Tag Archives: letter-wafer-business

Orbotech Ltd. today announced that SPTS Technologies, an Orbotech company and a supplier of advanced wafer processing solutions for the global semiconductor industry and related markets, is collaborating with Fraunhofer IZM, an international institute specializing in applied and industrial contract research, on next generation wafer level packaging of microelectronic devices.  

“To meet the technical requirements of future microelectronic products, 3D-IC architectures using through silicon vias (TSVs) are being employed to overcome scaling limits while delivering better device performance,” stated Kevin Crofton, President of SPTS Technologies and Corporate VP at Orbotech. “SPTS has over 300 DRIE modules being used for advanced packaging applications around the world. Together with Fraunhofer IZM, we aim to develop the techniques needed for cost-effective volume manufacturing of 2.5D and 3D-IC devices.”

For the joint development project, Fraunhofer IZM is using SPTS’ Rapier process module to etch a range of silicon features, such as deep cavities and tapered or vertical TSVs with high aspect ratios.  Leveraging its multi-process capability, the Rapier is also used for other 3D processes, including blanket Si etching for via reveal, post grind stress relief and general wafer thinning.  The Rapier carries SPTS’ endpoint detection (EPD) systems: Claritas for etches to stop layers and low exposed areas, and ReVia, the industry’s only in-situ EPD for via reveal etching, ensuring repeatable and accurate exposure of TSV tips from the wafer back-side, at via densities as low as 0.01 percent.  With the APM CVD chamber, Fraunhofer IZM is benefiting from SPTS’ ability to deposit PECVD SiN/SiO film stacks at <190°C with tunable stress, low electrical leakage and excellent diffusion barrier performance. Both technologies are on the single Versalis fxP platform, saving capex and valuable floor space.  The ability to run multiple process recipes inside the same system gives Fraunhofer IZM significant flexibility: a valuable resource when working with clients from diverse sectors including automotive, healthcare and industrial electronics.

Martin Wilke, the expert in plasma etching at Fraunhofer IZM, commented, “Our researchers and customers expect us to use the latest state-of-the-art equipment. The SPTS Versalis fxP system was selected for our cleanroom facility in Berlin as it combines industry leading DRIE and CVD modules on a single platform, with the option to add additional modules as our capacity demands increase. The multi-technology Versalis fxP allowed us to reduce initial capital outlay and therefore cost of ownership, within a small footprint.”

Crofton added, “Fraunhofer IZM is a leading institute with a key competence in wafer level packaging and system integration. By working with renowned R&D institutes who specialize in industry-oriented applied research, we are able to provide our customers with production ready wafer processing solutions that give them competitive advantage and lower their cost of manufacture.”

SEMI today announced that two companies, Brewer Science and Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. (ASE), are recipients of the 2014 SEMI Award for North America. The awards honor Terry Brewer of Brewer Science for revolutionizing optical lithography with anti-reflective coatings; and Jason Chang and Tien Wu of ASE for relentlessly pursuing the commercialization of copper wire bonds when gold was the industry standard. The honorees accepted their awards during a banquet at the 2015 SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) yesterday in Half Moon Bay, Calif.

Some innovations become such an integral part of the semiconductor manufacturing industry’s infrastructure that the technology itself becomes fundamental — such as the use of anti-reflective coatings in optical lithography and copper for wire bonding.

Currently, multi-layer systems are commonly used in optical lithography, with some processes using 5-6 layers, as well as double- or triple-patterning steps, to achieve the necessary resolution. However, in the early 1980s, 1µm was considered the limit for optical lithography and single-layer photoresist suffered from reflections that caused significant variations in critical dimensions. Dr. Terry Brewer invented an anti-reflective coating that was effective in eliminating reflective interference and provided good adhesion to multiple materials and resist. At the time, the introduction of an anti-reflective coating was a radically different approach — adding layers to the single-layer exposure films of lithography. Brewer Science, Inc., founded in 1981, developed and commercialized anti-reflective coating materials that were instrumental in the industry’s progress from g-line to 248nm to 193nm lithography, and now to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and directed self-assembly (DSA) technology.

Due the expense of gold for wire bonding, the semiconductor industry began exploring alternatives in the 1980s. Yet manufacturers did not adopt copper wire bonds due to concerns about yield, reliability, throughput, and customer acceptance. In 2006, Jason Chang and Tien Wu of ASE committed to underwrite risk, resolve technical problems, and address customer concerns. Requiring an investment reaching hundreds of millions of dollars with no assurance of success, in 2007 they started working with materials and equipment vendors to establish a supply chain and also with foundries to establish metallurgy for bonding pads compatible with copper wire bonds. In 2009, Chang and Wu had dramatic results with a few selected customers. By 2013, more than half of ASE production was in copper wire bonds and today it exceeds 70 percent. ASE moved copper wire bonds into volume production and the industry benefits. Today, long-term reliability of copper wire bonds exceeds that of gold.

“SEMI is proud to honor both Brewer Science and ASE with a SEMI Award — both companies have significantly impacted the industry,” said Karen Savala, president, SEMI Americas. “Terry Brewer’s ‘out of the box’ thinking changed the face of optical lithography, and Jason Chang and Tien Wu persevered against all odds to commercialize copper wire bonds.”

“These two SEMI awards represent change in both materials and processes on opposite ends of the production of integrated circuits,” said Bill Bottoms, chairman of the SEMI Award Advisory Committee. “From defining the initial patterns on silicon wafers to connecting the completed integrated circuits to the rest of the world, these innovations solved difficult challenges for the semiconductor industry — maintaining the pace of progress in both cost and product performance.”

The SEMI Award was established in 1979 to recognize outstanding technical achievement and meritorious contribution in the areas of Semiconductor Materials, Wafer Fabrication, Assembly and Packaging, Process Control, Test and Inspection, Robotics and Automation, Quality Enhancement, and Process Integration.

The award is the highest honor conferred by SEMI. It is open to individuals or teams from industry or academia whose specific accomplishments have broad commercial impact and widespread technical significance for the entire semiconductor industry. Nominations are accepted from individuals of North American–based member companies of SEMI. For a list of past award recipients, visit www.semi.org/semiaward.

JEOL USA and the University of California’s Irvine Materials Research Institute (IMRI) have entered into a strategic partnership to create a premier electron microscopy and materials science research facility. The IMRI will serve as an interdisciplinary nexus for the study and development of new materials, enabling advances in solar cell, battery, semiconductor, biological science, and medical technologies.

The IMRI is headed by Dr. Xiaoqing Pan, an internationally-recognized researcher in the physics of materials who joined the UC Irvine faculty in 2015 to lead the $20 million initiative.

The new electron microscopy cluster, to be known as the JEOL Center for Nanoscale Solutions, will house JEOL’s highest performing Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM) for characterizing and analyzing materials to determine their potential for a myriad of advanced applications.

This will be the first research lab in the Americas to install the newly-introduced JEOL Grand ARM, which exceeds atomic resolution boundaries for any commercially-available TEM today. The Grand ARM offers 63 pm resolution at 300 keV for atom-by-atom characterization and chemical mapping. It features JEOL-proprietary spherical aberration correctors integrated in the image-forming system and illumination system, and an ultra-stable cold-cathode field emission electron gun.

The center will also house the high throughput, nano-analysis JEM-2800 TEM/STEM, a versatile microscope favored for its ease of use while maintaining the highest level of performance.  The JEM-2800 features dual large area Silicon Drift Detectors with unprecedented sensitivity for high throughput EDS analysis.

Researchers will also utilize the cryogenic and atomic level structural analysis capabilities of the JEOL JEM-2100F TEM to examine biological materials, large molecules, and medical biopsy samples in efforts to improve delivery of pharmaceuticals to the human body.

“The electron microscopy initiative and the IMRI at UC Irvine will provide new tools and great opportunities for potential collaborations with the many researchers on campus and in southern California,” said Pan.  In his work he has pioneered the development of advanced functional materials and the characterization of their structure-property relationships at the atomic scale, which range from ceramics and semiconductors to biological materials and nanomaterials.

“This foremost facility will be an important resource for some of the most renowned scientists in the world,” said JEOL USA President Peter Genovese.” With the installation of our flagship atomic resolution TEM, the JEOL Center for Nanoscale Solutions will be the most advanced electron microscopy cluster available for probing the atomic structure and properties of materials.”

Mentor Graphics Corp. today announced that it has acquired Flexras Technologies, a developer of proprietary technologies that reduce time required for prototyping, validation, and debug of integrated circuits (ICs) and systems on chip (SoCs).  The Flexras timing-driven partitioning technology will expand and strengthen the portfolio of tools available from Mentor to help engineers overcome the challenges of increasingly complex design prototyping.

“We’re extremely pleased to have the Flexras team join Mentor Graphics,” said John Lenyo, vice president and general manager of the Mentor Design Verification Technology Division. “We’re committed to helping our customers reduce the risks and costs associated with design prototyping and Flexras has proven to be a visionary in this area.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

With new cost-sensitive semiconductor devices driving capacity demand, 200mm wafer size and currently existing (legacy) fabs are seeing a renaissance,  SEMI completed a thorough study of the secondary fab equipment market to identify the market size and to capture key trends and issues impacting this industry segment. SEMI interviewed and surveyed integrated device makers (IDMs) and foundries. Companies were asked to provide information pertaining to the acquisition of previously installed tools for 150mm, 200mm, and 300mm manufacturing. The SEMI Secondary Fab Equipment Report is new, unique coverage for the industry. The report contains 26 pages and 29 figures and charts. The target audience is expected to be companies serving the secondary fab equipment supply chain, IDMs and foundries, and other industry analysts who need data to benchmark and analyze this market.

The semiconductor industry is maturing where annual double-digit fab capacity additions are less frequent, and the industry is spending in the range of $30 billion per year in new fab equipment. Investment in “legacy” fabs is important in manufacturing semiconductor products, including the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) class of devices and sensors, and remains a sizeable portion of the industries manufacturing base:

  • 150mm and 200mm fab capacity represent approximately 40 percent of the total installed fab capacity
  • 200mm fab capacity is on the rise, led by foundries that are increasing 200mm capacity by about 7 percent through to 2016 compared to 2012 levels
  • New applications related to mobility, sensing, and IoT are expected to provide opportunities for manufacturers with 200mm fabs

Out of the total US$ 27 billion spent in 2013 on fab equipment and US$ 31 billion spent on fab equipment  in 2014, secondary fab equipment represents approximately 5 percent of the total, or US$ 1.5 billion, annually. For 2014, 200mm fab investments by leading foundries and IDMs resulted in a 45 percent increase in spending for secondary 200mm equipment. Foundries are estimated to represent half of the 200mm equipment spending in 2014.

In developing the report, SEMI interviewed and surveyed IDMs and foundries. Direct spending input was obtained from 28 companies, and estimates were made for another 12 companies based on known capex plans, quarterly financial statements and transcripts, and capacity investment trends tracked by the SEMI World Fab Forecast database. The focus of the new report is on secondary fab equipment spending; secondary test equipment and assembly and packaging equipment were not included in this study. To order the report, visit www.semi.org/en/node/53676. For information on all SEMI Market research reports, visit www.semi.org/en/MarketInfo. For information on SEMI, visit www.semi.org

GLOBALFOUNDRIES, a provider of advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology, and Linear Dimensions Semiconductor Inc., a semiconductor company specializing in low power analog and mixed signal integrated circuits, today announced that they are working together to manufacture a 14-channel programmable reference from Linear Dimensions for multiple markets including IoT (Internet of Things) sensor and wearable device applications.

The LND1114 is a 14-channel reference designed to meet the tuning needs of emerging IoT sensors and Wearable applications.  The LND1114 is available in QFN-3×2.2mm form factor, and is the world’s smallest programmable multi-channel reference product.  With a typical drift of only 13uV after 10 years at 70C, low temperature drift and an initial accuracy of 0.2%, the LND1114 is ideally suited for precision sensor biasing.

“GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ advanced process and development capabilities have allowed Linear Dimensions to engineer an analog non-volatile tuning solution ideally positioned for emerging wearable and portable IoT sensor applications,” said David Schie, CEO of Linear Dimensions.   “Devices such as wearable health and fitness products, cell phones, consumer cameras, media players and headsets are increasingly integrating multiple single and multi-function sensors to offer added functionality.  These multiple sensors all require specific biasing and tuning to operate correctly.  The LND1114 is a revolutionary new way to bias and tune precision devices because it offers multiple channels with unparalleled accuracy and flexibility, in a smaller footprint just a fraction of the size of existing solutions.’

“As sensor based applications proliferate, and wearables become more popular in the market, technologies that enable such devices become extremely important,” said Gregg Bartlett, senior vice president of product management at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “We will continue to provide differentiated technology platforms from 350nm to 28nm that our customers can use for innovative products in the rapidly growing IoT and wearable markets.  By partnering with Linear Dimensions we have been able to leverage our world-class analog processing capabilities to offer tuning and biasing performance that has not previously been available in such a small form factor.”

GLOBALFOUNDRIES has a solid track record of providing semiconductor technologies to a variety of market segments including mobility, industrial, automotive and computing. In mainstream technologies, GLOBALFOUNDRIES offers modular platforms on technology nodes from 180nm to 40nm on both 200mm and 300mm wafers, with additional process modules such as analog, power management, radio frequency (RF), embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).

Wafer volume production for Linear Dimensions’ 14-channel programmable floating gate reference program is expected to start in Q3 2015 in GLOBALFOUNDRIES manufacturing facility in Singapore.

SEMI today announced a “Call for Papers” for SEMICON West, North America’s premier microelectronics event, to be held July 14-16 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif. The “Call for Papers” includes the Semiconductor Technology Symposium and the popular TechXPOT programs. Presentation abstracts are due March 20, 2015.

SEMICON West 2015 will be attended by nearly 27,000 semiconductor and related microelectronics industry professionals and feature more than 60 hours of technical sessions, led by the most informed and influential experts in the world. For 2015, SEMICON West will feature two “Generation Next” Pavilions — a new concept in topic-based engagement, which will connect exhibits, technical sessions, and networking events to current, critical industry topics, engaging exhibitors and visitors in an immersive exhibition experience.  In addition, the “standing-room only” success of the SEMICON West TechXPOT programs prompted the creation of the Semiconductor Technology Symposium (STS) at the 2014 event.

In 2015, the STS program continues with programs on leading-edge chip manufacturing held in a classroom setting with reserved seating adjacent to the show floor in the North Hall of Moscone Center. STS will offer technology trends, developments and new technology information in the areas of advanced materials and processing, lithography, metrology, 450mm, advanced packaging, and 3D-IC.  Test Vision 2020, the leading semiconductor test conference focusing on ATE and high-volume manufacturing, is part of the STS program in Moscone Center.

TechXPOT programs in the Moscone Center North and South Halls will continue focusing on special topics in semiconductor manufacturing, and adjacent and related microelectronics technologies.

For the Semiconductor Technology Symposium and for TechXPOT sessions, SEMI is soliciting technical presentations in the following areas:

  • Advanced lithography/Advanced films
  • Advanced materials and processes
  • Contamination control for advanced materials
  • New and advanced metrology solutions
  • Interconnect challenges at sub-10nm
  • Substrates: Materials research beyond Silicon
  • Other process implications for manufacturing next-generation transistors
  • Accelerating and improving yield
  • Silicon Photonics
  • Disruptive compound semiconductor technologies
  • Manufacturing advanced power semiconductors
  • Improving Yield on Non-Planar ICs
  • Failure analysis
  • Advanced packaging
  • Design for packaging
  • Semiconductor test
  • Design for test
  • Application Level Testing
  • Technologies for Emerging Markets & Applications
  • What’s next in MEMS?
  • How manufacturing of IoT devices will impact IC fabrication
  • How IoT and 3D printing will be used in IC manufacturing in the future
  • Printed and flexible electronics
  • Packaging of MEMS and Sensors
  • SiP for Power and RF
  • Heterogeneous Integration for SiP and Modules

“There are many exciting challenges facing the industry today,” said Karen Savala, President of SEMI Americas. “We are pleased that SEMICON West continues to serve as the premier forum where industry leaders share their insight on these issues.”

SEMICON West 2015 “Call for Participants”:  Prospective presenters are invited to submit abstracts (maximum 500 words) on key industry issues and topics in the areas listed above for consideration. Presentations should focus on the latest developments and innovations in these technology areas, inclusive of supporting data. Submissions may be made online from the “Call for Participants” website at: www.semiconwest.org/Participate/SPCFP. The deadline is March 20.

“Generation Next” Pavilions (Advanced Substrate Engineering; Packaging): These two new Generation Next Pavilions will be held in conjunction with technical sessions (STS and TechXPOTs) at SEMICON West — addressing critical issues, challenges, and opportunities. For more information about exhibiting opportunities within these new Pavilions, contact Nick Antonopoulos at [email protected] or +1.408.943.6986.

Silicon Innovation Forum (SIF) “Call for Startups”:  SEMI will host its 3rd Annual Silicon Innovation Forum at SEMICON West 2015 and is now accepting early applications to participate. The Silicon Innovation Forum (SIF) provides a stage for new and emerging innovators, industry leaders, strategic investors, and venture capitalists to discuss the needs and requirements of the industry’s innovation engine. Participants will gain insights into technology, capital, partnership, and collaboration strategies necessary for mutual success. For more information, please email Ray Morgan, director of Outreach at [email protected].  SIF application: 2015 SIF Showcase Request for Participation. The deadline is March 20.

About SEMICON West

SEMICON West is the flagship annual event for the global microelectronics industry, showcasing the people, products, and technologies driving the design and manufacture of advanced microelectronics. SEMICON West attracts the world’s leading technology companies serving the microelectronics supply chain and the largest audience of influential buyers, industry leaders, decision-makers, technologists, analysts, and media of any industry event in North America. SEMICON West 2015 is projected to bring together more than 27,000 international attendees, more than 700 global companies, and feature more than 60 hours of technical, business, and networking programs. For more information, visit www.semiconwest.org.

UCT announces new CEO


January 5, 2015

Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. today announced that Mr. James Scholhamer has accepted an offer to become UCT’s Chief Executive Officer, effective Monday, January 19, 2015. Mr. Scholhamer will also join UCT’s Board of Directors effective as of his first day of employment.  UCT’s current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Clarence Granger, has decided to retire as an officer of the company, effective Monday, January 19th.  Mr. Granger will remain UCT’s non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Scholhamer has had an eight-year tenure at Applied Materials, Inc., and has most recently been Corporate Vice President and General Manager, leading the Equipment Products Group and Display Services Group of Applied Materials’ Global Service Division.  Prior to joining Applied Materials, Mr. Scholhamer was Chief Operating Officer, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Applied Films Corporation, which was acquired by Applied Materials in 2006.  Mr. Scholhamer holds a bachelor degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

“After almost two decades with the company and twelve years as CEO, it is time for me to transfer the company’s helm to a new generation of leadership. I am very excited that we have found someone of Jim’s caliber to take on this role,” said Mr. Granger.  “I am confident that we are well positioned for the next phase of the company’s growth, and I look forward to supporting Jim and the company in my role as Chairman.”

“I am very excited to lead UCT as we write the next chapter of the company’s history,” said Scholhamer.  “I want to thank Clarence, the Board, the management team, and all the employees who have worked so hard and so long to nurture and grow a world class organization.  I’m looking forward to building on that foundation by working with the team to take advantage of our potential, create growth opportunities for those employees, and generate attractive returns for our shareholders.”

“Our Board of Directors is confident that Jim will make significant, long-term positive contributions to the Company,” said UCT Director David ibnAle, Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. “We are extremely grateful for Clarence Granger’s contributions to UCT during his tenure as CEO.  Clarence has been the company’s only CEO during its twelve years as an independent company, and he has grown the company successfully across some very challenging cycles and market environments.”

Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. is a developer and supplier of critical systems and subsystems for the semiconductor capital equipment, flat panel display, medical, energy and research industries.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and design, today announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $29.7 billion for the month of November 2014, an increase of 9.1 percent from the November 2013 total of $27.2 billion and a slight decrease of 0.1 percent from the October 2014 total. Year-to-date sales through November are 10 percent higher than they were at the same point in 2013. All monthly sales numbers are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average.

“Global semiconductor sales through November have matched the total from all of 2013, assuring that the industry will achieve a new record for sales in 2014,” said Brian Toohey, president and CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association. “Demand remains strong across nearly all semiconductor product categories, and the Americas and Asia Pacific regional markets continue to post the most robust growth. Macroeconomic trends bode well for continued growth into 2015.”

Regionally, year-to-year sales increased in the Asia Pacific (12.3 percent), the Americas (11.1 percent), and Europe (3.4 percent), but decreased in Japan (-4.5 percent). Sales were up compared to the previous month in the Americas (1.8 percent), but decreased slightly in Asia Pacific (-0.2 percent), Europe (-0.7 percent), and Japan (-2.6 percent). Sales were higher across all regions through November than they were through the same point last year.

“The goal of The ConFab is to spark discussions” 

By PETE SINGER, Editor-in-Chief

The future of the semiconductor industry continues to shine brightly. Smart phones have become an everyday part of life the world over, and we will soon see a new explosion of demand brought about by thev“internet of things,” cloud computing, digital television, biomedical sensors and many other types of advance electronics. Many believe this capability is leading to the 4th industrial revolution.

The semiconductor industry’s ability to pack more and more functionality onto a single chip, many challenges remain. Some argue that we will soon reach the end of the road defined by Moore’s Law, pointing to higher costs per transistor. More complex device structures, such as the FinFET and Vertical NAND, have become mainstream, 3D integration with TSVs continue to make slow progress, and a wide variety of new materials are being put into play. The IoT could drive the need for low power, low cost and high levels of integration of diverse components.

The path forward is far from clear. But what is clear is that the need for collaboration has never been

greater. That’s what The ConFab 2015 is all about. We bring together executives from all parts of the supply chain for three days of thought provoking talks and panel discussions, networking events and in-depth, pre-arranged meetings. In 2015, we’ll be back at The Encore at The Wynn in Las Vegas, May 19-22. See www.theconfab.com for more information.

The goal of The ConFab is to spark discussions that will lead to faster resolution of problems, faster and broader industry expansion, and long-term collabora- tions among organizations of all types. In other words, our goal is to help The ConFab attendees “connect, collaborate and create”

Whenever we get together at The ConFab – which is now in its 11th year – I’m always reminded of a quote by Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Join as at The ConFab 2015 and you, too, can change the world.