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TSMC loads in Asyst tools

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has purchased several hundred SMIF wafer-transfer systems valued at more than $16 million from Asyst Technologies. The SMIF-LPT load-port transfer systems will be delivered to four TSMC fabs. The chipmaker has named Asyst a "preferred vendor" for OEMs integrating SMIF technology into process and metrology equipment purchases. TSMC has begun installing the systems in Fabs 3 and 4 and is set to begin installation at Fab 5 this month. The rest of the order will be delivered to WaferTech, TSMC's $1.2-billion U.S. venture with Altera, Analog Devices, and ISSI. Production at the facility in Camas, WA, is scheduled to begin in 1998 at a monthly output of 30,000 8-in. wafers.

Tencor makes Singapore sale

Tencor Instruments has received a multimillion-dollar order for Surfscan AIT wafer inspection systems and a CRS-1010 laser confocal review station from Tech Semiconductor in Singapore. The equipment will be used for manufacturing 16- and 64-Mb DRAMs.

Burr-Brown steps in

Burr-Brown has installed a PAS 2500/40 i-line stepper from ASM Lithography in its analog device fab in Tucson, AZ. The device manufacturer will use the tool to make precision linear, data conversion, and mixed-signal ICs. The system offers 0.7-µm resolution and an hourly throughput of 70 150-mm wafers. It is ASML's first sale to Burr-Brown.

Electroglas sells probers

Electroglas has received multiple orders for its Horizon 4080X wafer prober totaling more than $4 million. Designed for processing 8-in. wafers, the probers will be used for production of memory devices, microprocessors, and ASICs. Shipments have begun to several fabs in Europe. The vendor notes that orders for another prober, the Horizon 4090, totaled almost $9 million from December 1996 through February 1997. The system is designed to meet 0.25-µm process requirements.

SELA makes first U.S. sale

Semiconductor Engineering Laboratories (SELA) took its first orders from U.S. chipmakers for the vendor's MC200 microcleaving systems. The automated, cross-sectioning tool is designed to reduce diagnostic cycles for failure analysis and process monitoring. Cleaving accuracy is 0.75 µm, according to the supplier, which has its headquarters in Israel.

ProMOS buys software

Tyecin Systems of Los Altos, CA, has sold ManSim/X software to ProMOS Technologies, the joint venture between Siemens and Mosel Vitelic. ProMOS will use the program to choose the proper equipment set for a fab under construction in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The consortium plans to manufacture high-density DRAMs at the site. Tyecin made the sale through Spirox System Integration, its Taiwanese representative.

National buys SpeedFam tool

National Semiconductor has purchased its first Auriga chemical-mechanical polishing tool from SpeedFam. The chipmaker will install the five-head, multiplaten tool in its advanced technology group fab in Santa Clara, CA. The Chandler, AZ­based supplier also received a multiple order for the Auriga tool from United Integrated Circuits for installation at the IC manufacturer's Taiwan fab. The system processes up to 100 wafers per hour.

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