Worldnews

11/01/2011

WORLD | IHS iSuppli has lowered its 2011 semiconductor forecast to 2.9%, followed by 3.4% growth in 2012. Semiconductor equipment spending in 2011 looks to be slightly weaker than expected???and a lot softer in 2012, according to Gartner. And 2011 silicon sales should be fractionally higher, with modest 4%-5% growth in 2012 and 2013, says SEMI.

WORLD | Intel, Samsung, TSMC, IBM, and GlobalFoundries have created a "Global 450 Consortium," aiming for a pilot line in 2013/14 and production in 2015/16.

ASIA | Samsung Electronics has started up its Line-16 memory line, and is also producing "20nm-class" DDR3 DRAMs at a 10,000 WPM clip.

EUROPE | Imec and ASML have devised new sensors to help calibrate EUV lens alignment and dose.

USA | China's Linuo Solar Group has bought IBM's former R&D center in East Fishkill, NY.

EUROPE | STMicroelectronics says it is the first to use TSVs in high-volume MEMS devices.

USA | Engineers at NIST have developed a plasma etch/argon process that improves etch rate, mask selectivity, and the sidewall profile of silicon structures.

EUROPE | Imec claims a first: an integrated poly-SiGe-based piezoresistive pressure sensor on top of 0.13??m copper backend CMOS.

Asia | SMIC has appointed former Hua Hong NEC exec Tzu-Tin Chiu as its new CEO, replacing David Wang who resigned in July.

Solid State Technology | Volume 54 | Issue 10 | November 2011

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