07/15/2010 

Alok Vaid of GlobalFoundries, explains the technology in his paper on time-to-solution for scatterometry metrology. Scatterometry takes a long time, but Vaid proposes a new approach with more automation.

07/15/2010 

In this video from SEMICON West 2010, Sagar Kekare, Synopsis, presents ideas from his paper on rapid root cause analysis and process change validation using design-centric volume diagnostics.

07/14/2010 

Techcet's Michael Fury reports from Day 1 of SEMICON West, from keynotes to CMP to thermal characterization, and the continued use of “zombie” semiconductor manufacturing technologies.

07/08/2010 

Lasertec joined SEMATECH’s 3D Interconnect program to develop robust, cost-effective process metrology technology solutions for readying high-volume via-mid through silicon via (TSV) manufacturing. This article includes a video interview with SEMATECH about the partnership.

07/01/2010  This is a good time to take stock of your development readiness and how well legacy software assets will support the product roadmap. Dan O

02/22/2010 

The SPIE Advanced Lithography Conference is where experts come to tell their advances in lithography, resists, metrology and design, and this week it appears to be heating up as a battle between optical and surging EUV, with other litho technologies offering a "sanity check," writes Griff Resor.

01/28/2010 

The EuroPIC project aims to facilitate access by small companies to cost-effective photonic integrated circuit (PIC) manufacture in Europe. It also will encourage research on manufacturing methods to develop an open-access industrial generic foundry production capability for Europe. EuroPIC is a collaborative project formed by a consortium of experts, consisting of a mix of small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), industry, and academic partners in the fields of component manufacturing, PIC design and applications, photonic CAD, and packaging.

09/24/2009 

Several papers presented at last week's SPIE/BACUS Symposium described the mastering, replication and metrology challenges of patterned media, writes Toppan Photomasks' Franklin Kalk, reporting exclusively for SST.

08/08/2009  Semilab SSM president Chris Moore tells SST how the company's new manual system, the SRP Express 170, hits the spot for small- and mid-tier semiconductor and solar cell manufacturers with density and resistivity depth profiling of electrically active dopants.

07/16/2009  ISMI provided SST with tidbits from its closed-door discussions on Wednesday centered on the 450mm transition: some supplier selections are complete and >60 are engaged for test wafers, which are slated to distribute in 3Q09.

07/16/2009  The main theme at this year's NCCAVS Junction Technology Group meeting will be 22nm junction, which many believe this will be the first node to use msec-only annealing (i.e. diffusionless), according to meeting chair John Borland, of J.O.B. Technologies. He also gives a quick recap of what's ahead at 16nm.

07/15/2009  Citing the embodiment of its concept of "holistic lithography," ASML has unwrapped two hardware/software components to help chipmakers improve lithography process windows while avoiding costly and timely steps and maintenance downtime.

07/13/2009  July 13, 2009: FEI has joined SEMATECH's advanced metrology development program at the U. of Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) to expand efforts to develop novel technologies to improve process control and yield for 45nm node and below manufacturing.

07/08/2009  Magma Design Automation is making its splash into the world of solar photovoltaics with a new software package to help solar cell manufacturers identify and correct causes of yield loss and thus improve energy conversion.

07/07/2009  SST's Debra Vogler visited Owens Design before SEMICON West to see its newest platform, the Element and discuss the company's design process, with which OEMs can deploy a semiconductor "fab-ready" metrology tool.

07/06/2009  July 6, 2009: SEMATECH has accepted a Veeco Insight 3D atomic force microscope (AFM) to be put to use for non-destructive reference metrology for critical dimension (CD), overlay and contour, and 3D characterization of resist features in extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) lithography.

07/01/2009  July 1, 2009 -- To gain a better understanding of how new and existing wafer metrology technologies can be used, modified, or enhanced to measure and improve 3D interconnect processes, SEMATECH will host a workshop dedicated to 3D interconnect metrology on July 15 in conjunction with SEMICON West in San Francisco, CA.

07/01/2009  Countless benefits can be gained for dozens of industries with the ability to observe invisible elements, especially contaminants, at the nanoscale.

06/30/2009  Chris Moore, leader of Semilab's new USA division, talks to SST about the company's latest acquisition of materials analysis firm SDI, its assembled roster of metrology technologies, and a possible consequence of stalled 450mm discussions: equipment leasing.

06/22/2009  Following are some of the booth highlights from companies exhibiting at SEMICON West, July 14–16, 2009 in San Francisco, CA. Booth demonstrations include cleaning products for flip chips, bonded wafer inspection systems, airborne particle sensor/monitors, die-attach systems, and more for semiconductor manufacturing, packaging, and test.