Joe,
First, with the larger, heavier and more valuable 300mm wafers, Automation will be mandatory. Not only does it prevent someone dropping a wafer or a cassette of wafers, it also prevents accidental misprocessing of wafers.
Leading US fab automation companies are probably PRIA and ASYT.
For front end processing, it's less obvious as several of these companies have already got a lot of future growth already discounted in their current prices. Included in that category would be the leaders AMAT, NVLS and KLAC.
A front end company which has qualified several 300 mm tools but hasn't appreciated is the micro / small cap company which is a personal favourite of mine - MTSN.
The other area which should be considered is Lithography. The US play is SVGI, though the Dutch company ASML has momentum on its side (or against it depending on your point of view. CYMI will provide the overwhelming majority of the excimer lasers needed for lithography regardless of who provides the stepper or scanner (SVGI, ASML, CANNY or NIKON).
Another area which may warrant attention is mask making with ETEC being the leading supplier of equipment, a field that UTEK would like to enter. The mask making companies include DPMI, PLAB and MASK.
In the back end, KLIC will benefit from increased volume of wafers / chips to be sliced, diced and packaged.
Among the Test companies, TER is probably a leader. EGLS may see good appreciation once 300mm probers are in demand.
PRIA will get the business 3-6 months ahead of the front end guys as the automation equipment goes in before the fab is equipped.
As usual, do your own research, make your own decisions. I hope that the above serves as a useful starting point.
Ian. |
