Online information source for semiconductor professionals

The shift to multi-band, multi-mode radio functionality in today's handsets and the growth of Wi-Fi based-applications has enabled Soitec to develop and bring to market a high-resistivity (HR) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate using 200mm wafers. Soitec's HR SOI substrate is claimed to offer >1kOhm.cm resistivity and is available in custom silicon and box thickness, according to the company. Read more >>

Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments hit rock bottom in the first quarter of 2009, but a strong recovery was noted in each subsequent quarter of 2009, according to new figures from the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG). Shipments decreased by 18% in 2009 when compared to 2008 area shipments. Read more >>

Linde North America has launched its new sub-atmospheric dopant gas source for the semiconductor and related industries. The Genii Sub-Atmospheric Gas Sources are used for ion implantation and use chemical complexing or electrochemical generation to deliver a high performance as required by IC manufacturers. Read more >>

Foundry company TowerJazz has entered into an agreement with Soitec for the development of a turnkey solution for high-end backside illuminated (BSI) CMOS image sensors. With the BSI CMOS market looking set to replace the FSI technology with an expected $800 million take by 2013, the agreement will see the integration of Soitec’s substrates and new Smart Stacking technology with TowerJazz’s manufacturing process. Read more >>

After significant polysilicon and wafer price declines in 2009, MEMC executives have become more upbeat about demand and price stability entering the first quarter of 2010 and beyond. In a conference call to discuss fourth quarter results, the company noted that capacity utilization of silicon wafer production was at approximately 80%, with a demand recovery underway in the semiconductor industry, enabling a firming in prices to that sector. In solar, price declines were said to have moderated and the company was now shipping wafers to 10 of the top 25 PV manufacturers, compared to having made shipments to only 2 solar customers at the beginning of 2009. Read more >>

Gastech, based in Kfar Saba, Israel and the Linde North America distributor in Israel has won the TowerJazz ‘Supplier of the Year Award,’ due to its ability to supply on-time and in-spec with more than 15 gas and chemical products, which are produced in the U.S. by Linde North America. The products include boron trifluoride, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and silane. Read more >>

Matheson Tri-Gas has secured exclusive rights to the global sales and marketing of high purity germane (GeH4) from Gelest to be offered to the electronics and photovoltaic industries. Billed as a joint venture, the partners also plan to expand manufacturing of germane to meet future demand. Read more >>

On the back of its more bullish IC and capital expenditure forecast revisions, Gartner has upwardly revised silicon semiconductor wafer demand. The market research firm now expects demand will only decline by 18.2%, to 6,872 million square inches in 2009, down from its March forecast that was projecting demand declining by 35.3%. Read more >>

ASM International has signed a license and preferred supplier agreement for Air Liquide’s ‘ALOHA’ range of high-k precursors used in ALD processing. Air Liquide will also gain access to ASM's ALD processes and material intellectual property related to the deposition of advanced ultra-high-k insulator films such as Yttrium-doped Zirconia, STO and BST. Read more >>

Air Products has received the prestigious ‘Supplier Excellence Award’ from TSMC at the company’s 2009 Supply Chain Management Forum held on December 4, 2009. The award recognizes Air Products’ performance as a supplier of both gases and chemicals to the Taiwan-based foundry. Read more >>