Online information source for semiconductor professionals

Engineers at IBM’s Burlington, Vermont semiconductor facility have developed and introduced a novel process for pattern removal on wafers that significantly reduces the process costs and environmental waste. The new process is also currently being implemented at IBM's East Fishkill facility. Read more >>

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said that Jazz Semiconductors of Newport Beach, California, has returned to being compliant with federal hazardous waste requirements, after an inspection in August 2005 identified problems with its air emissions standards for equipment and related procedures. Read more >>

National Semiconductor has reported that its Arlington, Texas fab has surpassed two million working hours without a lost time injury. According to National Semiconductor, less than 0.0002 percent of U.S. corporations have earned this distinction. Read more >>

Advent Solar, a solar cell and module manufacturer, has placed a multiple systems order with Edwards for its Hot Oxidation Systems (HOx) abatement technology. The Hox-based systems will be used for the abatement of PECVD exhaust gases during solar cell manufacturing at its Albuquerque, New Mexico plant. The systems will ship to Advent Solar in September 2007, according to Edwards. Read more >>

NEC Electronics America's 200mm fab in Roseville, California, has received a fifth consecutive WasteWise award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its recycling of waste and materials consumption reduction strategies. Read more >>

A growing body of researchers and scientists are highlighting the need for more funding to carry out much needed research into the potential environmental, health and safety issues surrounding nano-materials and technologies. An influential U.S based body has released a new report urging the U.S Government to significantly increase funding into some of the known and more importantly yet un-known risks surrounding nanotech. Read more >>

Metron Technology claims the semiconductor industry's first and "only" point-of-use (POU) solution for abating copper from a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system's effluent stream. Jointly developed by Applied Materials and BOC Edwards, the Aquareus system is exclusively sold and serviced worldwide by Metron Technology. Read more >>

STMicroelectronics has place a multiple systems order with TecHarmonic Inc for its new flagship Perfluorocompound (PFC) gas abatement system the Alpine-S. The systems are to be installed at STMicroelectronics fab in Singapore. Shipments have already started and will continue through the third quarter of 2006, according to the supplier. Read more >>

UMC has announced that it has completed audits associated with QC 080000 IECQ Hazardous Substance Process Management (HSPM) qualification to become the first semiconductor manufacturer to achieve HSPM certification, according to the company. Read more >>

Sharp Corporation plans to start using new, non-diluting nitrogen carrying wastewater treatment plant at its Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture fab in July 2006. The treatment plant is the first of its kind in the semiconductor industry, which the company claims will remove at least 90 percent of the nitrogen in wastewater without dilution processes. Read more >>