Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Japan, is now mass-producing 4-gigabit (Gb) advanced DDR4 memory, for enterprise servers in next-generation data centers. Early market availability of the devices, which use 20 nm-class process technology, will facilitate demand for 16- and 32-gigabyte memory modules. This compares to conventional DRAM of which 8 gigabyte modules using a 30nm-class process technology are still commonplace.
Continue readingContact Resonance Viscoelastic Mapping enables imaging of elastic and viscoelastic moduli
Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments company, Santa Barbara, Calif., announces Contact Resonance Viscoelastic Mapping Mode, an option available exclusively for Asylum’s Cypher and MFP-3D Atomic Force Microscopes. Contact Resonance (CR) enables high resolution, quantitative imaging of both elastic storage modulus and viscoelastic loss modulus.
Continue readingNanoscale material improves smartphone displays
Quantum Materials Corp., San Marcos, Tex., shipped Tetrapod Quantum Dots in sample quantities to a diversified leading Asian-based electronics manufacturer. The tetrapod quantum dots were developed to meet performance specifications. Tetrapod Quantum Dots are an advanced nanoscale material that improves the performance and energy efficiency of very high-resolution computer, TV, and smartphone displays.
Continue readingSRC to help establish Center of Excellence for Energy Efficient Electronic Systems in Abu Dhabi
The Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), Research Triangle Park, N.C.; and the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC), Abu Dhabi, have launched the ATIC-SRC Center of Excellence for Energy Efficient Electronic Systems (ACE4S). ATIC will dedicate over $4.7 million to the project over the next three years, which will be matched collectively by Masdar Institute and Khalifa University for a total budget of more than $9 million.
Continue readingGreenCentre Canada spins off company to commercialize atomic layer metal deposition for interconnects
GreenCentre Canada, Kingston, Ontario, has recently incorporated its third spinoff company, Precision Molecular Design Corp., to commercialize a metal deposition technology that allows manufacturers to generate circuit interconnects in successive layers one atom at a time. This will allow the semiconductor industry to develop the next generation of smaller microchips that can be produced with less waste and lower power consumption.
Continue readingSpherical gold nanoparticles embedded in polyurethane make flexible conductors
Engineers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, have made extremely flexible electrical conductors by embedding networks of spherical gold nanoparticles in polyurethane. To find out what happened as the material stretched, the team took state-of-the-art electron microscope images of the materials at various tensions. The nanoparticles started out dispersed, but under strain, they could filter through the minuscule gaps in the polyurethane, connecting in chains as they would in a solution.
Continue readingConnecting the drops with 3D printing
Researchers from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, developed 3D printing technology and techniques to create free-standing structures made of liquid metal at room temperature. “It’s difficult to create structures out of liquids, because liquids want to bead up. But we’ve found that a liquid metal alloy of gallium and indium reacts to the oxygen in the air at room temperature to form a ‘skin’ that allows the liquid metal structures to retain their shapes,” says Dr.
Continue readingZeiss to acquire Xradia to complement its microscopy business
On June 13, Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany, announced the planned acquisition of the U.S.-based Xradia, Inc., Pleasanton, Calif. Xradia is a medium-size company providing innovative 3D x-ray microscopes for industrial and academic research applications. The closing of the transaction is subject to the fulfillment of customary closing conditions including a required filing with the U.S. competition authorities. After closing, Xradia, Inc.
Continue readingComposite element test models help design laser repair of nickel-base superalloys
University of Birmingham, School of Metallurgy and Materials, UK, announces that researchers have developed analytical models for the repair of commercial single crystal nickel-base superalloys. Composite element test (CET) modeling was used by researchers to define processing parameters and the correlation between solidification conditions and microstructure. Models are designed to predict the relationship of laser treatment and powder injection and their effects on the substrate.
Continue readingWisconsin Oven opens 30,000 square foot facility in Waukesha
Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, Wis., has opened another plant in Waukesh, Wis. The 30,000-square-foot existing facility will increase the capacity of the industrial oven manufacturer’s existing four plants in East Troy. The expansion will help Wisconsin Oven continue to design and manufacture a broad line of heating equipment . The company’s standard or custom industrial ovens are used for a multitude of applications, such as heat treating.
Continue readingImpact Fusion HVOF improves coatings and bond strength
MBI Coatings, Lancaster, S.C., announces the addition of an Impact Fusion Hi Velocity Oxygen Fuel spray system. This system features higher velocities for improved coating properties and bond strength. With Impact Fusion, the particles are practically forge-welded onto the surface and onto each other to form the coating. Higher particle velocities result in higher density coatings that are more strongly bonded to the surface.
Continue readingBruker joins Sematech to advance nanoscale characterization of semiconductor materials
Bruker Nano Surfaces, Billerica, Mass., has joined Sematech, Albany, N.Y., to develop new semiconductor defect characterization solutions for advanced materials development. The collaboration will generate the first detailed information database that allows Bruker’s patented PeakForce QNM mechanical force data to be correlated to nanoparticle materials.
Continue readingAFM system features automated defect review and sub-angstrom surface roughness measurement
Park Systems, Santa Clara, Calif., introduces Park NX-HDM, a fully automated automatic defect review and sub-angstrom surface roughness atomic force microscopy (AFM) system for device substrates and disk media. The NX-HDM system increases throughput by up to 1000% with a 30% higher success rate than the prior system. It can analyze, identify, and scan media for all wafer sizes up to 150mm.
Continue readingNanotechnology students build low cost Atomic Force Microscope using LEGO
The world’s first low cost Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) has been developed in Beijing by a group of PhD students from University College London (UCL), Tsinghua University and Peking University – using LEGO.
Continue readingSUSS MicroTec and Sematech partner to develop substrate and blank cleaning technologies
SUSS MicroTec, Sunnyvale, Calif., and Sematech announce that SUSS MicroTec’s photomask equipment division has partnered with Sematech to investigate and develop extreme ultraviolet lithography substrate and blank cleaning technologies that will accelerate process availability for extreme ultraviolet pilot line manufacturing.
Continue readingIHEA announces 2013-2014 board and officers
The Industrial Heating Equipment Association, Taylor Mill, Ky., recently announced its 2013-14 Board of Directors and Officers. Serving as president (shown in the photo) is Tim Lee of Maxon, a division of Honeywell. Bob Green of Bloom Engineering was named IHEA Vice-President, and B.J. Bernard of Surface Combustion was elected Treasurer. Outgoing president Mike Shay of Elster Kromschröder, assumes the role of Past President.
Continue readingNew POL converter module series introduced
Allegro MicroSystems LLC, Worcester, Mass., released a new POL converter module series. The BR200 series are thin POL converter modules with an industry standard exterior shape and footprint that are responsive to very high speed loads and compatible with ceramic capacitors. These POL converter modules have been designed with higher efficiency, increased power density and are offered in a thinner package that most competitive solutions on the market today.
Continue readingTEM DualBeam systems enable analysis and fabrication of nanoscale devices
FEI Co., Hillsboro, Ore., introduces two DualBeam systems that feature high-quality imaging and fast analysis over the broadest range of samples. The Helios NanoLab 660 DualBeam adds capabilities for specialized applications, such as the fabrication of prototypes for nanometer-scale devices. As shown in the photo, EasyLift’s low-drift, high-precision movements allow simple and consistent creation of traditional TEM lamellae or ultra-thin lamellae via the inverted thinning technique.
Continue readingResearchers explore the microworld using haptic optical tweezers
What if you could reach through a microscope to touch and feel the microscopic structures under the lens? In a breakthrough that may usher in a new era in the exploration of the worlds that are a million times smaller than human beings, researchers at Université Pierre et Marie Curie in France have unveiled a new technique that allows microscope users to manipulate samples using a technology known as “haptic optical tweezers.
Continue readingFEI introduces three transmission electron microscopy systems for semiconductors and materials
FEI Co., Hillsboro, Ore., has launched the new Metrios TEM (transmission electron microscope) for advanced semiconductor manufacturing metrology; the Talos TEM that provides high-speed imaging and analysis for materials science; and the Titan Themis TEM for enhanced atomic-scale measurements of material properties.
Continue readingSulzer Metco plasma spray gun features cascading arc technology
Sulzer Metco, Switzerland, has released a new plasma spray gun, the SinplexPro, with cascading arc technology. It typically boosts process efficiency by 60% to 170% over conventional spray guns, based on testing to date. It eliminates the interdependence of the plasma arc with processing gases and flows, which results in a more idealized state of the plasma jet that provides more uniform heating of feedstock particles.
Continue readingTest gauge measures very high pressure
Responding to the need for high-pressure products, Crystal Engineering, San Luis Obispo, Calif., a leader in high-end portable pressure calibrators and digital test gauges, introduced a 15,000 psi version of its popular XP2i test gauge. The ultra-rugged, intrinsically safe, easy-to-use test gauge joins the recently released GaugeCalHP Pressure Comparator and nVision Reference Recorder among other instruments offered by the company. The one-year XP2i accuracy specification is 0.
Continue readingAzzurro sets volume production for GaN-on-Si high-voltage wafers
Azzurro Semiconductors, Germany, has successfully achieved superior electrical performance and established a volume production track record for large size high-voltage GaN-on-Si high-voltage wafers. Unlike silicon, which has inherent limitations for fast switching at high voltage, GaN can meet these performance requirements with its excellent breakdown voltage and low leakage characteristics. At present, the availability in the industry is still limited for production-suitable 6 in.
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