Online information source for semiconductor professionals

A group of leading companies throughout the microelectronics value chain have launched the eBeam Initiative, a forum dedicated to the education and promotion of an innovative, new design-to-manufacturing approach known as design for e-beam (DFEB). By enabling a decrease in photomask costs for semiconductor devices, initiative members believe that DFEB will ultimately result in an increased number of design starts and reduced time-to-market for a wide range of semiconductor devices. 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 >>

Nikon has reported a financial loss for its Precision Equipment business unit in 2008. The business unit includes Nikon’s LCD and semiconductor lithography tools. Nikon noted that it recorded a significant decline in semiconductor tool sales, led by 193nm ArF dry scanners due to the significant reduction in capital spending. Read more >>

Europe’s first 200mm MEMS fab, currently under construction in Sweden by Silex Microsystems, will install EV Group’s (EVG) GEMINI automated bond cluster, an EVG 6200NT mask and bond aligner and EVG301 mask cleaner, in the spring of 2009. EVG said that this was a follow-on order from the MEMS foundry. Read more >>

Lithography leader ASML has finally been impacted by the downturn in the semiconductor industry, posting a full-year revenue drop of 21.6% in 2008, compared to 2007. Net sales were €2.95 billion, compared to €3.76 billion in 2007. The company cited a virtual halt in capital spending in the fourth quarter of 2008 as well as a slowing of technology node migrations in the memory sector, causing order push-outs and the threat of tool order cancellations in 2009 from its backlog valued at €755 million. Read more >>

The Ferdinand-Braun-Institute (FBH), which specialises in opto-electronic devices has ordered a  Series Variable Shaped Beam lithography tool from Vistec. The ttol will be used for the development of electronic and opto-electronic high-power devices based on GaAs and GaN. Read more >>

Samsung Electronics has placed an order with Carl Zeiss SMT for its newly introduced ‘PROVE’ Photomask Registration and Overlay Metrology System. The system is designed for mask manufacturing at the 32nm node and below. Carl Zeiss SMT recently announced another PROVE order from e-beam mask writer supplier NuFlare. Read more >>

As can be seen from the list below, the most popular 10 news stories had a memory theme running through the majority, with Micron and Qimonda appearing the most. Market research firm, iSuppli took top honours with a memory based market share report, that had Micron in the title, while it was interesting to see that VLSI Research was placed seventh with is 2007 equipment supplier rankings report, which has become a regular favourite over the years. Read more >>

The deepening semiconductor downturn and significant reductions in capital spending has now impacted lithography equipment supplier, ASML. Eric Meurice, President and Chief Executive Officer of ASML (pictured) has announced that the company expects sales for the fourth quarter of 2008 to be significantly down compared to previous guidance issues in October. Sales are now expected to be in the range of €450 million and €500 million, compared to approximately €530 million. ASML has historically been conservative with its sales guidance. Read more >>

As part of its CMORE initiative, IMEC is to present details of a new Poly-SiGe-based micro-mirror array that could be used for photomask writers and other industrial applications. IMEC said that its 10cm² 11 megapixel mirror array has a pixel density nearly twice that of comparable state-of-the-art micro-mirrors. Read more >>