Derek --
I also tried to find news to support today's strength. Once I got started, I found quite a bit. The first talks about Taiwan's fab investments:
nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com
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Taiwan's Semiconductor Mask Industry Expanding April 21, 1998 (Hsinchu, TAIWAN) -- Taiwan's microchip mask industry is investing in capacity and advanced technologies to capitalize on the growing IC foundry businesses triggered by the success of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). These investment projects aim to expand market share as well as secure niche positions through proprietary technologies. They include a US$50-million three-fold expansion underway by the top mask supplier, Taiwan Mask Corp., which claims 60 percent of the local market; Taiwan's first certification to perform optical proximity compensation (OPC) on masks obtained by Innova Inc.; and Precision Semiconductor Mask Corp.'s efforts to develop next-generation phase-shift masks.
These companies are located in Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park, to be in close proximity to major clients there.
Riding on the success of TSMC in providing exclusive foundry services, new foundry facilities are being built, such as that of Worldwide Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (WSMC), and many existing eight-in. fabs are also increasing their foundry services. Companies doing this include United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), Winbond Electronics Corp. and Holtek Microelectronics Inc.
Mask makers welcome such a shift in IC-makers' operations because it represents more opportunities. The demand for photomasks to process IC chips from a foundry house is about three times that from an integrated device manufacturer, according to York Huang, sales manager of the mask department at Innova. The company has a 25 percent local market share.
Innova's capabilities enable mask fine-tuning through software tools to widen process windows at deep submicron resolution.
"It's like a tailor knowing how to accommodate each client's individual needs and still make the product take on a wide scope of functions," Huang said.
Ultima Electronics Corp. of Taipei, known for IC distribution and peripheral equipment manufacturing, expects to establish an US$80 million mask facility with a core technical team from the U.S. Ultima plans to start offering 0.25 micron resolution masks in 1999.
Technical vision is another crucial factor in this industry. Both Taiwan Mask and Innova are investing heavily to expand capacity with deep-sub-micron technology. Precision Semiconductor Mask Corp. (PSMC) also has built a team specializing in phase-shift masks.
"When semiconductor manufacturing advances to sub-0.2 micron resolution, the processing equipment needs a major overhaul and photomasks will have to go with phase-shift as well," said Robert Lou, PSMC's sales manager.
U.S.-based Du Pont Photomasks Inc. is said to be negotiating with a local foundry leader for a possible mask facility in Taiwan. Meanwhile, Du Pont Photomasks announced in mid-April a plan for a US$50 million mask house in Singapore. It will be the company's 13th plant worldwide and fourth in the Asia-Pacific region, and it is slated to start volume production in 1999.
Japan-based Toppan Printing Co. Ltd., already a major mask supplier, and its partner Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd. of Taoyuan have recently opened a US$42 million joint venture called Toppan Chunghwa Electronics Co. (TCE) in Taoyuan.
Taiwan Mask hopes to retain its lead in the local market. It is investing US$50 million for a second fab. Also, the company is tripling its capacity with a clean room completed in the second quarter of 1999 for production starting in the third quarter.
In the mask industry, "the key to success lies in prompt service, advanced technology and a close collaborative relationship with clients," said Parkson Chen, president of Taiwan Mask.>>>
From Canon:
newsalert.com
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SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 16, 1998--The Semiconductor Equipment Division of Canon, Inc., U.S.A., announced today it will begin using interactive three-dimensional simulation in training courses on its lithography steppers and scanners. Canon said it will introduce a basic operator's course in CD ROM format for its latest i-line steppers in April, and one for its newest deep-UV models in June.>>>>
From Silicon Valley Group, it appears their lithography equipment helped offset their losses:
newsalert.com
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From Novellus, not sure how they compete with CYMI, but this report indicates strength in the DUV market:
newsalert.com
"The long-term growth potential for the thin film deposition market continues to be good. In the short term, however, our new product developments will have to help dampen the effect of the slowdown. Fortunately, our patented SPEED High Density Plasma (HDP) solution for sub-0.35 micron inter-metal dielectric applications has attained a reputation for high reliability, superior film quality and cost of ownership performance since its introduction in 1996. . . .
"The market leadership of SPEED has been extended by our recent announcement of a unique fluorine-doped process for advanced logic devices in production. Our engineers and scientists have not stopped there as we have expanded the SPEED product into the Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) market, demonstrating the cost-effective fill of 0.12 micron trenches at five-to-one aspect ratios. Our Concept Two Sequel continues to expand its process portfolio as well, with the introduction of PEARL, a plasma-enhanced anti-reflective layer targeted at extending i-line and deep UV lithography. . .<<<
Later --
Pat |
