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To: AK2004 who wrote (4509)	2/20/1998 2:42:00 AM
From: greg nus	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6843

Albert, Ping! Needless to say you can put a good Russian in the goulog but you cannot imprison his mind! Welcome back.

To: AK2004 who wrote (4509)	2/20/1998 4:57:00 AM
From: emil	Respond to of 6843

Company Press Release Novellus SPEED F-HDP First for Use in low-K Production of Advanced 0.25-Micron Devices IBM DUMIC Paper Highlights Process Results of Integrated F-HDP/PECVD Process for Production Use SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 1998-- Novellus Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVLS - news), the productivity and innovation leader in thin film deposition, today announced the first high-volume production implementation of a chemical vapor deposited (CVD) low dielectric constant (low-K) fluorinated High Density Plasma (F-HDP) film for 0.25-micron logic devices. Low-K dielectrics have been widely recognized as a way to maximize the speeds of advanced logic devices because they reduce total device capacitance. In a paper published by IBM Corp. at the Dielectrics for ULSI Multilevel Interconnect Conference, (DUMIC), held in Santa Clara, Calif. this week, IBM reported a total line-to-line capacitance reduction of 12 percent using an F-HDP film as an intermetal dielectric (IMD). According to the paper, this capacitance reduction enables significant increases in clock speeds of the company's most advanced microprocessors. The integration sequence described in the publication combines an F-HDP gap-fill process with an in-situ plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) capping layer. This delivers as much as a 50 percent reduction in the overall cost of ownership when compared to conventional IMD schemes where the entire deposition is done by HDP. Wilbert van den Hoek, vice president of Novellus' Dielectrics division, said, ''The capacitance reduction and cost-of-ownership improvements shown make this integrated F-HDP/PECVD process the preferred solution for sub-0.25-micron IMD applications. Novellus offers this advanced process on integrated SPEED HDP systems, which are already in wide-spread volume production. By offering such enabling applications on existing equipment, we continue to help our customers develop and implement new technologies while extending their capital investment.'' James Mitchener, general manager of the Dielectrics division, said, ''The ability to provide a proprietary, in-situ PECVD capping layer is unique to the integrated Novellus SPEED systems. Along with productivity and cost-of-ownership advantages, the material characteristics of this capping layer provide device protection from the detrimental effects of long term fluorine migration that are seen with single film F-HDP processes.'' Mitchener said that the company has been working with several customers for over a year to develop a manufacturable F-HDP solution. ''Our single tool F-HDP/PECVD integration has provided a complete solution with a wide process window for production implementation. This is also consistent with Novellus' commitment to provide customers with advanced technology at the lowest cost,'' Mitchener noted. A typical two micron IMD stack using F-HDP and PECVD can be deposited in the Novellus integrated SPEED system at throughputs greater than 30 wafers per hour, the industry's highest for advanced CVD IMD applications. This implementation in high-volume production of the low-K F-HDP film is the latest validation of the success of the Novellus SPEED HDP system. Since its introduction in February 1996, the SPEED system has attained market leadership in HDP and has become the IMD process tool of record for the world's most advanced semiconductor fabs. Based on current data from independent market research firm, Dataquest (San Jose, Calif.), Novellus SPEED HDP systems have captured more than 65 percent of the worldwide HDP market.

To: AK2004 who wrote (4509)	2/20/1998 10:52:00 AM
From: James Yu	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6843

Albert, Welcome back. Here is a piece of good news from Newsbytes. AMD To Expand Chip Factory In Thailand BANGKOK, THAILAND, 1998 FEB 19 (Newsbytes) -- By Jirapan Boonnoon, The Nation. Advanced Micro Devices' [NYSE:AMD] AMD (Thailand), a semiconductor manufacturer, plans to expand its semiconductor production capacity to hit 8.5 million units per week in the next three years. The company's managing director, Yutthana Semungkorn, said the plant will extend its production capacity of AMD's semiconductor and flash memory components used in fixed and mobile phones from 6.7 million units per week to about 8.5 million units by 2001. He said the production capacity expansion is a result of the expectation that there will be higher demand for small chips for telecommunications equipment, especially in Asia. The plant needs to prepare its production capacity to serve the expected higher volume. The plant is now waiting for approval from the Board of Investment for its expansion plan. Meanwhile, the parent company is now in the process of seeking approval for an investment of around US$50 million to expand the existing manufacturing plant. He said the plant in Thailand is also expected to produce electronic components for telecommunications equipment which were previously produced by manufacturing plants contracted by the parent company. In addition, the plant also plans to produce a new version of Micro Bell Gaid Array, a small chip used in cordless telephones. This version has been developed with a 70 to 80 percent reduction in size over previous models. This technology, he claimed, will be first produced in the Thai manufacturing plant. He added that, this year, the plant will produce at least 10 models of new semiconductors for export. Its export volume last year was worth around Bt2.3 billion and the plant hopes to increase the export volume by 15 percent this year. He said that Asia has good potential as a market for chipmakers in the future. AMD (Thailand) produces almost any kind of chip, 100 percent for export. The plant's major markets are in the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. (19980219) Best wishes James