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June 29, 2012 — OLED thin film encapsulation technology is the one of technologies emerging as the core technology of flexible OLED, and technology development and patent securing competition between world’s leading OLED companies such as VITEX, 3M, GE, UDC, Samsung, LG, Philips, and DuPont will increase accordingly, shows Displaybank’s report, “OLED Thin Film Encapsulation Technology Key Patent Analysis.”

Figure. OLED Thin Film Encapsulation Patent Application Trends. SOURCE: Displaybank.

Encapsulation protects organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) from the external environment. Methods include CAN, glass, thin film, and hybrid encapsulation technology. Of these, thin film encapsulation is expected to be the enabling factor for lightweight and thin large-area OLED as well as flexible OLED. These architectures will support next-generation displays and OLED lighting.

OLED thin-film encapsulation patents are growing in line with increasing interest in flexible OLED and OLED lighting technology and the acceleration of technology development competition.

The report examines worldwide patent application trends, particularly from Korea, Japan, the US, and Europe. In addition, in-depth analysis such as key patent status of major companies, technology development, citation relation analysis, key patent point analysis, and key patent example analysis were performed by extracting 135 key patents around U.S. patents. Access the report at http://www.displaybank.com/_eng/research/report_view.html?id=875&cate=1

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June 29, 2012 – PRNewswire — Semiconductor maker Maxim Integrated Products Inc. (NASDAQ:MXIM) is spending $200 million to upgrade and expand its US semiconductor manufacturing facilities in San Antonio and Dallas, TX; Beaverton, OR; and San Jose, CA. Maxim manufactures about 50% of its products in the US.

Maxim will invest approximately $65 million to expand its 380,000sq.ft. semiconductor fab in San Antonio, purchased from Philips Semiconductors Inc. in 2003. Maxim employs approximately 540 manufacturing and engineering staff in San Antonio. Manufacturing staff will be added over time as the expansion is completed and production ramps to capacity.

The fab makes ICs for mobile electronics — smart phones, tablet computers, automobile infotainment systems — and industrial equipment. The new wafer fab equipment (WFE) at San Antonio is needed to keep pace with the complexities and performance demands of new electronics, said Chris Michael, Managing Director of Maxim’s San Antonio fab.

Maxim was recently recognized by the San Antonio Water System with a "Refreshing Ideas Award," acknowledging its effective methods to reduce water consumption. Maxim’s quadruple dividends project helped the company save 55 million gallons of water annually through changes such as condensation harvesting, third-stage reverse osmosis, and analytical reclaim.

The company will also invest $75 million of the funds to upgrade its 226,000sq.ft. fab in Beaverton, OR, purchased from Tektronix, Inc. in 1994. The fab makes ICs for electronic devices such as factory automation equipment, GPS and navigation units for cars and planes, satellite systems, and communications devices.

Maxim will upgrade manufacturing equipment, improve process technologies, and convert to newer technology nodes. Maxim employs approximately 540 manufacturing and engineering staff in the Beaverton facility. Manufacturing staff will be added over time as the expansion is completed and production ramps to capacity.

With the aid of the Energy Trust of Oregon, Maxim’s Beaverton facility recently initiated an energy conservation program that has saved annually over 3.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by over 1400 tons. The site is actively looking at additional energy-efficiency opportunities in solar-electric power, lighting automation, and boiler plant upgrades.

Maxim also employs approximately 300 workers at its Hillsboro, OR site, which is focused on engineering and administrative functions.

Maxim has approximately 9,300 employees worldwide. This investment is consistent with previously disclosed estimates for capital expenditures in Maxim’s fiscal years 2012 and 2013.

Maxim makes highly integrated analog and mixed-signal semiconductors. For more information, go to www.Maxim-ic.com.

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June 28, 2012 — Solid State Technology and SEMI today announced the finalists for the 2012 “Best of West” awards, recognizing important product and technology developments in the microelectronics supply chain. Held in conjunction with SEMICON West, the largest and most influential microelectronics exposition in North America, the Best of West finalists have been selected based on their financial impact on the industry, engineering or scientific achievement, and/or societal impact.

The 2012 Best of West Finalists are:

  • The QC‐TT defect inspection system from Jordan Valley Semiconductor UK Ltd. solves key issues in the use of 450mm wafers in a manufacturing environment, where wafers are subjected to more handling steps and the thermal stresses on larger wafers are much higher. This makes the wafers more prone to breakage, which can be predicted using the QC‐TT. The system can also identify the slip and other crystalline defects in wafers, which may not have catastrophic effects on the substrate integrity but will contribute to a reduction in yield.
  • The NSR‐S320F Dry ArF 193 nm scanner from Nikon Precision, Inc. is based on the company’s Streamlign platform, to satisfy the demanding non‐immersion overlay accuracy, stability, and ultra‐high productivity requirements essential to cost‐effective 22 nm applications and beyond. The Streamlign platform, which was first employed on immersion scanners, provides industry‐leading overlay accuracy ≤ 3 nm with throughput ≥ 200 wafers per hour (WPH).
  • X-Plane Analysis from Nordson DAGE is an option for the company’s DAGE range of X-ray inspection systems. It uses a tomosynthesis technique to create 2-D X-ray slices in any plane of a semiconductor device or printed circuit board assembly. The user can get a very high level of detailed information about potential failures without the need to destroy the sample,  usually necessary with traditional CT systems.

The selection of finalists was made by a prestigious panel of judges representing a broad spectrum of the microelectronics industry.

The Best of West Award winner will be announced during SEMICON West on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 1:00pm.

About SEMI

SEMI is the global industry association serving the nano- and microelectronic manufacturing supply chains. SEMI member companies are the engine of the future, enabling smarter, faster and more economical products that improve our lives. Since 1970, SEMI has been committed to helping members grow more profitably, create new markets and meet common industry challenges. SEMI maintains offices in Beijing, Bengaluru, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.semi.org. 

About PennWell

PennWell Corporation is a diversified business-to-business media and information company that provides quality content and integrated marketing solutions for the following industries: Oil and gas, electric power, water and wastewater, renewable, electronics, semiconductor, contamination control, optoelectronics, fiberoptics, enterprise storage, converting, nanotechnology, fire, emergency services and dental. Founded in 1910, PennWell publishes over 120 print and online magazines and newsletters, conducts 60 conferences and exhibitions on six continents, and has an extensive offering of books, maps, web sites, research and database services. In addition to PennWell’s headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma the Company has major offices in Nashua, New Hampshire; Houston, Texas; London, England; Mountain View, California; Fairlawn, New Jersey, Moscow, Russia, and Hong Kong, China.

June 27, 2012 — Canon Inc. launched the FPA-3030i5+ i-line stepper for manufacturing micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) and energy-efficient “green” devices such as power semiconductors in solar and wind applications and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Several upgrades were incorporated to the FPA-3000 series to meet the “unique process requirements” in these markets. The FPA-30303i5+ provides imaging resolution below 350nm while maintaining overlay accuracy of <40nm and throughput in excess of 104 wafers per hour (WPH).

The FPA-3030i5+ features an updated software structure and electrical control system that allow the application of advanced hardware and software options to support next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.

The FPA-3030 platform allows processing of silicon (Si), sapphire (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC) and a wide variety of wafer materials used in “green” device manufacturing. FPA-3030i5+ options include warped-wafer handling systems to allow processing of distorted substrates. The FPA-3030i5+ stepper can also be configured to process multiple wafer sizes, and hosts various options to improve productivity and efficiency.

Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) provides digital imaging solutions. Internet: http://www.canon.com/.

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June 27, 2012 — SEMICON West is taking place July 10-12 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. Following are new products for the lithography step of semiconductor manufacturing, including photoresist coaters and ashers.

 

Microoptics-based homogenizers in CaF2

Jenoptik is demonstrating its manufacturing capabilities for micro-optical structures in CaF2, especially for 193-266nm wavelengths, presenting various CaF2 homogenizer arrangements. Homogenizers, such as microlens arrays or diffractive optical elements (DOEs), are used in optical systems of semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing and inspection equipment to help define the distribution of light over a particular area in a certain plane of the optical beam path. CaF2 boasts a high damage threshold. Jenoptik uses an advanced micro-structuring process with grayscale technology and a sophisticated wafer-level etching process to fabricate customized refractive, diffractive and hybrid structures even with asymmetric shapes and radii. Free geometries are generated, and the microstructuring process is reportedly accurate and reproducible with various beam distribution patterns. Standard manufacturing processes are available for optical materials such as SiO2, GaAs, GaP, Al2O3, ZnS, ZnSe, Ge, Chalcogenide, etc. Qualified testing at operating wavelength guarantees the quality of optical product properties. Jenoptik Optical Systems division, South Hall, Booth 1641.

 

Photoresist coaters

Spintrac Systems will exhibit innovations in photoresist coater technology including centering, dispensing and indexing. Many of the company’s systems work in a 24/7 production environment while others are utilized in R&D facilities in nanotechnology, flat panel displays and process chemicals. Spintrac Systems has made innovations in its photoresist coating equipment including patent-pending dual-wafer centering for quick substrate size changes; self-centering, self-calibrating Traversing Dispense Arm (TDA) for accurate positioning and unique dispensing capabilities; and proprietary indexer for compact footprint and reduced maintenance.  Spintrac Systems, Inc., formerly SITE Services, Booth 2346.

 

New technology advances and manufacturing methods

SEMATECH and International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI) will report their latest advances in new materials and device structures and lithography with a special focus on addressing key opportunities and challenges in 3D interconnect technology. Raj Jammy, SEMATECH’s vice president of Materials and Emerging Technologies, “Emerging Semiconductor Technologies – a Heterogeneous World on Silicon,” July 10 at 10:30 a.m. Paul Kirsch, SEMATECH’s director of Front End Processes, “Challenges and Opportunities in High Mobility Ge/III-V Channels and Devices,” July 10 at 2:10 p.m. Stefan Wurm, SEMATECH’s director of Lithography, “EUV Lithography: Remaining Challenges to HVM Introduction,” July 11 at 10:30 a.m. Bill Ross, ISMI’s project manager, “Tool Obsolescence and Sustaining Legacy Manufacturing,” July 11 at 1:40 p.m. SEMATECH, international consortium of leading semiconductor device, equipment, and materials manufacturers, South Hall, SEMICON West TechXPOT Stage.

 

Photoresist asher

SPEC Equipment has developed a new PC-based system for the classic GaSonics photoresist asher. The SPEC 3510 PC replaces the legacy GaSonics L3510 with improved performance and efficiency. The 3510 PC is a downstream photoresist removal system that utilizes time-tested process hardware components, while replacing legacy control items and other obsolete devices and hardware. It offers a newly designed contemporary control system, a full-color GUI, real-time graphing, and saved data recall. Users have access to full diagnostic software, real-time graphics and feedback, and unlimited process recipes with a SECS II interface. Field upgrades take about 4 hours. The new system is capable of up to 4 MFCs. It features 75-200mm wafer capabilities; GaAs, sapphire, and silicon. SPEC Equipment, Booth 647.

 

Lithography for monolithic 3D integration

Monolithic 3D has invented several techniques to obtain monolithic 3D integration with crystalline silicon transistors and copper wires at the most advanced lithography. 3D Repair and Redundancy enables reliable operation for systems with multiple logic and delay defects, and can provide a high tolerance for soft errors and field repair. Ultra large system integration can be achieved without prohibitive yield issues. Monolithic 3D’s Gate Array IC technology can be applied to producing a monolithically stacked single crystal silicon wafer scale Continuous Array with custom, etched scribelines. Chiplets can be added with functions such as I/O and analog. Monolithic 3D, Booth 6775.

Check out more exhibits previews, for front-end wafer fab tools and wafer handling products, back-end packaging products, and more.

June 26, 2012 — Vacuum product and abatement system maker Edwards (NASDAQ:EVAC) introduced the iXH645H dry pump, optimized for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, a key step in light-emitting diode (LED) and compound semiconductor (III-V materials) manufacturing.

The iXH645H delivers very high gas flow capability and can operate continuously at the high loads required for the latest-generation LED manufacturing tools. LED and compound semiconductor manufacturing processes typically use high flows of light hydrogen and highly corrosive ammonia gasses. The iXH645H reportedly offers superior hydrogen pumping performance and a corrosion-resistant design, including a patented nitrogen purge barrier to protect the pump seals. Its high-temperature capabilities help prevent condensation of any phosphorous compounds present.

Maintenance requirements are minimized to increase uptime. Advanced oil lubrication and seal technology eliminate periodic maintenance requirements, while its thermal and motor design prevent overheating, motor overloads or zones of limited operation. The pump’s optimized temperature control system ensures the pump is ready for process within approximately 30 minutes of start-up.

Also read: Growing market for LEDs fuels need for advanced abatement systems

Visit Edwards at North Hall, Booth 5351 during InterSolar and SEMICON West, taking place July 10-12 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. More SEMICON West products here.

Edwards is a leading manufacturer of sophisticated vacuum products and abatement systems and a leading provider of related value-added services for the manufacture of semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells, as well as other industries. Edwards’ American Depositary Shares trade on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol EVAC. Further information about Edwards can be found at www.edwardsvacuum.com.

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MEMS in the mainstream — Music to my ears

June 25, 2012 — For the second year in a row, MEMS Industry Group was host to the Sensors Expo Pre-Conference Symposium, and this year’s theme was “MEMS in the Mainstream: Commercialization and Product Realization — Leveraging the MEMS Infrastructure.” I felt like a bandmaster — not trying to make the music, just trying to get the band with all its different instruments, rhythms, and tones to harmonize. 

It’s not a simple piece to orchestrate, because when you talk about commercialization and product realization and leveraging the micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) infrastructure, you are talking about lots of different perspectives from equipment vendors to materials suppliers, from foundries to device manufacturers (some captive-fab, some fab-lite, some fabless), as well as from end-users and OEMs. Each of these “bands” has its own instrument, its own sheet music, its own style and its own “special sauce.” You can see where I am going with this analogy. Like in music, MEMS can either work like a 10-piece orchestra in total sync and harmony, or it can sound like something the cat dragged in!

Thankfully, at our Sensors Expo pre-conference, we sounded a lot more like the 10-piece orchestra. We focused on utilizing the MEMS infrastructure to produce harmonious communication with our customer and our customer’s customers, in order to get the product out in time, at cost, and in the right form factor.

Each of our presenters and panelists shared their own perspectives.  They didn’t always agree (oftentimes they didn’t) and that’s OKAY — because MEMS by its nature is not one-size-fits-all.  Approaching the topic of MEMS foundry models from differing angles, John Chong of Kionix and Rob O’Reilly of Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) both gave fantastic overviews of MEMS foundry models, digging into which approaches work for them and why.

IMT’s Craig Trautman and Silex’s Peter Himes carried the foundry discussion a little further. As foundry companies, they were able to rise above the idea that everyone should go fabless, in support of the diversity and maturity of the MEMS industry. I think Craig summed it up well when he said: “There’s no free lunch. There are pros and cons for various models of MEMS fabrication: fabless vs. captive). As a foundry, we have five customers ‘living’ at IMT. We give them free office space because a lot of the things that we do are really hard. The customer needs to collaborate to make it all work.”

I loved hearing from the end-users, and those working closest to the end-users as these are the people who are truly driving the market for MEMS (and our future). As eloquently stated by Jim Clardy of Dell, “I want to avoid end-user scenarios where people have to wave a tablet around to get magnetometer calibrated. Sensors are collecting ambient data. What are the privacy and security concerns? Data must be shared with the cloud. Someone must track the user, his/her location, etc. Whoever controls those ecosystems is going to know A LOT about the end-user. This could be an adoption barrier.”

We in the MEMS industry really need to listen to folks like Jim! We need to be thinking about the sensor fusion of all of these sensors; the security of that data; and the human who is interfacing with the device. We need to remember that MEMS is just an instrument. Sitting by itself untouched, it is nothing.  But when it’s played by the right artist, placed in the right band, it can harmonize and make beautiful music. And yes, that is music to my ears.

Contact Karen Lightman, managing director of MEMS Industry Group at [email protected], 412-390-1644. Read her other blogs:

June 25, 2012 — Solid State Technology will present 3D and 2.5D Integration: A Status Report on June 27, free for all attendees. William Chen, ASE, will join speakers David McCann, GLOBALFOUNDRIES and E. Jan Vardaman, TechSearch International. The webcast is sponsored by EV Group (EVG) and ALLVIA.

3D and 2.5D Integration: A Status Report will cover through-silicon via (TSV) formation, interposers, and other die stacking methods. What is the present status of these advanced packaging technologies?

Now, William Chen, senior technical advisor, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE US Inc.), had been added to the speaker list for this webcast. ASE is a leading semiconductor assembly and test services (SATS) provider, headquartered in Taiwan. William Chen recently spoke at The ConFab 2012, where he discussed the rise of

June 22, 2012 — Semiconductor manufacturers will spend $2.3 billion in 2012 for flow control and treatment products, shows McIlvaine Company. Even more pure water is required as the line sizes on chips are decreasing. This aspect, coupled with the opportunity for water reuse, is creating new opportunities.

Also read: Semiconductors to use most ultrapure water in 2012

Table. World semiconductor flow control and treatment, 2012. These totals are based on extracts from six McIlvaine market reports.

Product

Revenues ($M)

Ultrapure Water Systems *

800

Pumps

149

Valves

449

Cross-flow Membranes

236

Cartridges

485

Sedimentation/Centrifugation

  50

Monitoring

140

Total

2,309

 *Less the other items listed separately below

 

Flow control and treatment products are used in semiconductor fabs to extract water from sources, purify it for use in chip cleaning, and other purposes, and to purify effluent prior to discharge. The water used in semiconductor processing must be extremely pure. Incoming water from a river source, or water already processed in a municipal drinking water plant, is subjected to granular media filters, cartridges, reverse osmosis, ion exchange and degasification, or other steps. The water is monitored for numerous parameters at parts per billion or trillion contamination levels.

The pumps and valves that process ultrapure water include special materials suited to the task, as are piping, tanks and other components of the ultrapure water system.

Environmentally conscious semiconductor fabs and fabs in water-scarce locations are reusing water where possible. Rinse water that was delivered to a tool but not used can undergo less stringent treatment than water that was used.

The semiconductor industry, including silicon photovoltaics, is outgrowing GDP thanks in part to photovoltaic production as well as mobile communications. Asia is the largest producer, and is forecast to widen the gap at the front. China is gaining on Korea, Taiwan and Japan as a major producer.

For more information, visit http://www.mcilvainecompany.com

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