04/19/2011 

STATS ChipPAC Ltd. (SGX-ST: STATSChP), semiconductor test and advanced packaging service provider, is expanding its 300mm through silicon via (TSV) offering with the addition of mid-end manufacturing capabilities.

04/18/2011 

Longtime semiconductor exec Takeshi Hattori continues his reporting on the aftermath of the massive Japanese earthquake and tsunami: Updates on efforts to control the nuclear crisis, efforts to shift to "summertime" schedules to manage energy usage, and evidence of shortages in key materials for semiconductor manufacturing (H₂O₂ and silicon).

04/18/2011 

The F30 module offers improved throughput over the entire sensitivity range. Two European fabs, a leading Asian foundry, a leading MEMS producer, and a process equipment manufacturer that is developing an integrated inspection solution have ordered the Rudolph system.

04/13/2011 

At 13% of the total equipment spending for semiconductor manufacturing, secondary equipment and services are gaining importance at both 300 and 200mm fabs. SEMI and Semico announce results of their Secondary Semiconductor Equipment Market Study.

04/13/2011 

Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) launched the Applied AKT-Aristo Twin system for manufacturing touch-enabled displays. Featuring two independent processing tracks on a single system, the AKT-Aristo Twin enables simultaneous fabrication of two different film stacks.

04/12/2011 

Two keynote talks at The ConFab 2011 will address the impact of the ongoing disaster in Japan, including the state of Japan’s semiconductor manufacturing operations and the impact of lost production on the supply chain. Keenan Evans, the Senior Vice President for Quality, Reliability & EHS for ON Semiconductor, will give the keynote on the first day of the conference, May 16th. Bill McClean, President of IC Insights, will give the keynote on the second day, May 17th.

04/12/2011 

Crossing Automation received both new and follow-on orders for multiple 300mm Spartan Sorters. The orders were received from a single foundry customer and the systems will be installed in two of its leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing facilities for use in volume production.

04/11/2011 

Longtime semiconductor exec Takeshi Hattori continues his reporting on the aftermath of the massive Japanese earthquake and tsunami: new aftershocks have pushed back fab recovery efforts, some early estimates of lost productivity, preparing for summertime blackouts, and more tips for traveling to and around Japan.

04/11/2011 

ACS Motion Control developed an EtherCAT slave Universal Drive Module that directly drives one or two axes. The product suits use in wafer handling robots and positioning stages and optical wafer inspection as well as FPD inspection machines, custom robotics, and medical CT Scanning machines.

04/08/2011 

Alchimer's Erik Smith explains the molecular growth and building method of electrografting, and how electrolytic and electroless electrografting can grow isolation liners, fill through silicon vias (TSVs), and save money in the process.

04/06/2011 

Supply disruptions and potential shortages following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan have uplifted semiconductor prices, especially in the memory sector. This means increased semiconductor revenues in 2011, says IHS iSuppli.

04/05/2011 

Analysts break down Texas Instruments' proposed acquisition of National Semiconductor: Key factors, where both companies benefit, whether TI is overpaying, and if more analog M&A is imminent.

04/05/2011 

TowerJazz is looking to buy Micron Technology's semiconductor fab in Nishiwaki City, Hyogo, Japan. The proposed purchase would nearly double TowerJazz's current internal manufacturing capacity, increasing production by 60,000 wafers per month, and set up a supply agreement between the companies.

04/04/2011 

Longtime semiconductor exec Takeshi Hattori continues his reporting on the aftermath of the massive Japanese earthquake and tsunami, with updates on the nuclear crisis, advice on traveling to Japan, and the current status of facilities and production struggles.

04/04/2011 

A team of researchers from Harvard University and Zena Technologies, led by Kenneth B. Crozier, demonstrated that individual, vertical silicon nanowires can shine in all colors of the spectrum. The Si nanowires are fabricated via e-beam lithography and inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching.

04/01/2011  The Cleaning studies of silicon wafers in DI water in both conventional wet-bath and a single-wafer cleaning tool clearly show that pumping methods have a strong influence on process performance. R. Prasanna Venkatesh, Jung-Soo Lim, Jin-Goo Part, Hanyany University, Ansan, Korea

04/01/2011  Phil Garrou, Contributing Editor

04/01/2011  Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief

04/01/2011  Surface clean engineers must discover new methods to realize contamination and surface termination requirements at each step of the manufacturing process, while simultaneously considering the impact to health, cost and the environment. Joel Barnett, SEMATECH, Austin, TX, USA

03/31/2011 

Renesas Electronics America will sell its semiconductor wafer fabrication facility in Roseville, CA, to TELEFUNKEN Semiconductors International LLC. TELEFUNKEN will use the 200mm, 8" line at the Roseville factory to manufacture its own analog/mixed-signal, HV products, Renesas products, and jobs for strategic foundry partners.