http://www.fabtech.org/ Online information source for semiconductor professionals Copyright 2008, Semiconductor Media en-GB info@fabtech.org Mon, 15 Mar 2021 13:58:25 GMT 120 http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/toshiba_to_relocate_thai_operations_to_new_semiconductor_facility/ Toshiba has announced it will build a new production facility to relocate its semiconductor operations and redress the problems caused by the 2011 floods and to meet future growth demands. The plant, which will be operated by subsidiary Toshiba Semiconductor Thailand Ltd (TST), will be 135,000 square metres and be due for completion in the spring of 2013, production will begin in the subsequent months. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:45:27 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/carlos_lee_appointed_new_director_general_of_epic/ The European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC) has announced that Carlos Lee will become its new director general with immediate effect. The announcement, made at the association’s recent annual general meeting, will see Lee replace Thomas Pearsall, who has been with the organization since its formulation in 2003. Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:25:17 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/velocity_the_new_buzzword_in_intels_pqs_annual_awards/ The usual suppliers that include the major sector players and host of Japanese firms dominated Intel’s Preferred Quality Supplier (PQS) award system in 2011. However, the word ‘velocity’ has become the new measuring stick, with Nikon winning an ‘Achievement’ category award for ‘velocity.’ In total 19 companies received Intel’s PQS honour in 2011 and 2 companies as Achievement winners. In the Supplier Continuous Quality Improvement (SCQI) award category system, Intel acknowledged 9 suppliers in 2011. Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:15:39 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/centrotherm_subsidiary_joins_sematechs_fep_to_research_low-temperature_proc/ Sematech has announced that the centrotherm photovoltaics AG subsidiary, centrotherm thermal solutions, will join its Front End Program (FEP) to develop low-temperature processing techniques for use in high-performance logic and advanced memory applications such as metal oxide RRAM devices. Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:30:01 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/spansion_and_sk_hynix_announce_nand_partnership/ Spansion and SK Hynix have announced that they will work together to deliver Spansion SLC NAND products at the 4x, 3x, and 2x nodes to the embedded market. The alliance, which will make its first Spansion SLC NAND products available from the second quarter of 2012, will see the companies enter into a patent cross-licensing agreement in order to facilitate commercial manufacture. Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:31:49 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/tokyo_stock_exchange_delists_bankrupt_elpida/ Elpida Memory has had its stock removed from the Tokyo stock market after filing for bankruptcy protection on February 27th 2011. Elpida began trading shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in November 2004 but has reported losses in all five quarters preceding December 31st 2011. Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:33:04 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/tool_order_himax_technologies_places_repeat_order_for_ev_groups_iq_aligner_/ Himax Technologies, a leading producer of CMOS image sensors, semiconductor devices and power management devices, has placed a repeat order for an IQ Aligner UV nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) system from EV Group. The IQ Aligner system will be shipped and installed at Himax’s Tainan facility in Taiwan. Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:25:26 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/tool_order_camtek_tapped_for_us3.5_million_worth_of_falcon_wafer_inspection/ Camtek, the automated and technological solution provider, has announced that it has booked orders exceeding US$3.5 million for its Falcon family of automated wafer inspection products. The order was from an unnamed global outsourced semiconductor assembly and test house (OSAT) and pertains to various applications within the backend semiconductor process. The product delivery will come in the current and following two quarters. Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:32:50 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/intel_consolidates_its_lead_as_the_worlds_top_chipmaker/ Industry market monitor IHS iSuppli has confirmed that American multinational chipmaker Intel has extended its lead in the semiconductor industry after a successful 2011. The announcement follows the company's posting of its financial figures earlier this year; Intel's income represents 15.6% of the total semiconductor industry revenue. Second placed Samsung Electronics represents 9.2% of the industry after seeing only marginal growth. Samsung has been gaining on Intel's market share in recent years following the release of its hugely successful Galaxy SII handset in 2011 and securing a contract to supply some of the chips for Apple's iPhone. Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:07:23 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/february_book-to-bill_passes_parity_as_equipment_orders_reach_us1.33_billio/ The recovery in equipment sales continued for the fourth consecutive month with North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.33 billion in orders in February 2012. The SEMI book-to-bill went over parity at 1.03 for the first time since September 2011 and the best bookings since August 2011. The bookings recovery is also the steepest seen since the last major up-cycle that started in mid-2009. Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:42:35 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/gigaphoton_opens_new_us_regional_headquarters_in_beaverton_oregon/ Gigaphoton, the high-performance DUV laser light provider is to move its business management, logistical and training centres to its US headquarters in Oregon. It is hoped that the decision will mean better service for its increasing number of installed bases. The company has increased laser installed bases 10 times since the company’s inception in 2008. Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:53:16 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/management_reshuffle_at_nxp_semiconductors_cfo/ Karl-Henrik Sundström, vice president and CFO of Dutch-based NXP Semiconductors, has stepped down from his position for personal reasons, effective July 2012. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:55:00 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/applied_materials_losses_top_equipment_supplier_bragging_rights/ According to VLSIresearch, Applied Materials is no longer the leading semiconductor equipment supplier, a position it has held as a right of passage for three decades. Recent comments from Applied’s Mike Splinter, regarding the capital spending impact of lithography tools on the company’s available TAM, suggest he was merely softening the blow he already knew, as lithography supplier, ASML took the top honours in 2011, the first time it has done so in the history of the company. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:13:01 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/tsmc_places_blockbuster_purchase_order_with_asml/ Confirming the recent demonstration of annoyance by Applied Materials, Mike Splinter that spending on lithography equipment was eating into his company’s sales opportunities; TSMC has placed its largest single order this year with ASML. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:15:04 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/tokyo_electron_pays_oerlikon_us275_million_for_pv_thin_film_operations/ Oerlikon Group’s loss-making Oerlikon Solar, the originator of the turnkey thin-film business model with a-Si and tandem-junction thin-film technology, is being sold to Tokyo Electron (TEL) for US$275 million. Oerlikon is focusing on its other engineering divisions as part of revenue growth avenues. The deal is expected to be concluded over the next few months with more details to be provided on Monday when quarterly results are reported. TEL had been a sales representative in Asia for the thin-film technology. Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:27:29 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/independence_day_for_globalfoundries/ Globalfoundries said that it has agreed terms with AMD to acquire the remaining stake the fables firm had in the company, three-years after spinning-off its IC manufacturing operations. Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:17:01 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/semi_acquires_plastic_electronics_conference_and_exhibition/ The Plastics Electronics Conference, co-located with SEMICON Europa since 2010, has been acquired by trade group, SEMI. The conference the organizing committee, which included industry and academic leaders in the field of organic and inorganic large area electronics (OLAE will serve as a Plastic Electronics Special Interest Group, guiding SEMI activities and services worldwide. SEMI said the conference and exhibition format would be extended to other regions in the future. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:17:27 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/exit_elpida/ Citing a DRAM glut, weak pricing and a strong Yen currency, Elpida Memory has filed for bankruptcy protection in an effort to restructure the company. A ‘sponsor’ is being sort, though it was clear from Micron Technology management recently that they were interested in some deal with Elpida. The company has debts of approximately US$5.5 billion.  Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:44:20 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/tool_order_applied_materials_and_novellus_rewarded_with_further_purchases_f/ TSMC has placed further orders with Applied Materials and Novellus Systems. Ending the week with two separate batches of orders valued at US$72.43 million was Applied Materials, while Novellus received a purchase order valued at approximately US$17.2 million. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:29:15 GMT http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/semi_book-to-bill_continues_4-month_rise/ Boosted by foundry and logic IC manufacturers spending habits over the winter months, the SEMI book-to-bill ratio continued a 4-month recovery in January with a 0.95 ratio. North America-based semiconductor equipment suppliers posted US$1.18 billion in orders in the first month of the year, which could have been higher if there were any lithography companies based in the US. Though bookings and billings remain below 2011 levels, January’s preliminary booking figure is on par with August 2011 levels. Coupled to key equipment suppliers recent comments regarding expected spending in 2012, the upwards trend started in December, 2011 looks set to continue in the first-half of the year. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:09:42 GMT