Online information source for semiconductor professionals

Elpida Memory is targeting the start of migration of DRAM production to its 50nm process technology by the end of December, 2008, instead of previous plans for the migration to start in the January-March 2009, timeframe. According to Elpida, the 50nm devices offer a 50 percent productivity boost over its 65nm devices that have also been revamped with a redesign that reduces the die size over its original 65nm design. Read more >>

Amtech Systems has said that it has achieved record booking in its FY2008, topping $100 million, compared to 2007 recorded bookings of 56 million. Approximating 70 percent of total bookings in FY2008, came for the photovoltaics market, according to the company. Read more >>

A Korean based IC manufacturer has purchased an InSight 3DAFM system from Veeco Instruments as well as announcing that another customer has accepted the same tool for Critical Dimension (CD) Reference Metrology for Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) modeling. Read more >>

Private equity firm Bayside Capital has bought substantially all the assets of surface preparation equipment manufacturer Akrion Systems. The companies said the transaction includes a major investment from Bayside and positions Akrion for growth in both the semiconductor and solar cleaning equipment markets. Customers will benefit from the transaction through new product introductions, enhanced service levels, and expanded R&D. Read more >>

ARM is to develop a comprehensive 32nm and 28nm Systems-on-a-Chip (SoCs) design platform based on IBM’s processes that will employ high-k metal-gate (HKMG) technology. ARM will develop and license a design platform that includes logic, memory and interface products for the Common Platform technology alliance that includes IBM, Chartered and Samsung. This will be a multi-year collaboration, ARM said. Read more >>

The worlds largest and most profitable semiconductor foundry has announced preliminary details regarding what it claims will be categorized as a full node process for the 28nm node, employing options on high-k metal gate (HKMG) or silicon oxynitride (SiON) materials depending on the IC application and customer requirements. TSMC said that several customers were already working on designs with TSMC for the 28nm node, while initial production is expected in the first quarter of 2010. The 28nm node would be treated by the ITRS as a half-node technology, between 32nm and 22nm. Read more >>

According to The Korean Times, Samsung is to accelerate the migration of NAND flash devices to its 42nm node process in an effort to improve profitability as ASPs continue to decline rapidly due to the continuation of the oversupply situation, further compounded by weaker demand. The Korean Times quoted an unnamed Samsung spokesperson that said that it was currently ramping 42nm MLC flash devices to 10 percent of production capacity by the end of 2008 at one of its most advanced 300mm fabs in Giheung, Gyeonggi Province, Korea. Read more >>

In its continued efforts to become a major force in the materials metrology markets for both semiconductor and photovoltaics industries, Semilab Co. Ltd., has acquired French metrology equipment specialist SOPRA SA. The all cash transaction was closed on the 17th September, 2008. Details of the deal were not announced. Read more >>

Novellus Systems, Inc. has announced that it has shipped its 300th SABRE Extreme electrochemical deposition system to a leading semiconductor manufacturer based in Korea. The tool, which will be used for copper layer deposition in flash and DRAM devices, was first launched 10 years ago. Read more >>

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology Ltd (OIPT) has sold its Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) product line to RIBER SA. Details of the sale were not disclosed however OIPT said that its MBE sales has averaged £1.2 million per annum in recent years. Read more >>