12/05/2011 

SUSS MicroTec launched the XBS300 temporary bonder for high-volume wafer manufacturing. The Bond Cluster is configured to temporarily bond 200mm and 300mm wafers for 3D integration applications as well as other processes that require thin wafer handling.

12/05/2011 

EV Group (EVG), wafer bonding and lithography equipment supplier, introduced the XT Frame equipment platform for better process throughput and tool functionality. The platform will be used for all high-volume manufacturing tool offerings.

12/05/2011 

Crossing Automation Inc., semiconductor fab automation product provider, introduced the Dynamic Access Recirculating Transport and Storage (DARTS) FOUP buffer to improve wafer movement and storage.

12/02/2011 

Innolas Semiconductor GmbH, wafer sorting and laser marking system maker, received its first contract for a 450mm wafer handling system.

12/01/2011 

ULVAC Inc. developed the ENTRONTM-EX2 W300 CVD-Ni/CVD-Co system for CVD-Ni and CVD-Co silicidation of 3D semiconductor gates and MEMS. The system is a response to a semiconductor industry transition from PVD to CVD in advanced 3D gate structure film step coverage, ULVAC reports.

12/01/2011 

Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. has developed a scrubber-type SS-3200 single wafer cleaning system with up to 800 wafers per hour capacity and highly stable processing.

11/30/2011 

Under new CEO Ajit Monocha's realignment plan, GLOBALFOUNDRIES named new CFO, CTO, and customer engineering and quality leaders. The CTO position is a new one at the semiconductor foundry. The moves are meant to separate technology strategy from technology development.

11/29/2011 

Dr. John Chen, VP of technology and foundry operations at Nvidia, and Thomas Jefferson, ISMI's 450mm project manager, are among the updated speaking roster of ConFab 2012, which will address the economics of semiconductor manufacturing and associated industries (LEDs, MEMS, displays).

11/29/2011 

Applied Materials released a new film treatment, Applied Producer Onyx, that reduces the power consumption in semiconductor chips while increasing mechanical strength. The product targets the challenges associated with 3D packaging applications and technologies.

11/28/2011 

AKHAN Technologies has developed a shallow n-type diamond material over silicon that has characteristics such as a shallow ionization energy, high carrier mobility, and no graphitic phases. Adam Khan, president of AKHAN Technologies, says that the bottleneck in development of diamond films has always been the fabrication of n-type diamond.

11/25/2011 

SUSS MicroTec, a leading supplier of equipment and process solutions for the semiconductor industry and related markets, announces the cooperation with Swansea University´s Centre for NanoHealth (CNH).

11/22/2011 

Paul Feeney, director of process technology at Axus and ITRS co-leader for planarization topics, reports from the International Conference on Planarization/CMP Technology in Korea. Technical themes continue to address main areas (STI, ULK) but also explore new applications (e.g. TSVs), non-uniformity, and interaction between all the CMP process components.

11/21/2011 

Even if you don't plan on being a 450mm wafer size early adopter, should your planned upgrades handle the layout, utilities, vibration, and cleanroom criteria suitable for a 450mm semiconductor manufacturing environment? Yes, says Terry Behrens, or else be prepared to pay more.

11/18/2011 

Citing a change in the microscope customer market over the past decade, Carl Zeiss launchEd Carl Zeiss Microscopy. 2,500 employees of MicroImaging und Nano Technology Systems now form the new business group in the Carl Zeiss Group.

11/18/2011 

"The recent period

11/18/2011 

Intermolecular Inc. (Nasdaq:IMI) priced its initial public offering of 9,650,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $10.00 per share.

11/18/2011 

ICs manufactured at 65nm nodes and smaller introduce new design-specific and feature-sensitive failure mechanisms, with systematic yield issues even more challenging to diagnose and overcome. SMIC and Mentor Graphics cover how to use scan diagnosis for better semiconductor yields.

11/17/2011 

Toppan Photomasks will expand its Shanghai manufacturing operation serving China's semiconductor industry. Costing about $20 million, the expansion will increase photomask production significantly, and enable more advanced photomasks made with feature sizes as small as 90nm.

11/16/2011 

Reversing its 2009 decision to close the 200mm wafer fab, Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE:FCS) will keep open its Mountain Top, PA, facility. Moutain Top makes high-voltage and automotive semiconductor products.

11/15/2011 

Applied Materials Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) presented five companies with awards for helping Applied meet its strategic business goals in 2011.