Worldwide research on high-k dielectric materials received a further boost with the recent decision of Matsushita Electrical Industrial to collaborate with IMEC. The Belgian research consortium and the Japanese microelectronics giant will work together to develop high-k gate stacks for devices at the 65-nm node and smaller. A Matsushita researcher will join IMEC's research team as part of a long-term partnership. IMEC has been collaborating on high-k R&D with International Sematech and Hitachi.

The consortium participates in two industrial affiliation programs focused on high-k dielectrics. The first program is investigating high-k dielectric material properties related to the gate stack, using physical analysis and electrical characterization in simple capacitors and transistors. The second focuses on compatibility problems in FEOL processes. Matsushita's research involvement is expected to accelerate development and integration of high-k gate stacks, IMEC says.

Asia

Samsung shifts to Numerical

Samsung Electronics has licensed phase-shift technology from Numerical Technologies of San Jose in order to manufacture advanced SRAMs. Numerical's product is designed for making subwavelength devices on existing optical lithography tools. Before signing the agreement, both companies collaborated on refining the 120-nm manufacturing process for the technology. Samsung expects to begin manufacturing the SRAMs in early 2003. Numerical says its phase-shift system has been used in research settings to help make transistors ≤9 nm on 248-nm lithography tools.

Chinese fab taps ASML

Huajing Microelectronics has ordered several photolithography systems from ASML, the equipment manufacturer says. Huajing's plant in Wuxi, China, has an annual wafer-output capacity of 250,000, according to ASML. The chipmaker will use ASML's tools to manufacture discrete semiconductors and bipolar ICs.

FSI ships first cleaning tool

FSI International has installed its first Antares cleaning system at a Japanese fab. The Minnesota-based firm says a major chipmaker in Japan purchased the Antares CX tool, which cleans gate materials, copper, and low-k films. The system's CryoKinetic technology removes particles using a high-velocity cryogenic Ar/N aerosol spray. The dry-cleaning solution has a minimal impact on the environment, according to FSI. The system removes particles <90 nm for the 130-nm process node.

Oxford sells GaN tools

Two LED manufacturers in Taiwan have purchased GaN process tools from Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology. ITE Compound Semiconductor bought a Plasmalab80Plus system for its display plant in Hsinchu. ITE is a new LED manufacturer formed by former employees of Taiwan Plasma, an equipment supplier. Configured for PECVD, Oxford's open-load tool can deposit silicon dioxide or silicon nitride on 2- or 3-in. compound semiconductor wafers. It is used to prepare hard SiO^₂ and Si^₃N^₄ masks, and for device passivation.

Oxford's other customer is Epitech Technology, which purchased a Plasmalab System100 for its LED fab in Tainan Science-Based Industrial Park. Epitech is a new company formed by UMC. The manufacturer has two MOCVD reactors and plans to install more, according to Oxford. The Plasmalab System100 with ICP180 etches GaN and hard masks.

JGA chooses sales rep

Jon Goldman Associates (JGA) of Orange, CA, has chosen Grandway Technology to represent the supplier in China and Taiwan. Goldman manufactures data capture and process controls for diffusion furnaces and related chipmaking gear. Grandway will sell and support JGA's data-mining tools and software, as well as its recently acquired ICCI line of equipment controllers.