11/16/2006 StratEdge SE20 power amplifier packages are protecting the gallium arsenide monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) transmitting information signals from the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity back to earth. The power amplifier also ensures signal integrity.
11/16/2006 Helen Armer, Sokudo Co. Ltd., Kyoto, Japan
Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co. Ltd. and Applied Materials Inc. formed the Sokudo semiconductor coat/develop track joint venture in July 2006 to develop new track technologies that will enable users to meet the challenges of next-generation lithography processing. Sokudo's goal is to offer users competitive and technically differentiated track products that can help keep the semiconductor industry on its roadmap to smaller linewidths.
11/16/2006 Infineon Technologies AG unveiled a silicon microphone for consumer and computer communications devices that is approximately one-half the size and operates on one-third the power of conventional microphones.
11/16/2006 At the New Munich Trade Fair Center, electronica 2006, from November 14 – 17, 2006, is showcasing various applications and challenges for the global electronics industry. In 14 halls, and with 2,961 exhibitors, the show could attract about 75,000 attendees. Companies exhibiting focused primarily on introducing new products.
11/16/2006 Rigaku Americas of The Woodlands, Texas, announced that it will introduce a new advanced automated X-ray Diffraction system specifically designed and equipped for nanomaterials research: the Rigaku SmartLab NANO-Extreme.
11/16/2006 In a corporate review to close fiscal 2006, Kulicke & Soffa outlined developments in gold bumping for stacked packages and upward trends for gold wire.
11/15/2006 November 15, 2006 - Surprising growth in sales and shipments from the top DRAM memory during 3Q, including a strong push from second-tier Taiwan chipmakers, has brightened the segment's outlook for the entire year, according to new data from iSuppli Corp.
11/15/2006 November 15, 2006 - After months of pressure from domestic chipmakers, the Taiwan government says that by year's end it will lower the restrictions for transferring process technologies to mainland China to 0.18-micron, from the current 0.25-micron level.
11/15/2006 Completing five grand challenges concerning nanotechnology over the next 15 years could help alleviate concerns about its safety, according to a new report by a team of experts.
11/15/2006 Knowles Acoustics announced it had reached a major milestone in the history of MEMS microphone technology with the shipment of its 300 millionth SiSonic surface mount MEMS microphone.
11/14/2006 Wafer-level packaging (WLP) may finally reach the mainstream for ICs, according to industry vendors and analysts at the 3rd annual International Wafer-Level Packaging Conference (Nov. 1-3 in San Jose, CA). Packaging leader Amkor showed that this technology will soon be applicable to ~85% of all ICs by unit volume, and should see market growth of 25% CAGR over the next five years. Analysts presented details of the markets and applications driving this slow revolution in mainstream packaging.
11/14/2006 In an interview following the recent nanoTX'06 event in Dallas (9/26-9/28), Texas Instruments' Senior Fellow and Technology Strategy Manager, Bob Doering, echoed some of the same themes discussed with SEMATECH's Randy Goodall (see last week's story), about ways to advance nanotechnology collaboration with government funding and university R&D.
11/14/2006 Is the consumer-goods market directing packaging roadmaps? Will India eclipse China as the industry "hot spot," or will South Africa, Morocco, or another locale surprise everyone? Advanced Packaging recently asked the industry for its opinion on the state of affairs going into 2007. With emails and handouts at tradeshows, we reached out to a large base in the packaging field, and the responses vary as much as the technology.
11/14/2006 Wafer shipments surged in 3Q06 to surpass 2000 million sq. inches (MSI), a 5.5% sequential increase and more than 18% ahead of the same period in 2005, according to new data from SEMI's Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG). That growth means SEMI's recent forecast for 2006 wafer output may already be too conservative.
11/14/2006 SEMI released an alert for equipment, component, and materials manufacturers in China, and for those exporting to China, explaining the compliance regulations for China RoHS.
11/14/2006 The Plaskon Colormold SD-8001 mold compound differentiates products for the memory card market. This epoxy mold compound, in black, red, blue, and more, offers color and fashion to distinguish products without detrimental effects on mechanical performance or cost requirements.
11/14/2006 The N9201A array structure parametric test option for 4070 systems provide support for up to 40 source/monitor unit (SMU) architectures. The SMU capacity improves characterization speeds for in-line array test structures in back-end-of-line (BEOL) tests.
11/14/2006 With high intensity and a longer bulb life, the BlueWave 50 AS UV spot-curing lamp cures adhesives, coatings, and encapsulants. It emits more than 3,000 mW/cm2 of primarily UVA and blue visible light.
The third International Wafer-level Packaging Conference (IWLPC), held November 2 – 3, 2006, in San Jose, included more than 40 technical papers, an exhibit, Wilf Corrigan's keynote, and a report on the market for WLPs.
11/14/2006 Discera, Inc., and Vectron International will work together to commercialize MEMS oscillators for electronics manufacturing. The companies announced during electronica 2006, November 14 – 17 in Munich, that quartz-crystal resonator company Vectron tested and approved the MEMS-based timing devices offered by Discera, and that they will work closely together to gain exposure for the MEMS devices and develop new products.
Rigaku Americas of The Woodlands, Texas, announced that it will introduce a new advanced automated X-ray Diffraction system specifically designed and equipped for nanomaterials research: the Rigaku SmartLab NANO-Extreme.