Online information source for semiconductor professionals

Qimonda AG has begun a major restructuring of its operations and market focus announcing fab closures, layoffs, the exit from the commodity side of the PC-based DRAM market and the sale of its stake in DRAM memory producer Inotera Memories to Micron Technology for $400 million. In related news, Qimonda’s CFO has resigned and Infineon, the majority shareholder in Qimonda, has said that it is in discussion with several third parties to sell its 77.5 percent shareholding in Qimonda. Read more >>

Numonyx and Elpida have formally entered into a supply contract for NOR flash, which will see Elpida become a foundry partner for Numonyx’s NOR flash at Elpida’s 300mm fab E300 in Hiroshima, Japan. The required technology transfer has started, with initial production expected in the middle of next year, the company said. Read more >>

At the 2008 IEEE International SOI Conference, Innovative Silicon, Inc. (ISi), said that it had demonstrated Z-RAM cells based on Multiple-gate SOI MOSFETS (MUGFETs) with gate lengths down to 50nm and fin widths down to 11nm. Simulations had shown that the basic operational principles are effective on Z-RAM cells with gate lengths down to 12.5nm and fin widths of 3nm. These are the smallest silicon dynamic memory devices ever reported, with the largest programming window, the company said. Read more >>

Start-up, Aquest Systems and its financial partner The Gores Group, have told Asyst Technologies management that they were unable to submit a transaction proposal to purchase the fab automation specialist. Asyst, said that discussion have ended though are open to further talks should a ‘credible transaction proposal’ be offered. Read more >>

Should global economic conditions worsen then the semiconductor industry could face a greater risk to revenue growth in 2008 and onwards, according to market research firm iSuppli Corp, as it trims its industry growth forecast to 3.5 percent, or $280.1 billion for the year. Only in August, iSuppli was projecting growth of 4 percent for 2008, Only in September did the signs of a slow-down start to permeate the industry, noted iSuppli. Read more >>

Continued over capacity in NAND flash production coupled to slowing demand has forced ASPs to fall below production costs, especially for production of NAND on 200mm wafers. Micron Technology has followed the lead set by Hynix Semiconductor last month in announcing a 200mm fab closure. Micron said that its Boise facility will close with the loss of jobs. The closure will also result in approximately 35,000 wafers (200mm) per month reduction in capacity. The restructuring will also see a reduction in its workforce of 15 percent, carried out over a two year period. Read more >>

Ultratech has acquired a range of fundamental patents from IBM, related to rapid thermal annealing. Other patents include temperature control and metrology aspects of the process. Read more >>

Long-standing technology partners Panasonic and Renesas Technology have said they expect to use metal gates and high-k dielectrics for the gate structure with a new ultra low-k dielectric for the interconnect on 32nm SoC devices for future mobile and digital home appliance products. Read more >>

e-Shuttle, a joint venture operation of Fujitsu Microelectronics and Advantest, is to use D2S' design for e-beam (DFEB) technology, initially on a 65nm Low Power (LP) library. After refinement, e-Shuttle expects to run tests and validate the technology for 40nm-and-below IC prototypes. DFEB technology employs a character projection (CP) technique, combined with design and software solutions to reduce a design's required shot count, resulting in increased CP e-beam direct write throughput. Read more >>

NEXX Systems has taken out a license for Alchimer's eG ViaCoat Cu seed material for through-silicon via (TSV) applications. Alchimer will supply NEXX with process recipes for eG ViaCoat and the use of chemistries to optimize wet Cu TSV metallization. This is the first licensing agreement related to 300mm tools, according to Alchimer. Read more >>