01/28/2009  Acknowledging industry demand to apply green technology in semiconductor manufacturing -- despite the current economic climate -- SEMATECH/ISMI have created a new Environment, Safety & Health (ESH) Technology Center in Austin, TX.

01/27/2009  Qimonda's filing for bankruptcy, while perhaps not entirely surprising, is nonetheless sending shockwaves through the industry, and it's likely that no matter what happens, the consolidation of the DRAM industry is now underway.

01/27/2009  SST's Debra Vogler examines Crossing Automation's new family of modular automation components for vacuum wafer handling systems, and sees the realization of long-recommended reliability practices for semiconductor equipment -- during the challenging business times that they're most needed.

01/26/2009  Who's upbeat about the semiconductor sector, and why? When will this downturn turn into sustainable growth again? What will fix the memory sector to make money again? Who's a bigger economic pariah than Bernie Madoff? SST's Bob Haavind ties it all together from presentations at ISS '09.

01/21/2009  Part 2
By Jan Provoost and Eric Beyne, IMEC
3D SIC uses a via first approach to connect circuits at the global IC level. 3D WLP uses a via last approach to connect circuits at the bond pad level. Both these approaches occupy a separate space on the 3D roadmap. This article, presented in two parts, offers both options and describes the process to realize them.

01/20/2009  Scanning recent headlines across Japan: Ulvac is betting on a solar boost from Obama; Japan's temp chip workers are seeing pink as their firms bleed red; and consolidation takes hold in two segments of the domestic semiconductor sector.

01/16/2009  January 16, 2009: A handheld, ultra-portable device that can recognize and immediately report on a wide variety of environmental or medical compounds may eventually be possible, using a method that incorporates a mixture of biologically tagged nanowires onto integrated circuit chips, according to Penn State researchers.

01/16/2009  January 16, 2009: Elionix Inc., which supplies electron beam lithography systems, has begun construction to double its manufacturing output, scheduled to be completed in March.

01/16/2009  As lithography pushes past 32nm resolution, the need to optimize stack materials, including resist, bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC), and substrate, has never been greater for IC manufacturers. This article describes a new simulation tool enabling engineers to more accurately model complex systems and make more informed decisions when selecting the best material solutions.

01/13/2009  2008 was a big game of "chicken" in the DRAM sector, as firms floored their investment and output pedals in 2008 hoping competitors would give up first. But all they did was make the bad times last longer, according to a summary from iSuppli.

01/13/2009  A much smaller group of industry leaders than usual (about 115) came to Half Moon Bay, CA, for SEMI's annual Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) expecting to hear a lot of gloomy forecasts in the midst of a global recession. But they held out hopes to hear not just advice on riding out a tough downturn, but also some upbeat forecasts on what may come afterwards.

01/12/2009  Rudolph Technologies has uncrated a software package targeting the still-troublesome area of photovoltaic cell efficiency, hoping to bring solar cells closer to grid parity through reduced costs and inefficiencies.

01/09/2009  Market conditions today are challenging, but past experience has shown that investments in advanced technology during a market downturn can return substantial benefits when the market recovers -- and it will recover. Long-term success requires that companies continue to develop the advanced products that will allow them to increase market share when demand again becomes robust.

01/08/2009  January 8, 2009: DALSA Semiconductor says it has launched the first phase of a 200mm MEMS manufacturing line at its semiconductor wafer foundry in Bromont, Quebec, Canada, following several new MEMS supply contracts the company has recently received for delivery of product in 2009 and for new product development.

01/08/2009  Though we find ourselves in a deep cyclical downturn made worse by chaos in international financial markets, IC manufacturers must continue to make critical investments in new and emerging technologies that will define the competitive landscape when the next upswing materializes. Technological innovation has been the lifeblood of our industry since its inception. We have grown used to surmounting insurmountable barriers with creative solutions to often unanticipated problems.

01/08/2009  To paraphrase Samuel Johnson, nothing focuses the mind like an economic meltdown. The semiconductor industry and its capital equipment suppliers were already in the midst of a severe downturn as we entered the fourth quarter of 2008. Softening consumer demand and overcapacity in memory caused prices to plummet. Overlay the global credit crisis, and our industry faces challenges with a depth and breadth we've rarely had to face, even given our volatile history.

01/08/2009  Every semiconductor downturn raises two key questions: How long will it last, and who will survive? For answers, we must look at the causes of these cyclical events, and hazard some crystal-ball gazing into the current crisis.

01/08/2009  The current economic crisis is forcing semiconductor companies to dramatically reduce capex and opex spending. A prolonged reduction in R&D investment can have long-term negative consequences, including delayed product introductions and reduced competitiveness. Increases in semiconductor R&D expenditures have steadily outpaced revenue growth because of increasing R&D complexity, shorter product life cycles, and reduced ASPs, and this fundamental issue is exacerbated in a downturn.

01/08/2009  In 2009, materials and chemistry will continue to play an important role in semiconductor development. Given the current global economic climate, we expect to see an increased focus on cost of ownership (COO), along with greater collaboration throughout the supply chain as companies look to partner for expertise and spread both cost/risk and potential rewards.

01/08/2009  Looking ahead to 2009, we find ourselves in an economic downturn, the depth and breadth of which is yet unknown. What is known is that it will lead to both consolidation and failures within the equipment space, as is already becoming clear with the smaller players in the market.