INDUSTRY NEWS

300-mm Imperative

IMEC to set up foundry

IMEC has launched a 300-mm research initiative with the intent of staying at least two device generations ahead of the manufacturing process. The university-based R&D center in Leuven, Belgium, will establish a centralized 300-mm silicon research platform that will be used to demonstrate novel device architectures two to three technology nodes in advance of manufacturing. In addition, the platform will be used to perform research on process steps.

IMEC says the research facility will operate on short cycle times and use advanced lithographic technology such as 157-nm optical and EUV. The fab will be built adjacent to the IMEC facilities in order to take advantage of the research institute's infrastructure. The local Flemish government invested approximately $37 million for cleanroom construction at the site.

Intel touts fab capabilities

Intel's new expanded fab in Rio Rancho, NM, will use 42% less ultrapure water than the company's 200-mm plants, the chipmaker says. Opened October 23, the $2-billion Fab 11X also will produce 48% fewer VOC emissions and use approximately 40% less energy than fabs processing the smaller wafers. The new facility measures more than 1 million sq ft and has a 200,000-sq-ft cleanroom.

TI picks Hitachi system

Texas Instruments in Dallas has selected an etch system from Hitachi High Technologies America for chip production. The purchase of the 700-series Silicon Etch tool marks the 100th U.S. delivery of the tool, says Hitachi. The system etches both 200- and 300-mm wafers in the sub-130-nm regime. It can be used to etch polysilicon gates, polysilicon trenches, nitrides, low-k dielectric materials, and other materials. The supplier is the American subsidiary of Tokyo-based Hitachi High Technologies. TI cited on-site process and equipment support as two key factors in its decision, Hitachi says.