MICRO: Editor's Page

Some of the most tried-and-true marketing handles in the commercial world are campaigns based on anniversaries or milestones. Serving the community since 1983. Fifty years of making the best darn widgets in the business. More than 10 gazillion burgers flipped. Happy birthday to us. Not one to shy away from such time-honored self-promotion, MICRO would like to thank all of our supporters—both readers and advertisers—who have allowed us to reach, with this March 2002 edition, a significant milestone: our 200th issue. As we approach our official 20th birthday next year, expect to see some special features in honor of the occasion.

Speaking of birthdays and such, the annual SPIE Microlithography conference in Santa Clara turned 27 in early March. If anything, its rep as one of the industry's leading technology forums has grown; even with the downturn, attendance was on par with last year's, and the number of papers submitted rose by 20%, according to conference organizers. The symposium always provides a lavish buffet of different litho-related food for thought.

Plenary and invited speakers scoped out the big picture, while individual papers often presented intriguing work from the labs and fabs. International Sematech's Bob Helms stressed that the high costs of R&D are moving "the precompetitive boundary," forcing companies to partner more creatively in order to stay on their technology—and profit—roadmaps. TSMC's B. J. Lin underscored Helms's theme, noting how lithography and mask technologies are more critical than ever to the future growth of the industry, and that economics, not the laws of physics, will be the gating factor.

During his presentation on obstacles and opportunities facing E-beam metrology, David Joy of the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Lab pointed out that the quality of the signal (that is, the lack of beam current), not the resolution, looks like the main limiting factor in SEMs and related instrumentation as device structures dip below 70 nm. On a more practical note, Abbie Warrick of International Sematech described the development of sets of intentional defect array (IDA) reticles, which can be used to understand and assess the capabilities of new and existing wafer inspection tools. She said that IDAs can provide a precise, robust method for determining inspection equipment metrics that can be used throughout the tool's life.

Normally I'm not quick to eulogize, but I do want to acknowledge the passing of Walt Mathews last month. Although he never invented any technology or started up any company in his garage or bamboozled any venture capitalists to fork over funding, Walt was a chip industry pioneer. His reporting in Electronic News about the nascent semiconductor and electronics industries was a must-read in the go-go days of the 1960s in what came to be known as Silicon Valley. I spent many pleasurable hours hearing Walt recall the "old days," when deals were cut and secrets revealed over cocktails in the legendary Wagon Wheel and things were a lot less "corporate" in the chipmaking world. After his editorial stint, he and his partner Joe Clark went on to create the gold standard for public relations in the semiconductor equipment and materials community through their firm, Mathews & Clark.

I met Walt soon after I joined the Microcontamination staff in fall 1987, and quickly appreciated his deep industry knowledge, rare integrity, drawling wit, keen mentoring abilities, and gentle spirit. He and his staff showed me how a good public relations approach can make an editor's life easier, benefiting his clients and the press. I have fond memories of Walt holding forth at his Semicon West parties, a drink in one hand, a cigarette in the other (at least until the California smoking laws changed), with a grin as wide as the Texas panhandle country where he grew up. Yes, he loved to party and to bring people together. He always made sure we in the print media had a chance to meet and talk with his client companies' executives. Walt knew the importance of the social element and its benefits in establishing personal and professional links between the working press and the companies he represented. We're going to miss you, Walt.

EDITOR'S PAGE

Anniversaries, and a passing