Company News
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 4/1/1998
GaSonics International (San Jose, Calif.) increased its share of the foundry market with an order from Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Woodlands, Singapore). The order is for the company's PEP 3600 system, which will be installed at Silicon Manufacturing Partners, where it will be used to manufacture devices with 0.25 µm (250 nm) design rules.
MEGA Systems & Chemicals (Chandler, Ariz.) shipped an order for a total CMP system and will install it at National Semiconductor (South Portland, Maine). The company also booked two separate orders for its MEGAflow IIIC and MEGAlink interface, which will be installed at Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp. (Hsinchu, Taiwan) and Holtek Microelectronics' Fab II (Hsinchu, Taiwan).
Fairchild Semiconductor (Santa Clara, Calif.) and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Woodlands, Singapore) agreed that Chartered will manufacture EEPROM products based on Fairchild's process. This foundry relationship will augment existing production from Fairchild's Salt Lake City, Utah, facility. In addition, Fairchild was voted the 1997 Logic and Discrete Semiconductor Supplier of the Year by Compaq Computer.
HMRetnraum Technik GmbH (Don-aueschingen-Aasen, Germany) moved into a new facility, which combines production and management in one building. The new location consists of a manufacturing area of 2000 m2 and a bureau tract of 610 m2.
Novellus Systems Inc. (San Jose, Calif.) announced the first high-volume production implementation of a chemical vapor deposited, low dielectric constant (low-k) fluorinated high-density plasma film for 0.25 µm (250 nm) logic devices. This provides a reduction to total device capacitance.
JMAR Industries Inc. (San Diego, Calif.) announced that its Pacific Precision Laboratories (PPL) microelectronics design and manufacturing division in Chatsworth, Calif., has been awarded ISO 9001 certification. PPL designs, manufactures and markets process control, positioning measurement and laser processing systems.
MKS Instruments Inc. (Andover, Mass.) established the MKS Measurement and Control Products Group. The group integrates process gas analysis systems with the Baratron pressure measurement and control and materials delivery product lines. It is located in Andover, Methuen and Lawrence, Mass.
Lam Research Corp. (Fremont, Calif.) announced a restructuring of the company that includes a reduction in its global workforce of ~14% (~700 employees). The restructure will put more focus on its core etch and CMP product groups and reduce its flat panel display and thermal CVD operations. Manufacturing operations will be downsized and consolidated.
Canon U.S.A. (Santa Clara, Calif.) is expanding its technical support option and restructuring its service department. It offers a service hot line in critical support situations, enabling customers to call during off-hours and weekends and receive help from personnel within a pre-agreed response time.
FASTech Integration Inc. (Lincoln, Mass.) became partners with Quadris Consulting (Wellesley, Mass.). Quadris has experience in designing and implementing business applications in the telecommunications, transportation, finance and manufacturing industries.
Karl Suss (Waterbuty Center, Vt.) and Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector (Phoenix, Ariz.) signed an agreement to jointly develop an advanced aligned bonding wafer processing technology. The project is presently under way at Motorola's Advanced Custom Technologies facility in Mesa, Ariz.
Harris Semiconductor (Melbourne, Fla.) tested the operation of a new wireless 11 Mbps radio technology that operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. The test successfully linked and communicated continuous packets of data at a rate of 8.5 Mbps. While subjecting it to industrial microwave interference, the data link was maintained with throughput rate reduced by <10%.
Chaparral Steel (Midlothian, Texas) plans to build a $400 million steel recycling plant in Dinwiddie County, south of Petersburg, Va. The project is expected to recruit 400 employees over the next three years.
Atmel Corp. (San Jose, Calif.) opened its FAB 7, a 200 mm, 0.25 µm (250 nm) capable fab in Rousset, France.
Lucent Technologies (Murray Hill, N.J.) announced the formation of a venture capital fund, Lucent Venture Partners Inc., designed to identify and invest in emerging technologies.
NVIDIA Corp. (Sunnyvale, Calif.) formed a multiyear strategic partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan) to assist in manufacturing all future NVIDIA products.
Commonwealth Scientific (Alexandria, Va.) opened a new 20,000 ft2 manufacturing facility in Moorestown, N.J. (CSC North). Shipments of new production systems began in late 1997.
Philips Analytical (Almelo, the Netherlands) acquired Plasmos GmbH (Munich, Germany), a manufacturer specializing in ellipsometry. The product line will now be produced under the Philips brand.
Varian Associates Inc. (Palo Alto, Calif.) completed its purchase of the remainder of what was a 61% owned Korean joint venture of Varian Korea Ltd. (VKL, Korea). VKL now ranks as the country's largest producer of ion implantation, with a staff of 130.
Meissner+Wurst GmbH Co. (Stuttgart, Germany) is considering new business models to locate or expand its business in Belgium. The company has hired an architect to design a state-of-the-art microelectronic facility.
EDAX International (Mahwah, N.J.) has been acquired by Panta Electronics (the Netherlands), along with nine other businesses from Philips Industrial Electronics Division. EDAX International has become EDAX Inc.
Aetrium Inc. (St. Paul, Minn.) entered into an agreement to purchase certain assets of WEB Technology Inc. (Dallas, Texas). The acquired assets are the semiconductor and electronic component handling systems, reliability test products and automated burn-in board loading systems.
PTG Precision Technology Center (Klosterneuburg, Austria) established U.S. operations. A new manufacturing and engineering facility has been opened in Lake Mary, Fla. R&D will continue in Austria.
