10/24/2003  ASML's latest 193nm Twinscan XT:1250 stepper makes little incremental improvements to get ordinary old optical lithography down to 70nm half-pitch line resolution with ordinary old binary masks -- for ordinary old 200mm fabs, as well as 300mm.

10/24/2003  October 23, 2003 - Micronic Laser Systems AB, Taby, Sweden, has introduced a new registration measurement system for TFT-LCD photomasks.

10/24/2003  A new surface activation and wafer-to-wafer bonding process that uses atmospheric pressure plasma has been developed by SUSS MicroTec, eliminating the need for a vacuum chamber and associated process time.

10/24/2003  A new report from SEMI predicts double-digit growth in wafer shipments through 2004 thanks to 300mm adoption, but followed by a considerable slowdown.

10/24/2003  October 23, 2003 - The Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA) is establishing its new Asia-Pacific headquarters in Taiwan, as part of a plan to expand its global presence.

10/24/2003  (October 24, 2003) TUCSON, Ariz.—The University of Arizona's nanotechnology research group is using proteins from living cells to "grow" wires for microchips, with funding from a U.S. National Science Foundation grant.

10/24/2003  October 22, 2003 - Japan's Omron Corp. has developed a new system to control the temperature to which wafers and LCD panels are subjected during thermal processing.

10/24/2003  October 23, 2003 - Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor, the world's fourth-largest chipmaker, posted 3Q03 revenues at the higher range of estimates with a reduced loss compared to a year ago -- but warned that it needs to bring in a lot more money before it can start turning a profit.

10/24/2003  October 20, 2003 - Semitool Inc., Kalispell, MT, and Tokyo Electron Ltd. have settled a dispute over patents for semiconductor processing systems.

10/20/2003  October 17, 2003 - Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. wowed investors with a 3Q03 profit up 6.6% from last year, due to record sales of flash memory chips used in digital cameras and mobile devices.

10/20/2003  IMEC, the independent microelectronic research center based in Leuven, Belgium, announced at its annual research review meeting on Oct. 13 that five major chipmakers have joined the center's sub-45nm research platform.

10/20/2003  October 17, 2003 - Rudolph technologies, Flanders, NJ, has introduced a wafer-bow/stress metrology tool for measuring stress that develops during thin film deposition.

10/20/2003  Gartner Dataquest has cut back on its estimates for 2003 semiconductor equipment sales, but is sticking to its forecast of improved long-term growth.

10/20/2003  OCT. 20--MANILA--There is no evidence to suggest that SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) is an airborne virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report.

10/16/2003  October 16, 2003 - STMicroelectronics plans to invest 200 million euros in its 8-in. wafer plant in Rousset, France, to increase 8-in. wafer production by 25%.

10/16/2003  October 16, 2003 - Novellus Systems Inc., San Jose, CA, and Shanghai's Fudan University plans to set up a semiconductor manufacturing technology research center focused on copper-based tools.

10/16/2003  October 13, 2003 - Wacker Siltronic, Burghausen, Germany, announced plans to shut down 200mm wafer production facilities in Wasserburg and Burghausen in order to concentrate its 200mm capacity in Asia.

10/16/2003  October 14, 2003 - ProMOS Technologies, Taiwan's third-largest memory chip manufacturer, posted its first quarterly profit of the year in 3Q, reporting a net income of $25.8 million on revenue of $218 million.

10/16/2003  October 9, 2003 - Atmel Corp., Heilbronn, Germany, has opened a foundry service for its SMARTIS BCD-on-SOI technology, which combines bipolar, CMOS, and DMOS technology.

10/16/2003  October 13, 2003 - Taiwan's Nanya Technology Corp. posted a $5 million net loss in 3Q03, compared with a $17.million profit in 3Q02. The company reported a $57 million loss in 1H03.