Semiconductors

SEMICONDUCTORS ARTICLES



ISMI and IMEC summarize 450mm semiconductor equipment transition activities

10/15/2010 

In two exclusive interviews, Lode Lauwers, senior director of business development at IMEC, and Tom Jefferson, ISMI 450mm program manager, speak with Debra Vogler, senior technical editor, in advance of the SEMICON Europa 450mm session.

Nanoimprint collaboration from AMO and SUSS MicroTec leads to UV-SCIL breakthroughs

10/13/2010 

SCIL Suss Amo nanoimprint silicon master.AMO GmbH and SUSS MicroTec AG are developing applications for substrate conformal imprint lithography (SCIL) with UV curing material. Due to unique sequential contacting and separation technology, a distortion-free replication of a stamp at high throughput is now possible with UV-SCIL.

A day at Albany CNSE: Leading-edge techs, innovation vs. efficiency

10/12/2010 

A daylong series of presentations, facility tour, and one-on-one discussions at a recent SEMI-hosted seminar at the U. of Albany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) spurred intense discussion about the state of leading-edge chipmaking technologies, including 3D ICs and new device structures, and why Wall Street and roadmaps are hampering true technology innovation.

GaAs, epitaxial foundry services added at RFMD

10/12/2010 

RFMD added its GaAs technology to its foundry services portfolio and will begin providing a full suite of GaAs pHEMT technologies. RFMD also expanded its Foundry Services to deliver multiple molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) platforms, epitaxial characterization and epitaxial development structures.

Crocus MRAM begins integration into TowerJazz 13um CMOC foundry process

10/11/2010 

TowerJazz and Crocus Technology completed the first stage of integration of Crocus’ Thermally Assisted Switching (TAS)-based MRAM technology into TowerJazz’s 0.13-µm CMOS process. As a result of the collaboration, a special low temperature back-end process technology was developed.

austriamicrosystems extends beyond standard foundry offering into advanced packaging

10/07/2010 

austriamicrosystems Full Service Foundry introduced "More Than Silicon," a comprehensive service and technology package that goes beyond standard foundry services. Foundry customers receive access to leading-edge technology add-ons, advanced packaging services, and dedicated support engineers to enable first-time-right designs.

Enhanced particle detection unit goes down to 5um defects

10/07/2010 

Enhanced particle detection unit goes down to 5um defectsAnswering the growing demand for a high resolution, Dr. Schenk has developed an enhanced version of the Pollux Particle Detection System for Photomasks. Pollux-Enhanced automated particle detection system enables fabs to perform a complete inspection on each reticle prior to its use.

OSAT places $3m order for Camtek wafer inspection systems

10/06/2010 

Camtek Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: CAMT) received an order for multiple wafer inspection systems from a major outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) company in southeast Asia.

Mattson Suprema photoresist strip systems ordered for FEOL and BEOL logic fab

10/06/2010 

Mattson Suprema photoresist strip systems ordered for FEOL and BEOL logic fabMattson Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MTSN), advanced wafer fab process equipment supplier, received orders for multiple Suprema photoresist strip systems from a new Asian customer. The Supremas will be used in both front-end-of-line (FEOL) and back-end-of-line (BEOL) applications for advanced logic device production.

iSuppli trims forecast on soft demand, inventories

10/05/2010 

Just two months after beefing up its semiconductor sales forecast because of the sector's "roid rage," iSuppli has put those numbers on a cooldown rep, citing concern over end-user demand vs. inventories.

3D roadmaps begin to converge

10/04/2010 

Last month's SEMICON Taiwan 3D Technology Forum shed some insight into what several foundries, assembly houses and customers are thinking about the timing for 3D interposers and full 3D IC, reports Phil Garrou.

Camtek enters front-end macro wafer inspection with 2 orders

10/04/2010 

Camtek Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: CAMT) received two orders for its, new automatic optical inspection (AOI) system for the front-end semiconductor industry, the Gannet. Front-End Macro Inspection is a new market for Camtek.

Tessera sues Sony, Renesas on IP use, UTAC-Taiwan on contract breach

10/04/2010 

Tessera Technologies (NASDAQ:TSRA) took 2 new legal actions via its semiconductor packaging subsidiary, Tessera Inc., against Sony and Renesas, claiming lapsed licensing of its packaging technology. Tessera also logged a complaint in US District Court against UTAC (Taiwan) for breach of contract. Tessera provides a status update on ongoing legal actions.

Lithography materials infrastructure benefits from a collaborative research approach

10/01/2010 

SEMATECH's lithography tool and process development from Solid State TechnologyAdvances in lithographic patterning critically depend on the timely availability of enabling resists and materials, say Warren Montgomery and Stefan Wurm, SEMATECH. They detail the toolset and collaborative approach of SEMATECH, which helps bridge the lapse between basic research and wafer fab production processes to keep lithography moving forward. What has the research organization's attention in 2010?

Paste print tool uses embedded electronics for finer pitches

10/01/2010 

DEK has launched ProActiv process technology to enable electronics manufacturers to print pastes with high-density heterogeneous PCBs and ultra fine pitch assemblies such as advanced package assembly. DEK has launched ProActiv process technology to enable electronics manufacturers to print pastes with high-density heterogeneous PCBs and ultra fine pitch assemblies such as advanced package assembly.

20nm fully depleted SOI process available via CEA-Leti and CMP

10/01/2010 

CEA-Leti and CMP (Circuits Multi Projets) announced the launch of an exploratory multi project wafers (MPW) initiative based on fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) 20nm process, opening the access of its 300mm infrastructure to the design community.

Cost-effective advanced copper metallization using ECPR

10/01/2010  Electrochemical pattern replication enables fine pitch, >2:1 aspect ratio plating of near vertical sidewall copper metal features without advanced lithography; its uniformity will prove to be very attractive for both front-end of line and back-end of line metallization processes. M. Thompson, P. Möller, M Fredenberg, D. Hays, W. Van den Hoek, D. Carl, Replisaurus, Kista, Sweden

Production metrology of advanced metallization structures using XRR and WA-XRD

10/01/2010  A new interconnect metrology technique enables the monitoring of the thickness and the density of the copper and barrier layers while also obtaining valuable microstructure information in terms of phase, grain-size, and texture. Asaf Kay, Alex Tokar, Jordan Valley Semiconductors, Ltd., Migdal Ha'Emek, Israel; Matthew Wormington, Jordan Valley Semiconductors, Ltd., Austin, TX USA

US IDM orders CAPRES metrology system for production wafers

09/30/2010 

US IDM orders CAPRES 300mm microRSP-A300 metrology system for production wafersWith the development and production release of the microRSP-A300, CAPRES has addressed the challenges associated with in-line measurement on production wafers, reducing reliance on data extrapolation and monitor wafers to validate doping levels.

Keithley semiconductor and package test software update

09/29/2010 

Keithley Instruments ACS Basic test and measurement softwareKeithley Instruments Inc. (NYSE:KEI) updated its ACS Basic Edition Semiconductor Parametric Test Software for semiconductor test and measurement applications. ACS Basic Edition Version 1.2 performs characterization of component or discrete (packaged) semiconductor devices.




WEBCASTS



Environment, Safety & Health

Date and time TBD

The semiconductor industry is an acknowledged global leader in promoting environmental sustainability in the design, manufacture, and use of its products, as well as the health and safety of its operations and impacts on workers in semiconductor facilities (fabs). We will examine trends and concerns related to emissions, chemical use, energy consumption and worker safety and health.

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Wafer Processing

Date and time TBD

As the industry moves to 10nm and 7nm nodes, advances in wafer processing – etch, deposition, planarization, implant, cleaning, annealing, epitaxy among others – will be required. Manufacturers are looking for new solutions for sustained strain engineering, FinFETs, FDSOI and multi-gate technologies, 3D NAND, and high mobility transistors.

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