Company News
-- Semiconductor International, 7/1/2001
United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC, Hsinchu, Taiwan) purchased and received multiple Quantum high-current, low-energy ion implant systems from Applied Materials Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) for its 300 mm Fab 12A in Tainan, Taiwan. This order follows last year's order for multiple Quantum systems for its 200 mm fabs.Fujitsu Ltd. (Tokyo) licensed Numerical Technology's (San Jose) phase-shifting technology for use in IC production. It will initially be used to produce 0.10 µm feature sizes.
GW Associates Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.) received an order for its GWconX300 connectivity software from Axcelis Technologies Inc. (Beverly, Mass.). It will be used for its 300 mm ion implantation and RTP product lines.
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD, Sunnyvale, Calif.) selected Dow Corning's (Midland, Mich.) Z3MS CVD precursor as its trimethylsilane specialty gas. AMD Fab 30 in Dresden, Germany, will use it to deposit low-k and barrier dielectric films in its Athlon microprocessors.
Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems Inc. (Norcross, Ga.) changed its name to Siemens Dematic Electronics Assembly Systems Inc. following the merger of its parent company, Siemens Production and Logistics AG, with Mannesmann Dematic AG.
Micronic Laser Systems AB (Täby, Sweden) received two orders exceeding 150 MSEK. An Asian company placed one order for an Omega6500 laser pattern generator for photomask production. The other was from a Japanese company for an LRS11000 multi-beam laser pattern generator for production of advanced photomasks in TFT displays.
Novellus Systems Inc. (San Jose) received an order for its INOVA xT PVD system from Infineon Technologies (Munich, Germany) for use in its 300 mm advanced liner/barrier and aluminum interconnect manufacturing process. The system will be used in DRAM production at Infineon facilities in Dresden, Germany; Hsinchu, Taiwan; and Richmond, Va.
ThetaDelta Technologies (Lawrence, Mass.) moved into a new, larger engineering and manufacturing facility in Lawrence. The move was triggered by the need for increased production capacity to match growing demand for its environmental testing products. At 11,600 ft2, the new space is 80% larger than the facilities occupied previously.
Infineon Technologies AG (Munich, Germany) and Canon Inc. (Tokyo) have agreed to jointly develop photolithography systems using 157 nm exposure technology with fluorine (F2) laser illumination. Initially, this joint research will take place at Canon's Utsunomiya Optical Products Operations facility, which will gather process data regarding actual device manufacturing to enable the development of 70 nm-compatible exposure systems. Canon's first- generation F2 exposure system is scheduled for delivery to Infineon in the second quarter of 2003.
Amkor Technology Inc. (Chandler, Ariz.) completed its new packaging and test facility at the Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, near Shanghai, China, and is ready to begin customer qualification and test services. The company constructed the first module, a Class 10K cleanroom, with packaging and test equipment.
DuPont Photomasks Inc. (DPI, Round Rock, Texas) formed a joint venture with Micron Technology Inc. (Boise, Idaho). Under terms of the agreement, DPI will build a photomask facility near Micron's semiconductor research fabrication facility and its largest manufacturing campus. The production facility and cleanroom are expected to open by the end of 2002.
Applied Epi (St. Paul, Minn.) received an order for its first dual-reactor GEN2000 MBE system. It has the potential to grow 70,000 100 mm wafers a year.
Asyst Technologies Inc. (Fremont, Calif.) received an order totaling more than $15M for its 200 mm SMIF products from China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC). The order includes SMIF load port interfaces (SMIF-LPTs), auto-ID systems (SMART-Tag), wafer cassette containers (SMIF-Pods) and wafer sorting systems. The SMIC fab is expected to produce more than 85,000 wafers per month when it reaches full production.
ASML (Veldhoven, Netherlands) received a volume purchase order for lithography equipment from Infineon Technologies AG (Munich, Germany). The order includes ASML's Twinscan systems for 193 and 248 nm exposure tools.
Micronic Laser Systems AB (Täby, Sweden) and ASML Holding NV (Veldhoven, Netherlands) reached an agreement in principle to enter into a strategic alliance to enhance the companies' positions as suppliers of advanced lithography equipment to the display and semiconductor industry. In the framework of this alliance, the companies will start a joint development program to develop new lithography tools. This alliance also will include an interest-free 320 MSEK convertible loan from ASML to Micronic.
Ultratech Stepper Inc. (San Jose) received an order for its Saturn Spectrum 3 stepper from first-time customer HD MicroSystems (Wilmington, Del.). The system will be used for advanced semiconductor packaging process characterization. Installation is scheduled for Q4 2001, at HD MicroSystems' manufacturing and R&D facility in Parlin, N.J.
Accent Optical Technologies (Bend, Ore.) acquired Amecon Messtechnik Advanced Metrology Concepts GmbH's (Berlin) intellectual property and know-how relating to µ-PCD technology and related equipment assets. The purchase price was not disclosed. Accent will add this technology into its expanding suite of process control products serving the silicon semiconductor market.
