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M+W to build TSMC fab

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC) has hired Meissner+Wurst to design and build the chipmaker's latest fab. The $49.5-million contract is the fifth successive fab contract from TSMC, according to M+W. The firm will build a 72,600-sq-ft cleanroom for TSMC's foundry operation in Tainan, Taiwan. Construction is slated for completion in February 1999. Built for processing 200-mm wafers, the fab will use SMIF-based minienvironments and will be adaptable to 300-mm wafer technology.

Singapore fab taps Asyst

Silicon Manufacturing Partners (SMP) in Singapore purchased wafer isolation equipment valued at more than $4 million from Asyst Technologies of Fremont, CA. The order comprises SMIF minienvironments and Asyst's Smart-Traveler automation system for submicron wafer processing. According to the vendor, the order is the first phase of SMP's plan to install the Asyst systems throughout the fab. The SMP foundry is a joint venture between Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing of Woodlands, Singapore; and Lucent Technologies of Murray Hill, NJ. Lucent owns 51% of the foundry; Chartered, the remaining 49%. The fab will process 26,000 8-in. wafers per month using 0.25-µm technology.

Tegal gets repeat buy

A "major Japanese consumer electronics company" has made a repeat order for Tegal Model 980 etch systems, the vendor reports. The combined order is worth more than $2 million. The unnamed customer purchased the same etch tools two years ago. The Japanese customer bought the new tools to expand its product line. The 900-series systems accommodate oxide, nitride, and polysilicon processes.

Camstar sells WIP software

Intarsia, a manufacturer of integrated components to the digital and RF markets, has purchased Camstar System's MESA manufacturing execution system for its new plant. Formed in 1997, Intarsia is a partnership between Dow Chemical and Flextronics International. The manufacturer's integrated passive devices are made using a wafer-level chip-scale packaging technology, according to Camstar. Intarsia will use the program to improve yields.

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