Austria-based NanoTecCenter Weiz Forschungsgesellschaft mbH (NTC Weiz)
has placed an order with EV Group for an EVG620 precision alignment
system. NTC Weiz will use the system for its new R&D facility,
which will be focussed on organic/plastic electronic technologies.
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IBM and Hitachi are to begin a two-year joint semiconductor
metrology research program in the development of next-generation 32-
and 22-nanometer devices, which will be the first time the two
companies have directly collaborated together.
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Sumitomo Heavy Industries’ unsuccessful bid
for Axcelis valued the company at approximately $544 million, or $5.20
per share in early February. A revised proposal has been released,
which sees the offer increase to $6.00 per cash share, or approximately
$630 million.
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Israel Growth Partners Acquisition Corporation (GPAC), an Israeli
blank check company, is to take control of Israel-based metrology firm
Negevtech. Following the transaction, Negevtech will have access to
approximately $55 million currently held in IGPAC's trust account.
Approximately $11 million will be used for working capital and to repay
some of Negevtech’s indebtedness. IGPAC CEO is Carmel Vernia, former
Chairman and CEO of Tower Semiconductor.
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A memory manufacturer based in Asia has selected Rudoph
Technologies’ MetaPULSE-III opaque film metrology system for all
aspects of copper metrology requirements at a fab transitioning from
aluminum to copper interconnects. A system has been already been
shipped to the customer, Rudolph said.
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China’s largest foundry has placed a multi-million dollar follow-on
order with Nova Measuring Instruments for NovaScan stand-alone
metrology, integrated metrology and NovaMARS application development
solutions.
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Qcept Technologies has raised $9.5 million in Series C funding,
bringing its total VC funding close to $25 million. The funds will be
used to ramp production and service new customers for its non-visual
defect inspection tool, the ChemetriQ.
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Micron Technology and Nanya Technology have confirmed previous reports
that the two memory manufacturers were planning a joint venture that
could include both a technology and a manufacturing partnership. The
two companies have now signed a memorandum of understanding to explore
potential partnerships in these areas and expect a definitive agreement
to be made in the next few months.
Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology Ltd (OIPT) has received 20 tool
orders in the month of February, one of which was for five production
tools for a manufacturing facility in Malaysia. A separate order
included an Ion Beam Cluster System to the value of over £1million
(approx. $2 million), according to the company.
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IBM and Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials are to collaborate on CMP
process development for copper and low-k dielectrics integration at the
32nm and 22nm nodes. Under a signed joint development agreement (JDA)
the companies will create a complete CMP consumables solution to enable
volume manufacturing. The news comes on the back of an announcement that the two companies would also collaborate on photoresist and implant steps at the same technology nodes.
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