disclosed at IEDM in December 2006.
06/15/2007 Bennington Microtechnology Center (BMC) has formed a process development partnership with Apogee Technology for manufacturing process design of Apogee's Sensilica pressure sensor line.
06/15/2007 The iLoad series of digital load/force sensors from Loadstar Sensors incorporates patented capacitive sensing technology enabled by nanomaterial for super sensitivity and ruggedness.
06/15/2007 During the Electronic Components and Technology Conference in Reno, NV, the IEEE presented Dimitry Grabbe; Rao R. Tummala; Philip Garrou, Ph.D.; Chin C. Lee, Ph.D.; Herbert Reichl, Ph.D.; and Myung Jin Yim, Ph.D., its technical awards for contributions to components, packaging and electronics manufacturing technology.
06/14/2007 As part of research designed to manufacture carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as viable replacements for copper in 3D die-stacking applications, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have implemented a method for compacting CNTs into bundles, enabling better thermal and electrical conductivity. Densification occurs post-growth, allowing scientists to use a known, conventional CNT growth process. CNT density was increased 5–25× in the experiments.
06/14/2007 June 14, 2007 - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has opened its new 300mm NAND flash memory wafer plant in Austin, TX, a $3.5 billion facility nearly twice the size of Samsung's adjacent existing 200mm fab. The new 300mm site will start operation later this year initially focusing on 16Gbit flash chips and 50nm process technologies, and ramp to 60,000 wafers/month output by 2008.
The iLoad series of digital load/force sensors from Loadstar Sensors incorporates patented capacitive sensing technology enabled by nanomaterial for super sensitivity and ruggedness.