05/01/1997  A:You`ve really picked a controversial issue! It should be easier to keep a small, "mini" enclosure cleaner than a big production floor filled with people and machinery. There have been lots of experiments, documented thoroughly, with legitimate data showing that mini-environ ments work. Few people dispute the general conclusions of these experiences, and because of that, most of our clients have at least seriously considered minienvironments, if they have not converted either a little or lot of

05/01/1997  Standard tests for comparison of garment systems are still non-existent, and the search continues for better, more repeatable data that demonstrates a real correlation to cleanliness level.

05/01/1997  BOC Gases has begun constructing a SPECTRA-N 3000 on-site nitrogen generator for MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. (St. Peters, MO). A long-time BOC customer, MEMC is in the process of an expansion that will increase its wafer manufacturing capacity while reducing unit costs. In addition to on-site nitrogen, BOC also will supply bulk trichlorosilane and bulk hydrogen chloride. Construction is scheduled to be completed in early 1997. BOC?s line of SPECTRA-N nitrogen generators provides ultra high-p

04/01/1997  Geneva, Switzerland -- CleanRooms International, an international magazine from the publishers of CleanRooms magazine targeting the European and Asian contamination control industries, debuts this month at SEMICON/Europa (Geneva, Switzerland) April 15 to 17. The quarterly magazine will focus on contamination control, ultrapure materials and ultraclean process technologies used in the microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, biotech, health care, automotive, and food processing industries, among others

03/01/1997  "Working in concert with standard cleanroom delivery and conditioning systems, minienvironment technologies have emerged as the model for 21st century device processing."

03/01/1997  Phoenix, AZ -- Engineer-constructor Black & Veatch and constructor McCarthy have formed a venture, called BVM, to pursue design-build projects for semiconductor, computer and other electronics manufacturers. The new Phoenix-based entity will be headed by Bob Predmore, previously Motorola`s design and construction director. Prior to the formation of BVM, Black & Veatch and McCarthy collaborated on other projects for Texas Instruments -- notably its $1 billion MOS13/Advanced Products R&D Lab in Au

03/01/1997  Santa Clara, CA -- Chip Express Corp. has opened its 8-in. fabrication facility that adds 37,000 ft2 to its OneMask ASIC production. The facility`s new Class 10 cleanroom production area is almost 10 times larger than the old cleanroom and is designed for deep submicron processes. The OneMask facility is equipped with RIE-Etching machines, CVD for passivation and an assembly room for packaging. Recently, the company acquired an E-Beam photolithography system for the new facility. Expansion was p

03/01/1997  St. Peters, MO -- The first phase of a major fast track expansion project at the MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. silicon wafer manufacturing facility was completed in December. MEMC is increasing its manufacturing facilities by 200,000 ft2 that will include a new, two-level building -- an addition to its crystal puller facility; a four-level building housing support facilities; and a three-level EPI wafer facility of offices, mechanical support and cleanrooms, with an attached three-level, final

02/01/1997  The GAMA-2 automated wet station, from SubMicron Systems (SMS), can achieve throughput up to 500 wph with reduced cost per wafer. The GAMA-2 automated acid/solvent wet station can transfer wafers in double lots and with larger wafer lot sizes GAMA-2 can process up to 400-500 wph, depending upon process application. Up to 4-ply cassettes can be loaded at one time into a single 100 wafer cassetteless carrier. Continuous, fully automated loading/unloading of carriers and pods with built-in storage

01/01/1997  Fort Worth, TX--Intel`s plans to build a $1.5 billion advanced logic wafer fab in Fort Worth have spawned an advanced technology center to be built around Intel`s 532-acre site. Alliance Development Company (Fort Worth, TX) is building an 8,300-acre, master-planned international business and transportation center, of which 1,277 acres has been known as the "Alliance Advanced Technology Center." Alliance`s Technology Center is targeting the following user groups: manufacturers of computers, semic

01/01/1997  Billerica, MA--PRI Automation, Inc.`s Intra-Tool Buffering (ITB) system meets new material handling guidelines from the International 300 mm Initiative--an international consortium formed to facilitate the semiconductor industry`s transition to 300 mm wafer processing. Known as I300I, the consortium issued a recommendation for Lot Buffering in 300 mm wafer semiconductor fabs to ensure continuous operation of fab equipment. According to Frank Robertson, vice president and general manager of the I

12/01/1996  Minneapolis, MN--FSI International, Inc.`s new, Class 1 automated Material Handling System, designed for its Mercury Surface Conditioning System, is a customizable workcell package that expands and improves production capabilities by automating the handling of 6-in. (150 mm) and 8-in. (200 mm) wafer cassettes. The new MHS system transfers wafer and wafer cassettes to and from the Mercury process chamber and helps to ensure maximum process tool utilization via optimized throughput, reduced extern

12/01/1996  Millipore has developed point-of-use chemical purification technology for wet chemical cleans in semiconductor manufacturing. The Chempure DHF purifier is the first of a family of chemical purifiers to meet the specific performance requirements for point-of-use purification of metallic contamination in wafer clean processes. The new device is designed to help maintain the purity and stability of DHF baths. Used in the recirculation loop of the baths, Chempure is installed upstream of the partic

11/01/1996  Danbury, CT--In late September, Praxair, Inc. and Iwatani International Corp. (Osaka, Japan) formed a new joint venture, Praxair Iwatani Electronic Gases Co., Ltd. The new joint venture will be dedicated to providing electronics gases, services and systems to the semiconductor manufacturing industry in Japan. Praxair will hold 51 percent ownership in the new venture, which will be headquartered in Tokyo. The Praxair Iwatani joint venture is targeting the environmental concerns of the Japanese se

10/01/1996  N. Billerica, MA--Bruce Technologies International, a provider of furnaces and process control software to semiconductor manufacturers, announced it has received a $4 million order from Mitel Semiconductor (Kanta, Canada). Mitel has purchased six BDF-41 horizontal furnaces and Bruce`s APEX process management software for 150 mm wafer processing at its Canadian facility in Bromont, Quebec. Mitel will utilize Bruce`s BDF-41 furnaces and APEX software for 150 mm atmospheric and LPCVD (low pressure

10/01/1996  Mesa-Tek Instruments introduces its "Fluid Scanner" series of fast (3 mns/cycle for an 8-in. wafer scan) machines, designed for contamination extraction at wafer geometries of ( 0.25 microns. The Fluid Scanner replaces the vapor phase dissolution process, providing fast, programmable (PLC-controlled) 100 percent wafer surface coverage. The FS-500 is designed to monitor cleanroom ambient conditions, identifying contaminants and their sources. It can also be used as an "ultra-cleaner" for wafer s

10/01/1996  CFM Technologies has developed a new version of its Full-Flow wet processing system. The Full-Flow 8100 system offers users the capability of doubling throughput by processing 100 200-mm wafers in a single chamber. A dual vessel 8100 expands throughput capacity by processing two wafer vessels simultaneously, using one core system. A more efficient use of water, chemicals and floor space are added features. The company says the Full-Flow 8100 system is also its platform for development of 300-mm

10/01/1996  Colorado Springs, CO--Empak, Inc. has agreed to share its leading-edge, 300-mm technology to the extent that its use is required by provisional SEMI standards 2470, 2471, 2472 and 2502. "In the spirit of cooperation and industry standardization," Empak is conforming to SEMI regulation 14.3.3.1. In a statement issued in August, Empak said it "believes that it is increasingly in the interest of material suppliers, tool suppliers, and IC manufacturers to share technology to minimize overall IC manu

10/01/1996  Chandler, AZ--SpeedFam Corp. has developed "Capella," a wafer cleaner for post-chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) applications. Typically, semiconductor manufacturers utilize one post-CMP wafer cleaner system for every three CMP heads. SpeedFam claims the figure can be increased to between five to six CMP heads per system by using the new tool`s dual-cassette load/unload stations, dual non-contact hydroplaned rinse rings and dual high-speed spin dryers within a 21-ft2 footprint. The Capella wa

09/01/1996  These were the words of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, first British Governor of Singapore when he set foot on the tiny island of 150 people in 1819. Today, as an independent nation, Raffles` hope and vision for Singapore appears to have been achieved. The McIlvaine research company (Northbrook, IL), now identifies Singapore as one of three possible "regional centers" in Asia for marketing cleanroom products and services--(the others being Japan and Hong Kong). Today, Singapore`s "Merlion" symbol