News Update

09/01/1997

In an effort to leverage its expanded post-merger size, KLA-Tencor Corp., San Jose, CA, has established the Robotics and Integrated Technologies Division for development of common subsystems that will be used across the company`s lines of inspection and metrology products. The division will comprise a number of pre-existing efforts within the former independent KLA and Tencor operations, and will drive both selection and development of handlers, stages, and other subsystems. One initial priority is identifying and implementing common subsystems for the 300-mm generation.

SensArray Japan Corp., Yokohama, Japan, is a new, wholly owned subsidiary of metrology equipment manufacturer SensArray Corp. of Santa Clara, CA. The subsidiary provides sales, customer service, technical support, product demonstrations, and process-specific solutions for the company`s growing customer base in Japan.

BE Semiconductor Industries NV, Zevenaar, The Netherlands, will open a new semiconductor assembly and test systems integration division within its Fico subsidiary in the 4Q of this year. The new division, with headquarters in Phoenix, AZ, and a development center in The Netherlands, will be overseen by Gjalt Smit, VP and Fico managing director. Richard Blickman, president and chief executive, noted that integration is expected to become one of the fastest growing segments of the assembly industry, with an estimated compound annual growth rate above 20%.

A new fact sheet from NIST highlights 10 current projects underway to meet the industry`s highest priority measurement needs as expressed in the Semiconductor Industry Association`s National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors. NIST`s National Semiconductor Metrology Program: Foundation for Tomorrow`s Chips describes photolithography measurement advances, new ways to detect and model strain in chip-to-chip connections, prospective Standard Reference Materials for testing silicon wafer resistivity, scanning electron microscopy advances, examples of NIST/industry consortia, and cooperative research agreements. A technical contact for each project is listed on the fact sheet, which can be requested by faxing to 301/926-1630 or e-mailing to [email protected]. The fact sheet can also be downloaded from the NSMP Worldwide Website at www.eeel.nist.gov/810.01/scbriefs.html.

Triant Technologies Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada, has received numerous orders for its ModelWare/RT, equipment monitoring and advanced fault detection software for wafer processing equipment. Motorola Inc. will deploy the software it ordered on a number of different types of etch equipment at its Bipolar 1 fab in Mesa, AZ. Honeywell Inc. has ordered additional licenses of the software for use in its fab in Plymouth, MN. These two orders totaled C$225,000. Cypress Semiconductor Corp. will install and test the software on etch equipment at its fab in Round Rock, TX. Finally, National Semiconductor Corp. will test ModelWare/RT on different etch machines at its R&D fab in Santa Clara, CA.

Millipore Corp., Bedford, MA, has sold off its Class 1 business unit, an $8 million supplier of gauges for emergency vehicles. The Ocala, FL, unit was originally part of Tylan General, which Millipore acquired earlier this year. Millipore sold the unit to Class 1`s management; other terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to Millipore, Class 1 products did not fit the company`s strategic direction for the Tylan acquisition or its overall microelectronics business.

LTX Corp., Westwood, MA, a supplier of digital, linear, mixed signal, and discrete semiconductor test equipment, has obtained a $25 million credit facility from BankBoston`s high technology division. The credit will provide LTX with greater financial flexibility to take advantage of future growth opportunities. Formed over 30 years ago, the high technology division has over $3 billion in commitments and more than 400 customers.

Palomar Products Inc., Carlsbad, CA, has agreed to acquire Intelmatec Corp.`s MTTS 3000/2500 series of automated assembly workcells. The modular base machine can be configured as a dispenser, a pick-and-place machine, a microassembly cell, or as a mark, test, sort, and tape machine. The acquisition also includes the conveyor and loader/unloader systems.