Novellus Systems has opened an Oregon plant for manufacturing copper metallization and damascene dielectric deposition tools. Located in Tualatin, the 382,000-sq-ft facility represents a major expansion of the company's production capability and a response to the semiconductor industry's increasing use of copper deposition equipment for metal interconnects. The "copper campus" houses Novellus's Electrofill products business and its PECVD unit.

The expansion doubles Novellus's manufacturing capacity for the Vector and Sequel Express PECVD systems. It also expands R&D space for the company's Sabre Electrofill tool for copper interconnects. The 58-acre campus can incorporate a Class 1000 cleanroom for system assembly, a Class 100 cleanroom for testing deposition equipment, and a Class 10 applications lab.

Rudolph Technologies of Flanders, NJ, has launched a new business dedicated to integrated metrology. The equipment manufacturer says it plans to develop a line of integrated metrology systems for improving both yields and processes. The systems will be designed to fit directly in process equipment. Rudolph notes that one of the company's first integrated modules can be used to characterize ultrathin films and advanced gate dielectrics on both monitor and product wafers.

A Washington-based silicon specialist has bought TTI Silicon, a wafer reclaim business, and appointed TTI's head president and CEO. Encompass Materials Group of Vancouver says the new company will focus on reclaim services for 150- and 200-mm silicon wafers. The company will also offer brokerage services for silicon materials and related services for thin films and oxides. Robert Swor, TTI's chief executive, was named president and CEO of Encompass Materials. The company has a 30,000-sq-ft plant in Vancouver for polishing, reclaim, and virgin test silicon wafers. Additional silicon services include TEOS, thermal oxide growth, and LTO deposition.

Banking on an upswing in the semiconductor industry's fortunes, Catalyst Equipment has expanded its operations in Plano, TX, by 5500 sq ft. The extra area gives the company more storage and cleanroom space for its inventory of used production tools. The company's president and founder, Greg Wright, notes that his firm's U.S. business has rebounded in the past three months.

Wright believes the chip industry's fortunes are on an upswing. "Our business is as strong as it was in the first quarter of 2001, which was a good quarter. Even though the high-tech industry had a bad 2001, the early part of last year was very strong in the surplus equipment market."

More than a year ago, Catalyst doubled its space in the same location to 11,000 sq ft. The new expansion brings total footage to 16,500. In addition to selling used process equipment, the company arranges auctions and holds liquidation sales.