ISSUE CONTENTS Site Search UP FRONT FEATURES KLAC vs. AMAT in mask defect tool duel SST QuickVote: Results for 22nm litho options, and a new poll! EDS THREADS Energy costs mean externalities matter TECH TALK Thermophotovoltaic devices: Heat makes photons, too Dutch scientists tout "breakthrough" in n-type Si solar cell efficiency INDUSTRY NEWS SEMI: March tool demand takes a step back Toshiba and Ponte Solutions team up on full-chip VCE modeling Custom fit: Tronics surges in MEMS foundry sector Micron, Nanya formalize DRAM memory JV SPANNING THE GLOBE China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, UK WaferNEWS FAB 50 In the Spotlight Click to Enlarge 294 pixels x 296 pixels 8.83 KB

:: KLAC vs. AMAT in mask defect tool duel

Among news filtering out from last week's Photomask Japan 2008 were two new entrants in the maskmaking equipment sector, targeting defect inspection: KLA-Tencor's Wafer Plane Inspection software (utilizing computation), and Applied Materials' Aera2 (using optics). Microlithography World Editor-in-Chief M. David Levenson takes a look at both tools and what they claim they can do.

SEE ALSO: KLA-Tencor's WPI software disposes defects
SEE ALSO: AMAT's Aera redux

:: SST QuickVote: Results for 22nm litho options, and a new poll!

We asked, you voted: Which lithography technology would you place a bet on right now, to be used for 22nm semiconductor manufacturing? The results so far: Nanoimprint (56.36%), Immersion/extended (24.85%), EUV (13.94%), EBDW (4.85%). Though we probably should have specified "double patterning" and/or "high-index" as sub-options to immersion, your votes still indicate significant interest in NIL -- and shrinking confidence in EUV.

This month's question: INSERT QUESTION HERE. Cast your vote in our online QuickVote! Full story...

:: Energy costs mean externalities matter

by Ed Korczynski, Senior Technical Editor, Solid State Technology

What do the words "energy" and "costs" have to do with materials considerations in 2008? The most recent issue of the Materials Research Society (MRS) Bulletin -- free to the public -- is devoted to exploring all aspects, including costs, of materials science and engineering for energy, including a must-read article about "The Economics of Energy Options." Full story...

:: Thermophotovoltaic devices: Heat makes photons, too

by Katherine Derbyshire, Contributing Editor, Solid State Technology

Though the vast majority of photovoltaic installations capture photons emitted by the sun, many other sources of electromagnetic radiation exist. Waste heat produced by diesel generators, internal combustion engines, and industrial processes offers a potential source of radiation for, and thus increased interest in, thermophotovoltaic devices. Full story...

:: Dutch scientists tout "breakthrough" in n-type Si solar cell efficiency

Researchers at the Energy research Center of the Netherlands (ECN) say they have developed a method to improve solar cell efficiency in crystalline silicon industrial solar cells made from n-type silicon wafers.
MORE PV NEWS:
- Sunovia, EPIR tout IR tech for multijunction solar cells
- German firm Arise ramping output for Si and PV cells
- Trina cancels $1B poly-si plant, anticipating better supplies
- Emcore planning solar spinoff Full story...

:: SEMI: March tool demand takes a step back

Even the quarterly-ending month couldn't muster enough strength to give the industry a positive boost, as demand continues to show softness in the semiconductor equipment sector, according to the latest data from SEMI.

MORE INDUSTRY ANALYSIS:
- Analyst lowers chip forecast, but PC end-market "much brighter"
- Image sensor market to "bounce back" in 2008
- Chip use slowing, but sputtering market still growing through 2012
- SEMI acquires fab pubs from SMA Full story...

:: Toshiba and Ponte Solutions team up on full-chip VCE modeling

by Debra Vogler, Senior Technical Editor, Solid State Technology

The major Japanese IDM was the beta customer for a via/contact etch model to satisfy the need for accurately modeled and corrected processes at 45nm and beyond. Ponte chief scientist Valeriy Sukharev discusses details of the new model with WaferNEWS. Full story...

:: Custom fit: Tronics surges in MEMS foundry sector

by Debra Vogler, Senior Technical Editor, Solid State Technology

MEMS foundry and LETI spinoff Tronics Microsystems says its 2007 sales were nearly double the sector's CAGR for the year. WaferNEWS talked with them to find out how this custom component manufacturer is getting it done, what it feels is its key differentiator, and what it's working on next. Full story...

:: Micron, Nanya formalize DRAM memory JV

Micron Technology and Taiwan's Nanya Technology have formalized a recently announced partnership to create a new DRAM JV. An analyst tells WaferNEWS who should be most worried and why. Full story...

:: CHINA

Four Taiwanese chip assembly firms have received approval from the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) to send nearly $90M in investments to business interests in China, ahead of what may be an increase in cross-strait business deals following the appointment of a more liberally minded Taiwan government. (Read more...)

:: GERMANY

Qimonda AG reported a big loss in its fiscal 2Q08, indicating it is still mired in "extremely difficult market conditions," and laid out further cost reduction plans, including some changes to its technology partnerships. (Read more...)

:: JAPAN

Ushio has developed technology for a multifilament halogen lamp heater for use in fabricating films for semiconductors and solar cells, notes the Nikkei Business Daily. (Read more...)

Elpida memory expects a ¥20B (US $197.7M) group operating loss for the just-ended fiscal year, the company's first such loss since its market listing in late 2004. Meanwhile, TEL chip equipment orders during fiscal 4Q08 were at their lowest level in nearly three years. (Read more...)

:: KOREA

Is Korean chemical/finance conglomerate Hanwha Group mulling a bid for domestic chipmaker Hynix Semiconductor? Yes, says the Korea Times, saying the two sides have been "engaged in detailed internal talks." But Reuters quotes a company spokesperson saying the report is "not true." (Read more...)

Praxair says it will build a new air separation plant for Samsung Electronics' seventh-generation, four-line TFT-LCD factory in Tangjeong, boosting daily production capability on the site's Line 8 to 3300 tons by 3Q09. A previous air separation plant began operation at the same location in 2007.

:: TAIWAN

A $40M VC investment in a US-based LED epitaxy technology is generating rumors that TSMC is making a push into this market segment. (Read more...)

Hynix has made an investment in Taiwan's design house Phison Electronics in a bid to prop up its NAND flash memory business, according to local reports. (Read more...)

:: UK

Oxford Instruments says it has acquired Silver Spring, MD-based Technologies and Devices International, a developer of hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) technology and processes, in a bid to expand its offerings for makers of high-brightness LEDs. (Read more...)

MARKET DIARY: Most active issues

ADVANCES................20
DECLINES................27
UNCHANGED................1
NEW HIGHS................1
NEW LOWS.................5

LARGEST DOLLAR GAINER...............MEMC Electronic Materials Inc..................2.57
LARGEST DOLLAR LOSER................Cymer Inc. (L)................................-3.51
LARGEST PERCENTAGE GAINER...........Ultratech Inc.................................24.43%
LARGEST PERCENTAGE LOSER............Credence Systems Corp........................-26.59%


...................................................................................NET...........PERCENT
..................................................................................CHANGE.........CHANGE
................................................Close............Close.............IN..............IN
...............................................4/21/08..........4/07/08...........PERIOD.........PERIOD

WaferNEWS Materials & Equipment Index...........317.66...........319.88...........-2.22..........-0.69%
WaferNEWS Chipmakers............................128.07...........123.02............5.04...........4.10%
Philadelphia Semiconductor......................383.08...........369.55...........13.53...........3.66%
Nasdaq Composite Index.........................2408.04..........2364.83...........43.21...........1.83%
NYSE Composite.................................9312.29..........9184.72..........127.57...........1.39%