Online information source for semiconductor professionals

Dr. Dirk Ortloff, is Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Process Relations GmbH. Here he discusses the advantages of investing in new technologies and methodologies during the economic downturn as a guest columnist. Read more >>

As a direct follower of the move to 300mm fabs, the lack of new build in 2008 and that expected in 2009 looks set to cause a serious capacity constraint over the next two years as the industry recovers from one of the worst downturns in its history. In his May, 2009 monthly report, Malcolm Penn at Future Horizons believes the capacity shortage at 300mm fabs will impact the industry as soon as 2010. He claims that only 40,000 200mm wafer starts/week equivalent, minus any capacity closures, will come on stream next year, based on the incredibly low capital spending levels. Read more >>

Much chatter and condemnation has gone Len Jelinek’s way since declaring the end of scaling for the majority of the industry when we reach the 18nm node in 2014. This is due to economics, not technical barriers - something that gets the 'Moore’s Law forever' folks all hot under the collar. Read more >>

Last week's news that TSMC would enter the Solar and LED markets and not as a foundry supplier, coincided with Morris Chang taking back the reins of daily management of the company and Rick Tsai moving to run the new business venture. This was taken as a demotion for Tsai and a form of retribution for his actions to cut TSMC’s workforce as the foundry struggled with record low utilization rates. Apparently, there had been worker protests over the redundancies, which had impacted TSMC’s reputation. Read more >>

One of the white elephants of modern semiconductor equipment design would have to be ASM’s Levitor RTP technology. After years of development and no customers, (one I can recall, though that could have been an eval-only deal), ASM pulled the plug on the development of the tool last year as it struggled to restructure its front-end fab equipment operations. ASM had hoped to off-load the unique but unwanted technology but that had proved too difficult, especially since the collapse in capital equipment sales and lack of access to capital. Read more >>

In a rather excited email, Bill McClean at IC Insights has called a bottom to the current semiconductor cycle and without actually using the word, hailed the next up-cycle for an industry desperate for good rather than bad news. Read more >>

Turning all the doom and gloom forecasting on its head and things don’t look that bad, according to IC Insights. In particular, take a look at recovering sales at the largest foundry, TSMC and it's up from hereon in for the rest of year and possibly beyond. Read more >>

Both Hynix and Micron are seeking to raise capital. Hynix got the green light from its former creditor banks to raise approximately US$519 million, while Micron is hoping to gain US$450 million by offering stock and convertible senior notes. Both companies have burnt through billions in the last few years while spending on new capacity and filling the hole in accounts as losses continued unabated. Read more >>

Not surprisingly Steve Appleton, Micron’s Chairman and CEO had a few words to say during its timely earnings conference call last night over the decision by the Taiwanese Government to partner with Elpida on process technology IP, the yet to be established Taiwan Memory Co DRAM enterprise. Read more >>

Words uttered by someone in the Taiwan Government to someone asking a question on the ‘sidelines’ of some event not related to the subject at all has sparked a flurry of stories suggesting that Elpida has been selected to partner with the beleaguered DRAM industry on the island. Read more >>