Online information source for semiconductor professionals

Singulus Technologies has won two new orders for its Timaris deposition coating machine from an unnamed source. The company expects this to be the start of a good year for shipments of such tools, as nano-coating technology for MRAM wafers and thin-film read/write heads are becoming more and more popular among wafer manufacturers. Read more >>

Veeco Instruments has revealed that it has received an order for one of its TurboDisc MOCVD tools from South Korean epi wafer manufacturer, LG Siltron. The TurboDisc tool is a K465i gallium nitride MOCVD system for production of gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si) wafers for power electronics and LED devices. Read more >>

Unlike the PV industry that has seen wafer prices decline by as much as 70% in 2011, semiconductor silicon wafer revenue actually increased by 2%, while shipments decreased 3%. Though SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) didn’t say why shipments were lower but revenue higher, consolidation in the market coupled to the continued migration to 300mm wafers at the expense of smaller sized substrates could be the key underlying reason for the trends in 2011. Read more >>

Gigaphoton has added to its immersion lithography product range with the GT63A, a next-generation ArF excimer laser for multi-patterning immersion lithography scanners. The company has announced that the new product, which has been developed in response to customers’ needs and requests, will be ready for shipment in the second quarter of 2012. Read more >>

Process characterization equipment supplier Rudolph Technologies has entered the back-end packaging sector of the semiconductor industry with its first shipment of its MetaPULSE metrology system. The shipment took place in Q4’11 to an unnamed customer, said to be a major IC manufacturer, and the tool has since been installed at the customer’s site. Read more >>

Friday, February 3rd, Micron Technology issued a short statement announcing Chairman and CEO, Steve Appleton had been killed in a light aircraft crash near Boise, Idaho. Mr Appleton was married with chidren and was 51 years of age. In a follow-up statement, Micron said that President and Chief Operating Officer and former CTO, Mark Durcan would assume the responsibilities of CEO until a successor is appointed by the Board of Directors. Mr Appleton had been a passionate flyer, having taken part in acrobatic air displays and had owned a former MIG jet fighter. He had been previously injured in a light aircraft plane crash during an air display. Read more >>

After the Chinese New-Year holidays, both leading Taiwan-based foundries, TSMC and UMC have got back to work early, placing orders with Lam Research. In-line with usual buying habits, TSMC placed the largest of the two orders worth approximately US$33.3 million. Read more >>

Monthly sales figures from TSMC for December, 2011 indicated revenue fell 13.2% from the prior month to NT$30.57 billion. Full-year sales for 2011 totalled NT$418.25 billion, an increase of 2.8% compared to 2010.

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The strong spurt in spending at semiconductor foundries so early in the year means that Deutsche Bank has revised its CapEx spending forecast for the industry. Instead of an expected CapEx decline in the range of 15-20% in 2012, compared to 2011, financial analysts at the bank believe spending will only be down between 10-15% versus its prior expectations. Read more >>

According to market research firm, IHS iSuppli the overall semiconductor industry days of inventory declined slightly in the third quarter of 2011, while DRAM stockpiles increased significantly. As calculated by the days of inventory (DOI) measure, overall semiconductor stockpiles in the third quarter stood at 81 days, down 2.5% from 83 days in the second quarter but DRAM stockpiles stood at 12.8 weeks, a 31% increase from 9.8 weeks in the second quarter of 2011. The figure is also significantly higher than the long-term quarterly average of 9.2 weeks. Read more >>