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Europe

French technologists honored

The two French technologists who developed silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology received the 1999 SEMI award for Europe during the opening festivities of Semicon Europa 99 in Munich. André Auberton-Hervé and Michel Bruel were honored for developing SOI for use with MOS structures. Stanley Myers, SEMI's president, presented the award to the scientists, who began work on the technology more than 12 years ago at LETI in Grenoble. Their collaboration at the research organization resulted in the establishment of Soitec, LETI's first commercial spin-off. Auberton-Hervé is the founding president of Soitec. Bruel has remained at LETI to continue his SOI commercialization efforts as head of the integration and assembly laboratory in the microtechnologies department. Myers praised the recipients for proving that SOI technology could be used in volume production.

In related news, Soitec reports that it created the first thin-film SOI technology for consumer products. Collaborating with Philips Semiconductors, the French company developed the bipolar-CMOS-DMOS technology on a bonded SOI Unibond wafer. Philips says the new process can achieve power efficiencies of 95%, an advance that can increase the battery life of portable audio products.

Tegal turns key again

For the fourth consecutive year, Tegal of Petaluma, CA, has renewed its annual service contract with a major European semiconductor manufacturer. The maker of plasma etch systems says the full turnkey contract is worth more than $700,000 and covers multiple systems installed at the client's plant in Italy. Tegal will provide daily engineering support and will continue to maintain a nearby parts warehouse. Under the terms of the agreement, the customer will pay Tegal a guaranteed single price for maintenance, parts, and upgrades.

Philips tracks down Jenoptik

Philips Submicron Semiconductor Technologies is using a Jenoptik Infab IridNet tracking system following its purchase of the automated WIP tool. The system, says the German vendor, uses infrared technology to help operators adhere to scheduled product flows and rapidly locate short-cycle-time wafer lots. IridNet's tag display gives engineers lot information on carts, racks, and WIP storage locations without the need to consult computer terminals. The system was installed throughout the Philips fab without disrupting production, according to Jenoptik.

Asia

Goodrich builds in Malaysia

BFGoodrich Performance Materials of Brecksville, OH, is building a plant in Malaysia to further expand its static control business in Asia. The 40,000-sq-ft facility in Seremban on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur will house the manufacturing and technical support for the company's static-control polymer products. The facility will manufacture Stat-Rite thermoplastic compounds and extruded sheet in a cleanroom. The plant is scheduled to open in June 2000. The staff will include about 40 manufacturing and technical service personnel.

ASML opens Asia HQ

ASM Lithography has opened a subsidiary to manage its business throughout the Asia-Pacific region, where the company says it generates approximately 50% of its revenues. ASM Hong Kong will serve clients in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and China. The subsidiary is ASML's first to base senior executives permanently in Asia. The microlithography company has plants in Hsinchu, Taiwan; Seoul; Tokyo; Singapore; and Shanghai.

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