Despite the somber economic climate, Toshiba is investing heavily to become No. 1 in memory, according to Masakazu Kakumu, vice president of Toshiba’s system LSI division. Meanwhile, there is debate over the cost of high-k/metal gate implementation, which News Editor Dave Lammers explores in his blog, "IBM and the All-In Bet on High-k." Check out these and other highlights below, plus all our wafer processing news and features on our Wafer Processing Technology Channel:

Laura Peters, Editor-in-Chief
lpeters@reedbusiness.com

Despite Losses, Toshiba to Continue Aggressive Investments
David Lammers, News Editor -- Semiconductor International, 10/22/2008

In a keynote speech at the ISMI Manufacturing Symposium, Toshiba executive Masakazu Kakumu said the company plans to invest $10B in its chip operations over 2008-2010. He outlined a series of wafer processing throughput improvements to double investment efficiency at the company's wafer fabs. More

IMEC Has Air Gaps in Post-22 nm Roadmap for Interconnects
Laura Peters, Editor-in-Chief -- Semiconductor International, 10/21/2008

Though copper will clearly remain the interconnect material of choice, there may be some material changes in the barriers and capping layers after the 22 nm node, said Rudi Cartuyvels, director of interconnect, packaging and system integration, at IMEC's annual research review meeting. To achieve k<2.0, air gaps must be employed. More

NEXX Licenses Alchimer's Coating Technology
Laura Peters, Editor-in-Chief -- Semiconductor International, 10/8/2008

Alchimer SA (Paris) said it has licensed its eG ViaCoat product for creating conformal copper seed layers for through-silicon via (TSV) applications to NEXX Systems Inc. (Billerica, Mass.), a maker of electroplating tools. The partnership allows the combination of 300 mm tooling with the optimized chemistry and recipes used in the eG ViaCoat for copper seed deposition. More

Environmental Regulations Growing More Complex
David Lammers, News Editor -- Semiconductor International, 10/22/2008

Participants at an ISMI meeting on emerging environment, safety and health (ESH) regulations said the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is expected to vote on a ban of PFOS in May. The possible ban is part of an increasingly complex set of environmental regulations, with China taking an ever-dimmer view of potential contaminants. More

Common Platform Participants Rate High-k as Good Mobile Fit
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor -- Semiconductor International, 10/2/2008

The Common Platform Technology Forum centered on partnering to defray ever-increasing R&D costs. Speakers said high-k/metal gate technology at the 32 nm node will meet escalating mobile system needs. More

Citing High-k Costs, TSMC Plans Dual-Track 28 nm Solutions in 2010
David Lammers, News Editor -- Semiconductor International, 9/29/2008

TSMC said it will offer both silicon oxynitride (SiON) and high-k/metal gate solutions at the 28 nm node, with early manufacturing starting early in 2010 for the low-power turbo process and in the first half of 2010 for the high-k enabled high-performance process. At this stage, high-k/metal gate process flows can add thousands of dollars in per-wafer processing costs, experts said. More

Ultratech Acquires Patent Rights to IBM Wafer Annealing Technology
Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- Electronic News, 10/9/2008

The agreement covers U.S. and foreign patents for a portfolio including hardware for thermal processing of semiconductor wafers, as well as patents for temperature control and metrology. More

ISMI Recognizes TEL and Applied for Energy Reduction
Business Wire, 10/21/2008

The International Sematech Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI) has recognized Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL) and Applied Materials Inc. for their dedication to resource conservation in the semiconductor equipment industry. More