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Consortia sign software deal

International Sematech and Selete, its Japanese counterpart, will collaborate to develop software for use in 300-mm process equipment. The goal of the three-phase collaboration is to reduce the costs and shorten the time for implementing 300-mm manufacturing processes. The partners hope to develop industry standard software for critical 300-mm functions. The corporate membership of International Sematech and Selete represent the majority of the market for 300-mm production gear, according to Sematech.

In the first phase the consortia will publish functionality requirements for fixed buffer­type equipment in April 2000. Internal buffer equipment base functionality specs will be published by July 2000. The base requirements are intended for use by the largest number of chipmakers for the most common tool configurations.

In the second phase the partners will extend the functionality requirements for fixed and internal buffer tools. These will be published in October 2000. Finally, phase-three test specifications for typical tool scenarios in round-trip carrier operation will be published in December 2000.

Trecenti makes its debut

United Microelectronics (UMC) and Hitachi chose the Latin word for "three hundred" as the name of their new 300-mm joint venture. Launched in mid-March, Trecenti Technologies will make semiconductors with linewidths 0.18 µm. The fab is located in building N3 of Hitachi's LSI manufacturing operations in Hitachinaka-city, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan.