|
|
EDA revenue dips, Rhines confident on growth outside North America
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDT
The EDA Consortium and its new chairman, Mentor CEO Walden Rhines, announce a slight decline in Q1 EDA industry revenue to $1.35 billion. North America, EDA’s largest market, shows the biggest year-over-year sales decline on a regional basis. However, Rhines is confident on EDA growth opportunities beyond North America, noting that while the region was down, Europe and Japan were up in the quarter.
|
Applied teams with Oregon State U to develop advanced films for next-gen display products
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDT
The US Display Consortium, a public/private partnership chartered with developing the flat-panel display and flexible electronics supply chain, announces a cost-shared contract award with Applied Materials to develop metal-oxide films for next-generation TFTs.
|
Fabless semi revenue up 16% y/y in Q1, GSA reports
Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Worldwide semiconductor revenue in Q1 reached $67.3 billion, just 0.2% sequentially higher than Q4 2007, and 5% higher than Q1 2007, according to industry association Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA). Also, fabless semiconductor revenue equaled 20% of total semiconductor sales and totaled $13.4 billion in Q1, which was 16% higher than Q1 2007, the GSA noted. Total 2007 revenue from fabless companies reached $53 billion, a 7% increase over 2006.
|
Intel exec to join TriQuint as VP of worldwide operations
Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
After 27 years at Intel Corp, Steven R. Grant is set to join Hillsboro, Ore.-based RF chip manufacturer TriQuint Semiconductor as VP of worldwide operations, responsible for the company’s global manufacturing including purchasing, manufacturing quality and supply chain operations, and will report to Ralph Quinsey, president and CEO of the company.
|
Applied Nanotech, German university apply carbon nanotubes to flexible electronics
Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
To increase the fabrication yield of carbon nanotube (CNT) thin film transistors (TFTs) for use in displays, electronic circuits, sensors, memory chips, and other applications that are transitioning from rigid substrates, such as silicon and glass, to flexible substrates, the Chair of Display Technology at Universitaet Stuttgart and Nano-Proprietary Inc subsidiary Applied Nanotech Inc are working together to apply CNTs to the flexible electronics industry.
|
Asyst receives second unsolicited takeover proposal
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
For the second time this year, Fremont, Calif.-based semiconductor fab automation company Asyst Technologies Inc is the subject of an unsolicited takeover proposal and has received notice from hedge fund Riley Investment Partners Master Fund L.P. that claims to own 2.6% of Asyst’s outstanding shares, and intends to nominate six directors for election at Asyst’s 2008 annual meeting in an attempt to gain control of Asyst’s board of directors.
|
Semiconductor photoresist revenue up 14.5% in 2007, Gartner reports
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Worldwide sales of semiconductor photoresist grew by 14.5% in 2007 to reach $1.2 billion, according to Stamford, Conn.-based market research company Gartner Inc.
|
ROHS DecaBDE exemption ending
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
After a challenge from Denmark and the European Parliament, the European Commission-granted EU ROHS (European Union restriction-of-hazardous-substances) exemption for DecaBDE (decabromodiphenyl ether) will end on July 1. DecaBDE is a common flame retardant used in various components and electronics, including HIPS (high-impact-polystyrene) enclosures, polyethylene-wire insulation, and PBT (poly...
|
Distributors look to shine with HB-LED opportunity
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
HB LEDs (high-brightness light-emitting diodes) hold great opportunity for the electronics supply chain and are particularly attractive to distributors, as the technology will require full-system approaches from suppliers and manufacturers. Analysts estimate that general illumination, signs and displays, and automotive applications will push HB LEDs' high-growth opportunities for driver ICs fr...
|
Applied defends SunFab thin film solar technology, says it does not infringe Neuchatel patent
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Following a patent infringement lawsuit filed against its German customer Sunfilm , Santa Clara, Calif.-based semiconductor, display and solar panel manufacturing equipment giant Applied Materials Inc said late Monday that it believes its SunFab thin film solar tandem junction technology does not infringe the European patent at issue in the Sunfilm lawsuit.
|
Dow Corning aims photoresists at 32-, 22-nm litho
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
To help the industry be ready for 32- and 22-nm semiconductor manufacturing, and to allow the development of next-generation, direct-write lithography processing technology, Midland, Mich.–based materials supplier Dow Corning Electronics’ silicon lithography solutions group today detailed its XR-1541 E-Beam Resists.
|
SEMI publishes standards to tackle critical manufacturing issues
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
In an effort to address critical manufacturing challenges in the flat panel display (FPD), MEMS and semiconductor industries, the SEMI industry association late Monday reported that it has published four new technical standards.
|
ON Semi, Tower Semi begin multi-year collaboration
Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
To jointly develop and manufacture multiple lines of products and technologies for end market applications including automotive, computing, consumer and communications, Phoenix, Ariz.-based power IC provider ON Semiconductor said today it will work with Migdal Ha’emek-based specialty chip foundry Tower Semiconductor Ltd as a strategic supplier.
|
Solar cell, semi industry investments equal by 2010, iSuppli reports
Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Due to the explosive demand for solar energy, El Segundo, Calif.-based market research company iSuppli Corp is predicting that worldwide investments in the production of photovoltaic cells will rise to the same level as those for semiconductor manufacturing by 2010.
|
EDN covers DAC
Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
The Design Automation Conference (DAC), the premier event for the EDA industry, comes to a close today. Review DAC 2008's happenings with EDN blog posts and news coverage.
|
Semiconductor industry dynamics will get worse before getting better
Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Judging the health of an industry can be complex. For the semiconductor industry, one indicator is the amount of manufacturing equipment sold, which fell by 37% year-over-year in North America for the month of May. While some market research companies had been expecting sales to pick up in the second half of the year, there are macro-economic issues at play that suggest otherwise.
|
North American semi equipment bookings decline 37% y/y, SEMI reports
Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) data shows that North America-based providers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment saw $79 worth of orders received for every $100 of product billed for in May. Bookings for the month declined year over year for the first time since 2005.
|
IC Insights: What to watch for in the second half
Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
As the first half of the year comes to a close, the IC industry is still reeling from an eventful and turbulent first six months highlighted by joint ventures, reduced capex spending, high wafer fab utilization rate, a 450-mm wafer venture, and the rising price of oil, noted Scottsdale, Ariz.-based market research firm IC Insights Inc. Will the second half of 2008 show rising average selling prices, or is it in for more of the same?
|
Samsung, Siltronic open 300-mm Singapore fab
Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Following a $1 billion investment by partners Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Siltronic AG, the 300-mm joint venture fab in Singapore, Siltronic Samsung Wafer Pte Ltd, officially started operation this week.
|
NEC, Elpida plan display driver IC joint venture
Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
NEC Electronics will hold an 80% stake and Elpida will hold a 20% stake in the yet-to-be-named company, which will develop, design, and sell display driver ICs.
|
IBM, Toppan expand photomask development to include 22-nm node
Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Building on joint work at the 45-nm and 32-nm semiconductor manufacturing nodes, and with an aim to drive the advanced photomask technology needed for the 22-nm chip manufacturing production, IBM and photomask provider Toppan Printing Co Ltd have entered into a new development agreement.
|
Spansion tightens belt on manufacturing, expands partnerships
Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Spansion plans to transfer certain manufacturing, test, and assembly assets to third parties and establish manufacturing and technology partnerships as it refocuses its own capital investments on MirrorBit flash memory technology, the development of high-margin solutions, and its 300-mm SP1 fab in Japan. The move follows Spansion’s recent 500 position elimination, part of its continuing effort to lower manufacturing service expenses.
|
IMEC improves performance for 32-nm simplified high-k/metal gate process
Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
At the VLSI Symposium being held this week in Honolulu, Hawaii, Leuven, Belgium-based nanotechnology research center IMEC reported that it has improved performance for its planar CMOS semiconductor manufacturing process using hafnium-based high-k dielectrics and tantalum-based metal gates for the 32-nm CMOS node.
|
Toshiba boosts gate density in 45-nm CMOS with variability aware compact model
Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
To achieve higher gate density and improved cost-performance in next-generation 45-nm CMOS semiconductor manufacturing technology, Tokyo-based semiconductor company Toshiba Corp is reporting a new compact model for circuit design.
|
Applied, Francisco Partners make combined front-end offer to ASMI
Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT
Following an offer from Applied Materials Inc of between $400 and $500M for its ALD and PECVD businesses early this month, and its subsequent rejection of that offer last week, Bilthoven, Netherlands-based semiconductor manufacturing equipment supplier ASM International NV said today that it has received a combined offer from Applied and Francisco Partners for its remaining front-end businesses for $225 to $300 million. Applied also reaffirmed its offer for the ALD and PECVD businesses.
|
