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To: Gottfried who wrote (29646)	4/20/1999 11:54:00 PM
From: Paul V.	Respond to of 70976

Gottfried, aul and all, charts with new btb/orders... Thanks. I expect that Tito's construction workers will start their stair steps tomorrow. However, who am I to go contrary to C-NBC.<g> Paul

To: Gottfried who wrote (29646)	4/21/1999 1:01:00 AM
From: Ross	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

Thank you for posting the charts. I don't think I need to point out to the readers of this thread the similarity of the pattern of orders and shipments to the pattern two years ago. Then and now, shipments took a tentative upturn six months after the orders began to rise. If (big if) the pattern continues, shipments would be up a lot in the next report. If the pattern continued for book-to-bill as well, that would be down, while orders and shipments both rose. Some of the similarity must be based on real factors, such as a lag between orders and shipments of complicated, expensive equipment. The depth and length of the current downturn, on the one hand, and the changes in the PC industry, on the other hand (and probably lots of other things) suggest that there is no need for the patterns to repeat exactly, however. Ross

To: Gottfried who wrote (29646)	4/21/1999 11:37:00 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 70976

Hitachi works with Sematech to test 300-mm "bridge tools" A service of Semiconductor Business News, CMP Media Inc. Story posted 9:45 a.m. EST/6:45 a.m., PST, 4/21/99 TOKYO--Hitachi Ltd.'s semiconductor equipment operation here today announced a joint program with Sematech's international subsidiary to test and characterize 300-mm wafer-processing systems, including several "bridge tools" that can handle 200- or larger 300-mm substrates. The program is scheduled to begin in July and it will last about 27 months, according to Hitachi. Under its agreement with International Sematech in Austin, Tex., Hitachi will create 130- and 100-nm test material for the consortium's member companies. Hitachi said it hopes the work will accelerate its leading-edge 300-mm technologies for production of wafers early in the next decade, when chip makers are expected begin volume production with larger 12-inch diameter substrates. Hitachi is a major supplier of a number of wafer fab systems, including etchers and process diagnostics systems. During the past two years, the Japanese company has focused much of its 300-mm development activities on next-generation processes with the hope of emerging as an early leader in 300-mm tools when that market emerges, said Tomoharu Shimayama, president and CEO of Hitachi America Ltd., based in Brisbane, Calif. The joint program with International Sematech will involve the implementation of systems: 300-mm etching tools configured to support both gate and dielectric processing--a 200-mm bridge kit will also be delivered; Hitachi's S-9300 CD-SEM (critical dimension-scanning electron microscope) for both 200- and 300-mm wafers capable of measuring fine pattern geometries; An automatic wafer inspection tool, called the WI-1100, for detecting defects on patterned 200- and 300-mm wafers; An optical shallow defect analyzer capable of detecting and measuring crystal defects in the silicon wafer surface layer using a high-throughput and non-destructive technique; and, SCDS catalytic decomposition system for abatement of PFC, HAP, etch, CVD and TEOS gases.