Corning has reached full production capacity of CaF^₂ crystals at its plant in Canton, NY, the supplier announced. After expanding the facility, the Corning, NY–based company began producing the material last September in new furnaces installed at the site. The manufacturer has more than doubled output capacity for the crystals, which it also makes at a plant in North Brookfield, MA.

The fluoride crystals are a critical optical material for argon-fluoride 193-nm microlithography used in manufacturing semiconductors with linewidths down to 95 nm and smaller. The Canton plant also manufactures HPFS fused-silica material for argon-fluoride steppers.

Partners offer lithography help

Two European firms have teamed to offer lithography simulation products for improving process yields. ISE Integrated Systems of Zurich and Sigma-C of Munich say their partnership will address the growing demands on process and device simulation in next-generation manufacturing. Subwavelength lithography requires the use of simulation for predicting pattern transfer, the partners point out. The partners have agreed to integrate Sigma-C's simulation software, called Solid-CTM, in ISE's TCAD simulation programs.

Standard TCAD simulation programs look at lithography effects "too simplistically," according to the companies. Corner-rounding or shortening of end lines, for example, are ignored. The new products will obtain "realistic" structures from a lithography simulation program and feed them into front-end TCA simulation. The combined analytical capability will enable customers to link lithographic parameters such as defocus and dose to device characteristics, and thus learn how settings affect device output, the partners say.

Pact pinpoints organic LEDs

A leading manufacturer of polymer organic LEDs will work with a company specializing in the displays to create advanced soluble OLED materials and technology. DuPont Displays and Universal Display say they hope the results of their joint development agreement will enable them to garner more of the $30 billion FPD market. The partners plan to farm out manufacturing based on materials they develop to a subcontractor.

The collaboration combines each firm's respective strengths in OLED research. Universal has developed phosphorescent (PHOLED) technology at its corporate center in Ewing, NJ, near Princeton University. The company claims the technology is four times more efficient than other OLED platforms. Universal holds more than 400 patents in OLED technology.

A cross-licensing agreement signed by the two firms calls for DuPont to pay Universal an initial payment and continuing royalties for products that use Universal's background phosphorescent emitter, transparent cathode, and ink-jet printing technologies. Based in Wilmington, DE, DuPont Displays specializes in polymer science and optical components used in flat-panel displays.

Newport opens optics plant

Newport has opened a 42,000-sq-ft plant to accommodate its growing precision optics business. The facility is located in Irvine, CA, next to the company's worldwide headquarters. The plant is part of Newport's $16.3 million investment in its precision optics business. The supplier's line of precision optics includes collimators, beam expanders, spatial filters, and aspheric optics. Other products include lenses and thin-film coatings for wavelengths from 157-nm deep UV to the infrared spectrum.

Luxtron moves HQ

Luxtron, a manufacturer of in situ fiber-optic temperature gauges, has moved its headquarters. The new 33,000-sq-ft corporate home is located in Santa Clara, CA, and houses a 4600-sq-ft R&D and applications engineering space. Luxtron's fiber-optic products target plasma, MOCVD, RTP, and diffusion processes.