July 6, 2012 -- We at Solid State Technology have compiled the best conference reports so far this year, in the lead up to SEMICON West 2012, next week in San Francisco. Be sure to bookmark our SEMICON West 2012 Channel for all the info from that show.

Focus on lithography

@ EUVL workshop: Focus on source power, timing

Dr. Vivek Bakshi, president of EUV Litho Inc., reports on the 2012 EUVL Workshop (June 4-8 in Maui, HI), where attendees shared their latest technology developments and discussed ways to address the challenges of EUVL insertion into HVM.

@ SPIE: The spring of EUVL

Dr. Vivek Bakshi, president of EUV Litho, Inc., reports on the SPIE Advanced Lithography conference. He says that this year even the loudest criticism of EUVL was not about “if” but “when,” and the predicted range of insertion for EUVL in high volume manufacturing (HVM) is now 2013-15.

@ SPIE: Intel's, TSMC's tool roadmap takeaways

After attending SPIE Advanced Lithography, Barclays Capital came away with a lower lithography tool shipments forecast, more hope for EUV lithography, and expectations of a litho buying spree at Intel.

@ SPIE: eBeam Initiative roadmap

The eBeam Initiative, a forum for new IC manufacturing approaches based on electron beam (e-beam) lithography, will unveil its latest roadmap at the SPIE Advanced Lithography Symposium.

Focus on yields/productivity

@ ISMI Manufacturing Week: Productivity challenges identified

Semiconductor manufacturers identified key factory productivity challenges that need to be addressed and shared effective solutions they will need to stay leading-edge and competitive amid turbulent industry transitions during the recent ISMI Manufacturing Week.

@ The ConFab: Legacy semiconductor fab issues

Bill Ross of ISMI and Joanne Itow of Semico report on the ConFab 2012 Executive Roundtable. Older production facilities face equipment obsolescence; skills obsolescence; scarce availability of parts, software, and support; and equipment capability extension and tool re-use.

@ Lightfair: MOCVD capex disobeys fab utilization rules

Barclays Capital analysts attended Lightfair International and gleaned several trends in LEDs and OLEDs for lighting, including an interesting phenomenon around MOCVD utilization rates and new orders.

@ ISS 2012: Profitability threatened

Industry leaders at the 35th annual SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) described a perfect storm of cost, complexity and uncertainty as the industry struggles with process engineering complexity at sub-28nm nodes, hazy EUV installation schedules, 3D-IC challenges, and planning for a 450mm wafer transition, reports SEMI.

Focus on packaging

@ IMAPS Device Packaging: Vias and more vias

IMAPS Device Packaging's papers were recently released, and blogger Dr. Phil Garrou shares highlights from SSEC, Asahi Glass, Hitachi Chemical, and others. He also takes a look at Fujitsu's low temp Cu-Cu bonding technology.

@ The ConFab: A 2.5D/3D interconnect supply chain or ecosystem?

With many advanced packaging processes taking place on the semiconductor wafer, the traditional supply chain of front-end fab at the foundry and back-end fab at the packaging and test house is falling apart. Amkor, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, ASE, and Xilinx's presenters offer ideas.

@ IITC: From TSV to back-end memory work

The 15th IITC took place in San Jose, CA. Recurring themes this year were variations on 3D and TSV, novel systems and packaging, and back-end memory, blogger Michael Fury reports.

@ ECTC: 3D integration and TSVs

A main focus of this year’s Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), held in San Diego, was 3D integration and TSVs, blogs Pete Singer, editor-in-chief.

Focus on emerging technologies

@ MEMS Executive Congress Europe: MEMS everywhere

Karen Lightman, the Managing Director of the MEMS Industry Group, blogs from the MEMS Executive Congress Europe in Zurich, Switzerland.

@ MRS Spring: Organic electronics

Fury reports from the MRS Spring 2012 meeting in San Francisco. Highlights: electronic skin, energy storage with nanowires, printable inks, gas sensing, inkjet printing, semiconductor polymers for organic devices, CNTs, OFETs, touch screen fabrics, and the coffee breaks.

@ SensorsCon: MEMS, networks, and camera pills

SensorsCon 2012 was held March 21 at the Santa Clara TechMart Center, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the ISQED. This is the first such meeting focusing on sensor technology, with about 60 attendees. As a design conference, the focus was more on system design and architecture, reports Fury.

@ Lightfair China: Low LED prices, subsidy’s role, and MOCVD update

Guangzhou (China) Lightfair Conference is the biggest lighting fair in Asia. Citi analyst Timothy Arcuri notes trends in LED manufacturing and pricing ahead of China’s subsidy program going into effect.