New Materials Roundup

Atmel gets Motorola processes

Seeking an alternative producer for its wireless ICs, Motorola has begun to transfer 0.35-µm process technologies to Atmel under the terms of a new licensing agreement. Motorola SPS is sending RF BiCMOS silicon germanium:carbon and copper inductor technologies to Atmel's 200-mm fab in Rousset, France. Atmel expects to have the technology ready for production in the fourth quarter of 2002. Customers will be able to design products at either Motorola's SPS sites or Atmel fabs around the world. The technology supports operating frequencies for next-generation cellular, wireless LAN, and related markets, Motorola says.

Dow Corning debuts platform

Dow Corning has established a program to develop and promote new products based on its thin-film materials and processes. The Thin Film Technology Platform was set up to identify high-value applications for advanced silicon-based thin films, process chemistries, thin-film characterization, and integration of high-volume deposition processes, the vendor says. The work will be supported by Dow's thin-film characterization laboratory at its headquarters in Midland, MI, and will tap the efforts of company experts in thin-film technology, material science, and chemistry.

SEZ tools set for tests

Members of a low-k materials consortium will be able to use tools from the SEZ Group to test etch-removal chemistries, the vendor announced. The SEZ Group says it will make its single-platform spin processors available to chemical vendors belonging to the SiLKnet Alliance. The alliance is a nonexclusive group of at least 15 suppliers developing Dow Chemical's SiLK spin-on resins for the 130-nm technology node and beyond. Phoenix-based SEZ joined the group in November 2001.