11/09/2012 

Materials experts from across the supply chain gathered at the 2012 Strategic Materials Conference 2012 in San Jose in October, discussing key materials needs for micromanufacturing outside the CMOS mainstream: OLEDs and GaN-on-silicon power semiconductors, graphene, CNTs, and self-assembling polymers.

11/08/2012 

X-Fab Silicon Foundries is now offering what it calls the industry's first 200V SOI foundry technology, a trench dielectric isolated SOI foundry technology that allows blocks at different voltage levels to be integrated on a single chip.

11/08/2012 

Fujitsu Semiconductor says it has built a server power-supply unit with 2.5kW of output power using gallium nitride (GaN)-based power devices, and will ramp volume production of the power devices in late 2013.

11/08/2012 

Growing use of disposable devices and respiratory monitoring are underpinning growing use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) used as pressure sensors in medical electronics, according to IHS iSuppli.

11/08/2012 

Researchers from IBM and Georgia Tech have disclosed significant progress in manipulating carbon nanotubes in transistors and interconnects, in ways compatible with traditional fabrication techniques, advancing toward using the materials for next-generation devices.

11/07/2012 

Deca Technologies has introduced a new chip-scale packaging (CSP) product line for applications where its existing wafer-level CSP option isn't a good fit. Details and analysis to come.

11/06/2012 

A big boost in demand in the US helped ratchet up chip sales growth in September, according to the latest data from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), but annual growth is on pace for a -4% decline from 2011.

11/06/2012 

The Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) has formed a new working group and identify various alternatives to encourage startups to innovate, woo investors, generate returns, and keep generating sustainable industry M&A.

11/05/2012 

Nantero's carbon nanotube-based memory (NRAM) will be manufactured, tested and characterized in imec's facilities targeting application in high-density next-generation sub-20nm memories.

11/02/2012 

After a strong surge in 2010 and solid growth in 2011, the market for optoelectronics, sensors/actuators, and discrete semiconductors (O-S-D) has lost most of its momentum amid a wobbling world economy, says IC Insights.

11/01/2012 

X-Fab Silicon Foundries says it has become the majority shareholder in German MEMS Foundry Itzehoe GmbH (MFI), the latest in a series of recent moves to raise its profile as a top MEMS foundry.

11/01/2012 

A group of partners in Europe summarize results from their completed project to deliver the first EUV lithography optics, with progress in several optics components and in mask handling, cleaning, and repair.

10/31/2012 

Applied Materials has announced two new tools for display manufacturing: one with a new design for depositing IGZO films for TFTs, the other handling bigger LTPS-deposited substrates to help lower manufacturing costs.

10/30/2012 

Brooks Automation says it has agreed to acquire privately-held Crossing Automation for $63 million, combining two firms in semiconductor automation technology and services.

10/29/2012 

In a departure from past iterations, Windows 8 will not cause any significant rise in DRAM unit shipments, predicts IHS iSuppli.

10/29/2012 

Lockheed Martin scientists have developed a new "nanotechnology" copper-based solder that it says will produce joints with up to 10

10/26/2012 

Communications applications are far and away the leading growth market for ICs over the next five years, and PCs and consumer applications have fallen far back in the pack.

10/24/2012 

Semiconductor manufacturers can expect equipment costs to increase about 15% for each new process node, but previously enjoyed advantages of moving to smaller feature sizes are no longer offsetting those costs -- even with a 450mm wafer transition.

10/23/2012 

Wafer demand is slowly turning back toward growth, and a closer look at the numbers from SEMI and Semico Research shows what's behind the trends -- and why they give purchasing managers headaches.

10/22/2012 

In case anyone needed a reminder or a wake-up, new data from SEMI reiterates chip tool sales are slumping badly in the latter part of this year.