Materials and Equipment

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT ARTICLES


Printed electronics standards initiative starts with substrate materials

07/20/2012 

IPC and JPCA released their first operational-level standard for the printed electronics industry, defining terms and establishes basic requirements for substrate materials used in printed electronics: ceramic, organic, metal, glass and other.
North American semiconductor fab tool book-to-bill drops below parity in June

07/20/2012 

"Following seven months of increases, the three-month average bookings declined in June and likely reflects some slowing in investment plans attributed to weaknesses in the broader economy," said Denny McGuirk, SEMI.  "While order activity may slow, equipment spending this year will continue to be directed towards advanced technologies in wafer processing and packaging assembly."
Kyocera room-temp epoxy molding compound competes with frozen semiconductor package encapsulants

07/18/2012 

Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation, Chemical Sales Division introduced the environmentally friendly XKE-G5633 Epoxy Molding Compound (EMC) for BGA and LGA package encapsulation.
STATS ChipPAC rewards top suppliers of 2011

07/18/2012 

STATS ChipPAC presented its annual Supplier Awards to its top supplier partners for their excellent performance and outstanding support in 2011. Supplies are scored on technology, quality, delivery, responsiveness, service, and cost competiveness criteria.
Major semiconductor players increase capex in 2012, total capex falls 3%

07/18/2012 

IC Insights’ latest survey and ranking of the major semiconductor capital spenders shows that only 6 of the 35 major semiconductor suppliers -- Intel, Samsung, Hynix, TSMC, UMC, and Rohm -- with significant capital expenditure budgets are expected to spend more in 2012 than they did in 2011.

Semiconductor test terminology guide aims to clarify docking and handling ops

07/17/2012 

SEMI's Collaborative Alliance for Semiconductor Test released a Docking and Mounting Generic Terminology Guideline document that can be used to improve the

Ziptronix wafer bonding technology adopted for high-volume cellphone component

07/17/2012 

Ziptronix Inc., which develops direct bonding technology for advanced semiconductor applications, has licensed its technology for a high-volume cellular handset application.
Sonoscan software enables acoustic imaging of 3D IC and die stacks

07/16/2012 

Sonoscan introduced a simulator software, SonoSimulator, that enables stacked die makers to check nondestructively for delaminations between layers. SonoSimulator software is now a standard feature on the Gen6 C-SAM acoustic microscope.
Notes from SEMICON West: Detecting solder joint fractures

07/16/2012 

Jennifer Wrigley and Robert Bellinger, Olympus, share insights on SEMICON West
Nordson MARCH plasma treatment system handles sensitive semiconductor packaging substrates

07/13/2012 

Nordson MARCH uncrated the FasTRAK Plasma System at SEMICON West. The automated, high-throughput vacuum plasma treatment system processes leadframe strips, laminate substrates, and other strip-type microelectronic components.
2012 ITRS update: Back-end packaging and MEMS

07/13/2012 

At SEMICON West, the working groups of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) outlined 2012 updates to the roadmap. Check out the back-end process info here.
Semiconductor fab tool capex trends gleaned @ SEMICON West

07/12/2012 

After meeting with various semiconductor manufacturing tool suppliers -- Applied Materials, KLA-Tencor, Lam Research, Tokyo Electron, Teradyne and Cymer -- at SEMICON West, Citi analysts share impressions on foundry spending plans and tool choices.
MiQro Innovation Collaborative Center adds process tools, MES to MEMS facility

07/11/2012 

The MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI) is improving its state-of-the-art MEMS facility with Eyelit Manufacturing software to support R&D and the commercial activities of sponsor companies. C2MI is also installing a suite of new wafer processing tools from SPTS Technologies.
EVG's wafer bonder passes SEMATECH/ISMI 3D integration tool assessment

07/11/2012 

SEMATECH qualified EVG's GEMINI automated wafer bonding system through its Equipment Maturity Assessment implemented within SEMATECH's 3D Interconnect program and ISMI's EMA team.
MicroProbe enhances wafer probe card reliability with CCC improvement

07/11/2012 

MicroProbe introduced current-carrying capability of >1A/probe in 90
Contemporary semiconductor packaging experts open up on cost

07/10/2012 

The bulk of packaging falls under the

Semiconductor equipment spending to contract 2.6% in 2012, grow in 2013

07/10/2012 

Semiconductor equipment sales will reach $42.4 billion in 2012, according to the mid-year edition of the SEMI Capital Equipment Forecast, released at SEMICON West 2012.
SUSS coating/developing platform suits MEMS, packaging, LED fab, more

07/10/2012 

SUSS MicroTec uncrated the third generation of the ACS200 Coating and Developing Platform, developed from the company’s ACS200Plus and Gamma platforms for a compact, highly precise MEMS, LED, and related fab tool.
Ultratech named advanced packaging tool supplier of choice by top-tier packaging houses

07/10/2012 

Ultratech formed 'exclusive supplier' and 'preferred tool vendor' agreements with several top-tier advanced packaging companies around the world.
2.5/3D interposers fabbed at 30% lower COO with USHIO

07/09/2012 

USHIO Inc. is introducing the large-field stepper lithography tool




WEBCASTS


Environment, Safety & Health

Date and time TBD

The semiconductor industry is an acknowledged global leader in promoting environmental sustainability in the design, manufacture, and use of its products, as well as the health and safety of its operations and impacts on workers in semiconductor facilities (fabs). We will examine trends and concerns related to emissions, chemical use, energy consumption and worker safety and health.

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Wafer Processing

Date and time TBD

As the industry moves to 10nm and 7nm nodes, advances in wafer processing – etch, deposition, planarization, implant, cleaning, annealing, epitaxy among others – will be required. Manufacturers are looking for new solutions for sustained strain engineering, FinFETs, FDSOI and multi-gate technologies, 3D NAND, and high mobility transistors.

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