Company News

Semiconductor International

Staff -- Semiconductor International, 9/1/1998

Company News

Photronics Inc. (Manchester, England) has installed the ZBA 31H+ 250 nm electron beam lithography system, manufactured by Leica Microsystems Lithography GmbH (Deerfield, Ill.) at its newly constructed facility in Manchester. The system will move into production by the end of the third quarter of this fiscal year. Photronics will have full access to Leica's lithography technology as part of their agreement.

Tosoh America Inc. has relocated to Tosoh SMD headquarters in Grove City, Ohio. This move consolidates the resources of Tosoh America with those of Tosoh SMD and leverages the assets of both companies.

Microbar Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.) has finalized the expansion of its new 50,000 ft² manufacturing center in Sunnyvale. The building also contains 50,000 ft² in reserve space. Additionally, the company has augmented its executive team with the appointment of seasoned industry leaders.

Inter-University Microelectronics Centre (IMEC, Leuven, Belgium) has installed the 0.35 mm CMOS process at Tower Semiconductor (Migdal Haemek, Israel). The joint project included the transfer and development work to adapt the unit to Tower's scaled back-end process. It has gone on line 12 months after the process transfer started. Additionally, IMEC and Ericsson (Sweden) have entered a three-year agreement to demonstrate the feasibility of a mobile MPEG-4 terminal. The joint project consists of three models: development of decoder architecture, IP development and CAD tools for implementation.

Three-Five Systems Inc. (Tempe, Ariz.) has broken ground for a 54,000 ft² liquid crystal display production facility in Beijing, China. The $4.4 million plant is expected to employ 1000 technical and assembly employees.

Virata (Santa Clara, Calif.), formerly ATML, was selected by the Red Herring to receive the "Best Strategic Financing" award. Virata was recognized for securing the most successful financing of the companies that had participated in the previous year's event and for overall growth as a global technology start-up company.

SAES Getters (Milan, Italy) has acquired Trace Analytical Inc. (Menlo Park, Calif.). The acquisition enhances the company's global position in the market of monitoring systems for electronic gases. Under terms of the agreement, Trace's shareholders will receive $8 million in cash.

CVI Laser Corp. (Albuquerque, N.M.) has broken ground on a new 32,000 ft² production plant adjoining its existing facility in Albuquerque. The building will house new optic and filter fabrication areas and administrative offices with an increase of 70 employees.

Asyst Technologies Inc. (Fremont, Calif.) has agreed to acquire Hine Design Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.). The transaction will be structured as a purchase of stock for ;$12 million in cash and the assumption of certain debt liabilities of $12 million. It is subject to certain conditions and is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of fiscal 1999.

Olin Microelectronic Materials (Norwalk, Conn.) and Wacker Silicones Corp. (Adrian, Mich.) have a joint development agreement to produce and market slurries for use in CMP and develop customized processes to address CMP slurry waste issues. Wacker will make the slurries that the two companies will offer at its CMP production facility in Adrian.