INDUSTRY NEWS

Asia

Outsource venture launched

A $20-million industry-government partnership has launched a unique semiconductor equipment manufacturing service in Singapore. Backing the joint venture, called Allegro Manufacturing, are the giant Japanese tool manufacturer TEL, Lam Research of the United States, Taiwanese equipment distributor Hermes-Epitek, and Singapore's Economic Development Board. Allegro will offer outsourcing services to suppliers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment in Singapore. Way Tu, the former president of Lam, is the start-up's president and CEO. Hermes-Epitek distributes equipment made by ASM Lithography and other manufacturers. Allegro hopes to reach sales of $30 million by 2003.

Project looks to future

Backers of a major Japan-based advanced semiconductor research project hope to develop 70-nm node technology within three years. The seven-year project, called Mirai, or "future" in Japanese, has the support of the country's chipmakers, research labs, and the government. Launched in April, Mirai will have two phases. The first will focus on 70-nm gate technology. A second four-year phase will tackle technology challenges of the 50-nm node. The Association of Super-Advanced Electronics Technologies will coordinate the research. The New Energy Development Organization (NEDO) will oversee Mirai. NEDO, a technology-related division of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, will also direct a two-year program to explore methods of lowering chipmaking costs. In February NEDO convened a steering committee meeting attended by representatives from Fujitsu, Matsushita Electric, NEC, and several Japanese universities. The Mirai project has goals similar to a collaboration between IMEC and International Sematech, and leaders of the Japanese program spoke of sharing research data and personnel.

Transcom has GaAs chips

Taiwan-based foundry Transcom is the latest chipmaker in the country to enter the GaAs market. The two-year-old company manufactures the compound semiconductors using a technology called the high-speed pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor process. The foundry claims it is the only one using the process in Taiwan, according to Wang Wu, Transcom's vice president. The other GaAs device producers in Taiwan are developing heterojunction bipolar transistors, Wu says. Transcom wants to tap into the growing demand for high-speed wireless products. The chipmaker joins several other GaAs Taiwanese device manufacturers such as Hexawave Photonic Systems and Advanced Wireless Semiconductor. Transcom recently began production at a fab with 3- and 4-in. wafer capability. Initial capacity is 15,000 wafers per year with plans to expand to 35,000 wafers.

Silterra hits 0.22-µm target

Silterra Malaysia says it has produced high-yielding commercial wafers in its 0.22-µm process technology. The chipmaker achieved the goal two months after the initial equipment qualification at its new 8-in. fab in Kulim, Malaysia. A Silterra customer received the CMOS wafers in January. The client's product measured 210 mm² and was made on a 0.25-µm CMOS 25 process with five metal layers. Silterra has begun volume production at the site.

ON plans China expansion

ON Semiconductor of Phoenix will expand a joint manufacturing venture in Sichuan Province as part of a $100-million investment plan in China. The Motorola spin-off also plans to establish a design center in Shanghai. The chipmaker will design and manufacture power-management devices and its existing line of discrete semiconductors at the sites. ON was set to sign an agreement with Leshan Radio to build a 6-in. plant for production of 0.5-µm analog semiconductors in the Sichuan city of Leshan. The 6-in. facility will be the first such fab in Sichuan. Another 6-in. plant is reportedly on the drawing boards for Chengdu, the provincial capital. The joint venture, Leshan Phoenix Semiconductor, was established by Motorola SPS in 1995 with Leshan Radio. ON Semiconductor became the venture partner and largest shareholder with Leshan Radio and Motorola owning 39% and 10%, respectively.

Europe

Knights yields software license

Knights Technology of San Jose has installed its YieldManager software at two fabs operated by Alcatel Microelectronics. Alcatel will use the program to monitor yields at two fabs in Oudenaarde, Belgium. The chipmaker specializes in telecommunications devices. The order includes two software modules for database conversion and parametric analysis.

Chem firm moves operations

International Products, a supplier of specialty chemicals, has moved its European headquarters. The move to a new facility in London is part of the company's European expansion plan. Based in Burlington, NJ, the company has operated in Europe since the mid-1980s. IPC makes cleaners and lubricants. The new London facility will enable the supplier to ship European orders within one business day after receiving an order, according to IPC.

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