Wafer Processing

WAFER PROCESSING ARTICLES



150+ fab projects lead to strong 2010, 2011

09/07/2010 

The World Fab Forecast released at the end of August indicates a 133% increase in equipment spending for front-end fabs this year and about 18% growth in 2011. The data reveals that for both 2010 and 2011, over 150 fab projects will contribute an estimated $83 billion in spending.

GaAs test services debut from WIN Semiconductors, Presto Engineering

09/01/2010 

Users of WIN's GaAs foundry services can engage in wafer-level and package test in Silicon Valley, CA, and Grenoble, France.

What Intel's soft 3Q means: For INTC, peers, customers

08/30/2010 

Intel's lowered 3Q outlook was at least expected, if not overdue, according to analysts and market watchers, who break down the news and what it means for consumer technology markets and equipment/materials suppliers.

Dai Nippon, SEMATECH semiconductor lithography printing collaboration will to develop advanced processes at UAlbany NanoCollege

08/27/2010 

Under the agreement, a team of mask cleaning experts from Dai Nippon will work with experts from SEMATECH’s Mask Clean program at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex to improve the cleaning yield on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography patterned, non-patterned substrates and nanoimprint lithography (NIL) templates.

Semiconductor inventories: Two takes on the industry and both seem happy

08/26/2010 

The figure shows iSuppli’s forecast of semiconductor inventory value -- both in dollar terms and in DOI -- starting from the first quarter of 2008 up to the second quarter of 2010.Chip suppliers are reporting rising inventory, but the swelling stockpiles do not represent a cause for concern at present, with demand on the rise in coming months, according to iSuppli Corp. Inventory levels are now more appropriately aligned with end-market demand, which was necessary given the level of under-shipment across many end-markets since 2HCY09, adds Doug Freedman, Gleacher & Company.

AMAT Eterna FCVD goes beyond SOD with bottoms up approach to C-free gap-fill: Interview

08/25/2010 

Applied Materials (AMAT) Eterna flow CVD for semiconductor fab.Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) today released Eterna, a new flowable CVD (FCVD) technology. Ajay Bhatnagar, director, global product management in the Gap Fill Dielectric Division, explains in-depth how it differs from conventional CVD. The technology is run on AMAT's Producer Eterna FCVD system. He also explains how it is being applied to new device architectures such as DRAM vertical transistors, NAND vertical bit stacks, and FinFETs.

What's inside Applied Materials' flowable CVD tool?

08/25/2010 

Applied execs played coy about the "unique" technology behind their new Eterna FCVD tool, which targets a $400M market (and twice that in a couple of years), but analysis of what was said offers some insights into how it works.

Fab metrology tool for non-critical layers enables future-proofing: Podcast with KLA-Tencor

08/19/2010 

Tom Gubiotti, product marketing manager at KLA-Tencor, discusses the design decisions that drove the company’s new film metrology tool -- the Aleris 8330 -- targeted for non-critical films at 32nm and below. Among the drivers -- especially for memory manufacturers -- is the need for high-throughput, low cost-of-ownership tools that are capable of recipe sharing around the fab, so-called, “future proofing.”Tom Gubiotti, product marketing manager at KLA-Tencor, discusses the design decisions that drove the company’s new film metrology tool -- the Aleris 8330 -- targeted for non-critical films at 32nm and below. Among the drivers -- especially for memory manufacturers -- is the need for high-throughput, low cost-of-ownership tools that are capable of recipe sharing around the fab, so-called, “future proofing.”

MOCVD, CVD, diffusion, epi added to GF flow controller roster

08/18/2010 

GF Series Brooks InstrumentBrooks Instrument, provider of advanced flow measurement, control and level solutions, released product enhancements to the GF Series ultra-high purity mass flow controllers. Brooks has increased the range of flow rates available on the GF Series from the current 3 sccm to 30 slpm, to a new full-scale flow rate of 55 slpm. Along with a normally open valve option, this enables use in Epi, diffusion, batch CVD, and MOCVD.

OLEDs see manufacturing tech, consumer response ripen

08/17/2010 

OLED versus LCD demand. Courtesy of DisplaySearchIn a podcast interview, Paul Semenza, SVP of Analyst Services at DisplaySearch, explains how a maturing OLED manufacturing capability is contributing to the surge in interest, as is consumer response to products that use OLEDs. One challenge, however, is scaling up vapor deposition, and solutions are being developed. 

CAMP CMP, Day 3: CMP fangs, dual-purpose slurry injector, "true CMP" HB-LED wafer polishing; karaoke time!

08/16/2010 

Techcet's Michael A. Fury continues his observations from this year's International Symposium on CMP at Clarkson U. in New York. Highlights from Day 3: Horrifying CMP "fangs," dissolved gases in megasonics, a dual-purpose slurry injector, the usefulness of CMP levelers, CVD Co as a Cu barrier, HB-LED sapphire wafer polishing, and a CMP Broadway moment.

CAMP CMP, Day 2: Porosity on demand, CMP whack-a-mole, end-of-line acronym soup

08/13/2010 

Techcet's Michael A. Fury offers his observations from this year's International Symposium on CMP at Clarkson U. in New York. Highlights from Day 2: Creating "porosity on demand;" a CMP Rubik's Cube vs. Whack-A-Mole; the evolution of CMP process control; and a missing manufacturing acronym.

Improving COO of vacuum for PV and semiconductor manufacturing

08/13/2010 

In this video interview, Matthew Taylor, Edwards, addresses the solar and semiconductor markets. How can vacuum pumps be less expensive to operate? How can equipment providers improve service to maintain the pumps over a longer life?

Video: Wafer bevel inspection and other defectivity points

08/11/2010 

Jennifer Braggin, Entegris, chaired a session at ASMC on defect inspection. In this video, she summarizes the key points: new processes and materials add new detection challenges, and analysis from the lab is now moving into the fab. Wafer-edge inspection is highlighted.

SemiProbe patent for modular test system approved

08/11/2010 

SemiProbe has developed proprietary technologies awarded a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The Probe System for Life allows the company and users to configure test and inspection systems that meet unique requirements usually served by custom products.

CAMP CMP: CMP's FEOL future, "dark art" defect work, mysterious Cu dendrites

08/10/2010 

Techcet's Michael A. Fury offers his observations from this year's International Symposium on CMP at Clarkson U. in New York. Highlights from Day 1: The latest uses of CMP in device integration; SOI wafer bonding; pad surface texture and slurry flow; Cu dendrites in 45nm interconnect patterns; and using microfluidics to measure CMP slurry particle concentration.

New report on embedded and fan-out WLP from Research and Markets

08/09/2010 

Research and Markets released "Embedded Wafer-Level-Packages: Fan-out WLP/Chip Embedding in Substrate - 2010 Report," which covers embedded IC packaging markets, technology innovations, the manufacturing processes for fan-out and embedded wafer-level packaging, cost targets, and more.

SEMI: Si wafer shipments are up in Q2 2010

08/05/2010 

New quarterly total area shipments are 40% greater than second quarter 2009 shipments and are at their highest levels ever.

Docking and Mounting Interface Workgroup releases main goals

08/05/2010 

The group will work on standard terminology and reference points for the mechanical interfaces of probers, handlers, testers, dockings, contactors and load boards. All companies that use or supply test equipment are invited to actively contribute.

CHAD adapts wafer handlers to LED sapphire wafer sizes

08/04/2010 

CHAD Industries developed wafer-handling capabilities for Sapphire wafers used in the LED market.




WEBCASTS



Environment, Safety & Health

Date and time TBD

The semiconductor industry is an acknowledged global leader in promoting environmental sustainability in the design, manufacture, and use of its products, as well as the health and safety of its operations and impacts on workers in semiconductor facilities (fabs). We will examine trends and concerns related to emissions, chemical use, energy consumption and worker safety and health.

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Wafer Processing

Date and time TBD

As the industry moves to 10nm and 7nm nodes, advances in wafer processing – etch, deposition, planarization, implant, cleaning, annealing, epitaxy among others – will be required. Manufacturers are looking for new solutions for sustained strain engineering, FinFETs, FDSOI and multi-gate technologies, 3D NAND, and high mobility transistors.

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