01/04/2013 

Based on current indications, capital spending would seem to be flat in 2013.  However, Semico predicts healthy revenue growth this year, which may encourage more spending, particularly in the second half of the year.  This may bring total capex for 2013 into the positive range.

01/03/2013 

Predictions for 2013 show several notable trends: overall silicon area growth for 2013 should average approximately 6%; the first quarter and the second half are likely to show slower growth than the second quarter; and the modest growth forecast for 2013 is predominantly demand driven.

01/03/2013 

In semiconductor manufacturing, 450mm is the next big opportunity. Issues of economic scale and complexity will force fab designers, OEMs and process integrators to investigate all open avenues in the search for solutions to the huge challenges that accompany 450mm.

01/03/2013 

In order to maintain profitability manufacturers must increase the productivity and return from their R&D investments.

01/02/2013 

It is becoming increasingly clear that new MEMS and 3D high-volume, low-cost manufacturing technologies will accelerate a radical change to society’s cyber skyline.

01/02/2013 

The SEMI Consensus Forecast and the SEMI World Fab Forecast, with data collected from two different methodologies, point to the same conclusion: 0% growth for 2013.

12/28/2012 

Industry watchers have been lowering their outlooks for 2013 over the past few weeks, but there's one set of opinions that still see optimism for an industry rebound in 2013 -- chip industry executives themselves.

12/28/2012 

The FlexTech Alliance has awarded 4D Technology (Tucson, AZ) a contract to develop an optical system that addresses a shortcoming in roll-to-roll (R2R) electronics manufacturing: in situ, high-resolution mapping of surface topography and defects on a moving, flexible web.

12/20/2012 

Global spending on wafer fab equipment (WFE) is now on pace to finish 2012 with a -17% annual decline, and 2013 now looks like it'll only be slightly better at a -10% dropoff, before the next cyclical spending upturn begins in 2014, according to an updated forecast from Gartner.

12/19/2012 

Abingdon, England--Oxford Instrumentshas acquired Asylum Research, a maker of scanning probe microscopes (SPM) with subsidiaries in the UK, Germany, and Taiwan. Its products are used by academic and industrial customers across the world for a wide range of materials and bioscience applications.

12/17/2012 

Samsung's reaffirmation of its planned $4B investments in its Austin, TX facilities don't offer much extra info, but do serve as a message to the market about its future plans -- with or without Apple.

12/11/2012 

In the seventh installment in a series called Process Watch, the authors discuss cycle time and the impact of inspection. Authored by experts at KLA-Tencor, Process Watch articles focus on novel process control solutions.

12/11/2012 

With this week's IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM 2012) now underway, here are four of the papers that were accepted late: on 90nm integrated silicon photonics, ZnNO for next-gen displays, and III-V TFETs for the 7nm node.

12/06/2012 

Semiconductor equipment demand is persistently sluggish as the industry takes a break from a "multiyear expansion period" to digest recent investments and wrestle with a broader economic slowdown, acknowledges SEMI in its updated year-end forecast. But make no mistake: leading-edge technology investments are still happening, and growth will return in the typical cyclical pattern.

11/21/2012 

A reference book from the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) and IC Insights puts foundry information at the fingertips of those who need it the most.

11/16/2012 

The latest monthly numbers for semiconductor manufacturing equipment demand aren't pretty: lows in both orders and sales not seen since the last major downcycle three years ago, and the short-term comparisons continue to widen.

11/15/2012 

In prep for Semicon Japan in December, Advantest announces three new tools: 2 SEMs and a litho system.

11/14/2012 

Swiss firm Adlyte, a developer of high-brightness laser-produced plasma (LPP) EUV light source for actinic mask inspection, is outlining its current expansion efforts, which includes appointing a longtime industry exec to its strategic advisory board.

11/13/2012 

In the sixth installment in a series called Process Watch, the authors discuss the ins and outs of parametric correlation when using measurements based on reflectometry, ellipsometry, or a combination of the two. Authored by experts at KLA-Tencor, Process Watch articles focus on novel process control solutions.

11/12/2012 

FEI, Hillsboro, OR, has introduced its new Helios NanoLab 450 F1 DualBeam system designed to provide faster, better images of their most advanced device architectures.