09/06/2011 

The SIA's latest monthly numbers suggest the chip market remains stalled, though some industry watchers still hope for a seasonal growth push in 4Q11.

09/06/2011 

David K. Lam, Multibeam, summarizes the gap between today

09/05/2011 

ULVAC Inc. uncrated the UNECS-3000A spectroscopic ellipsometer, which can measure the thinness of a thin film and optical constant. The noncontact film measurement tool targets semiconductor and liquid crystal display (LCD) manufacturing control.

09/02/2011 

MIT and A*STAR have demonstrated a new technique that could produce 10nm chip features using plastic pillar deposition and predetermined pillar collapses.

09/01/2011 

Semico predicts that the semiconductor manufacturing industry is undergoing a three-quarter (Q3 2011-Q1 2012) downturn, with foundries trimming capital expenditures and OEMs holding excess inventory.

08/31/2011 

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography introduces new patterning distortions -- flare along with proximity effects -- that must be accurately modeled and corrected on the reticle. James Word and Christian Zuniga of Mentor Graphics discuss an all model-based approach to flare compensation.

08/31/2011 

With PC demand waning, reports indicate Intel is rethinking part of its 22nm investment plans, which would dent industrywide capex forecasts for 2012.

08/31/2011 

Mark Danna, Owens Design's VP for new business development, covers the questions to ask when you’re looking for the right outsourcing partner on a particular project. This article is part of a series from Owens Design on outsourcing decisions.

08/31/2011 

Ziptronix Inc. has licensed use of its oxide bonding technology for backside illumination imaging sensors patents to Sony Corporation. ZiBond technology enables more die per wafer, improving costs and quality for consumer, automotive, and other end-use applications.

08/30/2011 

SEMICON Taiwan (Sept. 7-9) approaches, the island's most celebrated event for microelectronics manufacturing, coorganized by SEMI and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), offers more than 60 programs and sessions and 550 exhibitors spanning the entire semiconductor value chain and related high-growth industries.

08/30/2011 

GLOBALFOUNDRIES successfully taped out a 20nm test chip using flows from Cadence Design Systems, Magma Design Automation, Mentor Graphics Corporation, and Synopsys Inc. GLOBALFOUNDRIES customers can now begin evaluating their 20nm semiconductor designs.

08/29/2011 

GLOBALFOUNDRIES entered into a strategic partnership with Amkor (NASDAQ:AMKR) to develop integrated semiconductor assembly and test processes for advanced silicon nodes. The aim is integrated fab-bump-probe-assembly-test steps that can be commercialized across multiple customers and end-market applications.

08/29/2011 

Touchscreens went from showing up in 7% of smartphones in 2006 to being integrated into 75% of the devices in 2010. The next 5-year period will increase touchscreen infiltration to 97% of all smartphones by 2016.

08/29/2011 

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor will exercise an option to acquire 200mm wafer fabrication facility assets from Integrated Device Technology, taking it from fabless to fab-lite for faster time-to-market for high-value products, along with expansion into new markets.

08/26/2011 

Slowing foundry demand, lower utilizations and "an awful lot" of equipment reuse at 28nm, DRAM going nowhere, and debate about how long into 2011 it'll all last -- all these were top of mind among AMAT executives and industry watchers after the company released its fiscal 3Q11 (July quarter) results and commentary.

08/26/2011 

Imec highlights recent research on using CVD, and commercially available precursors, to grow GeSn in a manner that could be replicated on 200mm and 300mm wafer production environments.

08/25/2011 

Micronas (SIX Swiss Exchange: MASN) is acquiring a EUR10 million stake in the X-FAB Silicon Foundries Group, which is also supporting Micronas with 0.18um high-voltage CMOS process with embedded flash manufacturing.

08/24/2011 

Semiconductor capital spending will expand almost 12% this year, approaching $63 billion. Some major industry changes taking place in 2011 will have long-term effects on the semiconductor industry.

08/24/2011 

The IC industry, which had a phenomenal growth year in 2010, is in a cautious mode under greater macro-economic uncertainty and hesitancy. Some positive milestones are on the horizon, however, shows data within IC Insight's Mid-Year Update, such as the 200 billion IC shipment milestone in 2011, and the $300 billion mark expected in 2013.

08/23/2011 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an opinion yesterday vacating the adverse judgment against Camtek in a patent infringement case brought against it by August Technology Corp., now Rudolph Technologies Inc.