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Using the IBM Common Platform 32nm process that incorporates High-K Metal Gate (HKMG), ARM has produced a test chip using its ‘Cortex’ family processor core, built with ARM Physical IP. ARM said that customers will have access to the technology in 2009, with full production release in early 2010. Read more >>

Applied Energy Systems, Inc has acquired the ‘SEMI-GAS’ gas cabinet product line from Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. The transaction and transfer that includes the technology and workforce is expected to be completed over the next few months. No disruption in orders and deliveries is expected with the transition, the companies said. Read more >>

Not quite the fabless powerhouse that is rival Qualcomm with US$11 billion in revenues in 2008 but the recent merger of Ericsson Mobile Platforms and ST-NXP Wireless has received new branding as ST-Ericsson, which had US$3.6 billion in combined sales in 2008. ST-Ericsson has been positioned as a fabless semiconductor company, which will use STMicroelectronics fabs as well as pure-play foundries for front-end fabrication and assembly and test facilities operated by STMicroelectronics. Read more >>

Nanya Technology has seen the first fruits of its collaboration with Micron Technology as the manufacturing partners announced the development of low-power DDR2 (LPDDR2) DRAM technology for mobile and consumer products. This is the first time Nanya has targeted this market sector, traditionally being a DRAM producer targeting the mainstream PC market. Read more >>

Computational lithography start-up, Luminescent Technologies, has claimed a growing customer base for its Inverse Lithography Technology (ILT). Customers now include DRAM, logic and microprocessor manufacturers and are located in Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the U.S. Read more >>

Having had its 40nm 1-Gigabit DDR2 DRAM chips certified in the Intel Platform Validation program, Samsung Electronics is planning volume production of a 2Gb DDR3 device using the new 40nm process by the end of 2009. Read more >>

A year after announcing the start of ‘mass’ production of the first 3-bits-per-cell NAND flash device in the March/April 2008 timeframe using its 56nm process technology, manufacturing partners SanDisk and Toshiba have announced the development of its latest All Bit-Line (ABL) architecture and 32nm process technology using 32nm geometries. Read more >>

Private equity owned Freescale Semiconductor is tapping existing creditors to the tune of US$1 billion. Freescale was taken private in 2006 as part of a US$17 billion leveraged buyout, but has struggled to be profitable under the debt load. According to Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, the new funding round is ‘tantamount to default’ as the company is most likely to need to recapitalize in due course. Read more >>

In a new twist to the efforts to save Spansion from a fast liquidation, newly appointed President and CEO, John Kispert has arranged for its Japanese arm to enter into bankruptcy protection as part of Spansion’s restructuring efforts. At the core of Spansion Japan is its 300mm NOR flash memory fab, which is the company’s most advanced and cost competitive production facility. Read more >>

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has responded to the Senate passage of the US economic recovery bill with full applause. The bill serves as a catalyst for the stimulation of economic growth, encouraging innovation that will create long-term benefits for the US economy. Read more >>