EU Due Diligence For Conflict Minerals Focuses Upstream, For Now


By Rania Georgoutsakou EU proposed legislation on responsible sourcing of ‘conflict minerals’, published on 5 March 2014, will create a voluntary scheme focusing on upstream suppliers that should help downstream users get the information they need to comply with the U.S. Dodd Frank Act. The EU proposals largely address concerns raised by SEMI and other industry associations, but things cou... » read more

450mm Standards Update


By Kevin Nguyen SEMI has published more than 19 Standards for 450mm generation.  New standards are being created to facilitate supplier and user for material and equipment.  Revisions to published standards are needed as improvements are constantly identified. The Japan Assembly & Packaging Technical Committee (TC) Chapter has initiated document 5636 in effort to meet the demand... » read more

Driving Innovation: From Talk to Action


During the recent SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium, one of the themes focused on the challenges of building an innovative workforce with fresh ideas. KLA CEO and president Rick Wallace’s opening keynote address included an appeal for industry to actively recruit more young talent to foster greater levels of innovative thinking. He said that only four percent of the U.S. workforce is compos... » read more

Semiconductor New Equipment Market $32.0 Billion For 2013


Orders for new equipment slowly improved early on in 2013, with bookings reaching a peak by the second quarter before receding in the third quarter. Over this time, equipment billings, while increasing, were trending below 2012 levels. In October, book-to-bill data from both SEMI and the SEAJ show bookings are increasing once again, and this indicates a stronger fourth quarter for the semico... » read more

3D-IC Standardization Progress Continues


Since its formation in December 2010, the SEMI 3DS-IC Standards Committee has made significant progress in establishing key standards in areas such as TSV metrology, glass carrier wafers, and terminology. The committee’s two newest standards are SEMI 3D6-0913 - Guide for Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) and Micro-Bump Processes for Frontside Through Silicon Via (TSV) Integration, and S... » read more

Following The Yen


An examination of the installed fab capacity base in Japan shows that total capacity expansion has stalled in recent years due to the consolidation and closures of facilities. The closure and consolidation of 27 facilities between 2009 and 2012 reduced the installed fab capacity in Japan by at least 350,000 200mm equivalent wafers per month. With that said, investments continued in some industr... » read more

Semiconductor Fab Materials Outlook


By Dan Tracy While segments of the global economy are slowing and uncertainty is once again on the rise, fundamental unit trends for semiconductor materials have improved in recent months and growth expectations for the fab materials market remain modest for 2012 and into 2013. Three-month shipment data shows silicon shipments—from the wafer suppliers to the fabs—during the current cycl... » read more

Japan: Latest Investment Activities


By Dan Tracy and Yoichiro Ando Restructuring and consolidation has led to a new focus for the semiconductor manufacturers in Japan. As a result, the semiconductor equipment market in Japan will experience double-digit growth in both 2013 and 2014, driven by higher spending for memory production and in spending increases planned for the manufacturing of power semiconductors and “More than Moo... » read more

Fab Equipment Spending To Rise


By Christian Gregor Dieseldorff Fab equipment spending will grow two percent year-over-year (US$ 32.5 billion) for 2013 and 23 to 27 percent in 2014 ($41 billion) according to the May edition of the SEMI World Fab Forecast. Fab construction spending, which can be a strong indicator for future equipment spending, is expected to grow 6.5 percent ($6.6 billion) in 2013, followed by a decline of 1... » read more

Photomask Market Update


By Lara Chamness The worldwide semiconductor photomask market was $3.2 billion in 2012 and is forecast to reach $3.5 billion in 2014. After reaching a market peak in 2011, the photomask market contracted 4 % in 2012. The mask market is expected to grow 3 % and another 3% sequentially over the next two years. Key drivers in this market continue to be advanced technology feature sizes (less than... » read more

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