06/21/2012 

Ultratech Inc. (UTEK) shipped its 50th laser spike anneal (LSA) system, with an order from a major Asian foundry.

06/20/2012 

Qcept Technologies Inc. has received more than 30 orders from 8 customers for its new ChemetriQ Inspection Services (Q-Services), which enable semiconductor manufacturers and equipment vendors to begin implementing non-visual defect (NVD) inspection programs tailored to their needs prior to purchasing a Qcept ChemetriQ NVD inspection system.

06/20/2012 

A major high-volume MEMS maker has purchased a FOGALE nanotech T-MAP DUAL 3D 200A for its US manufacturing facility. The tool will be equipped with 2 load ports and will be fully automated.

06/20/2012 

The 2012 TechConnect World Summit, Expo & Showcase opened Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The event serves as host to the National Innovation Showcase, whose mission is to accelerate the commercialization of “the world’s top innovations.”

06/20/2012 

In a webcast scheduled for June 27^th at 1:00 Eastern, 11:00 Pacific, David McCann of GLOBALFOUNDRIES will provide a status report on advanced packaging and 3D integration. McCann is responsible for Packaging R&D and back-end strategy and implementation at GLOBALFOUNDRIES.

06/20/2012 

In mid-2011, semiconductor manufacturing and assembly equipment supplier Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) acquired Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Inc. Now, the company is adding Varian’s former CEO Gary Dickerson as president.

06/20/2012 

Mitutoyo America Corporation launched the Surftest SJ-411/412 portable surface roughness tester, conforming to roughness standards JIS-B0601-2001, JIS-B0601-1994, JIS-B0601-1982, VDA, ISO-1997 and ANSI.

06/19/2012 

Plasma etch and deposition processing system maker Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology won an order for its recently launched PlasmaPro Estrelas100 deep silicon etch tool from the University of Toronto.

06/19/2012 

Barclays Capital analysts say DRAM benefits from a supply discipline that was bolstered by oligopoly/DRAM consolidation and the Elpida bankruptcy; robust demand growth from non-PC applications (server/mobile DRAM bit demand to exceed PC for the first time in 2013E); and potential for additional positives related to Elpida (Hiroshima/Rexchip converted to non-DRAM).

06/18/2012 

Some of the new and flagship wafer fab products and supporting facility products, like vacuum valves, that will be on the show floor at SEMICON West, from ion implant to MOCVD traps and gas blenders.

06/18/2012 

The management committee of Samsung Electronics authorized the KRW2.25 trillion investment for construction of a new production line serving Samsung’s System LSI business.

06/18/2012 

H-Square Corp introduced its 450mm Ergolift for handling new 450mm semiconductor wafer FOSB/MACs, which can weigh more than 60lbs.

06/15/2012 

Canon U.S.A. Inc. introduced the FPA-6300ES6a DUV stepping scanner, a lithography tool with a KrF excimer laser light source for the high-volume production of memory, logic and image-processing devices.

06/15/2012 

Cache SSDs will remain the mainstream ultrabook storage solution, says IHS, even as hybrid HDDs offer some consolidated storage advantage. Hybrid HDDs use a built-in layer of NAND flash memory.

06/14/2012 

imec and Panasonic Inc. have entered into the next phase of a comprehensive and broadened collaboration agreement for joint R&D on healthcare, wireless communication, flexible electronics and advanced CMOS process technologies.

06/13/2012 

Older production facilities face equipment obsolescence; skills obsolescence; scarce availability of parts, software, and support; and equipment capability extension and tool re-use. At the ConFab 2012 Executive Roundtable, representatives from Sematech/ISMI, IDMs, OEMs, equipment dealers, and industry consultants gathered to have an open discussion on concerns, roadblocks, and possible solutions.

06/13/2012 

MicroSense, maker of high-resolution capacitive position sensors, metrology modules, and high-sensitivity magnetic metrology tools, acquired SigmaTech, developer of high-sensitivity metrology tools for LED, MEMS, and semiconductor manufacturing.

06/13/2012 

Semiconductor manufacturing equipment billings and bookings were virtually tied in Q1 2012, reports SEMI, with $10.61 billion in billings and $10.07 in bookings. This is a 13-14% improvement sequentially, and 9% below the same quarter last year.

06/13/2012 

Toshiba Corp achieved double-digit growth that defied an industry-wide contraction in revenue in the Q1 2012 NAND Flash sector. Overall, Q1 NAND flash sales amounted to $4.99 billion, down 1% sequentially.

06/12/2012 

Linde Gases, a division of The Linde Group, will deliver on-site fluorine (F₂) for SK Hynix Inc., under a new long-term supply contract for multiple volume semiconductor production sites in Korea.