Virginia Beach, Virginia - Busch Vacuum Solutions, a leading provider of reliable solutions for SubFab Management, is proud to exhibit at this year's SEMICON West show and conference. As a reliable partner for vacuum pumps, gas abatement systems, leak detection and more, Busch provides the semiconductor industry with the highest quality solutions and services.

At SEMICON West, Busch is showcasing their comprehensive subfab management services. Critical SubFab systems are monitored and predictively maintained by Busch. Their SubFab management minimizes production downtime and enables energy-efficient operation and cost savings. Continuous monitoring extends maintenance intervals and the entire product life cycle. All Busch on-site service teams are certified to ISO9001:2016, ISO14001:2016 and ISO45001:2018 standards.

"We are proud of our comprehensive solutions for the semiconductor industry," said Mark Magill, Vice President of Medium High Vacuum at Busch Vacuum Solutions. "SubFab service capabilities and innovative products provide customers with reliable performance and maximum process safety to achieve optimal yields."

Magill also said they are featuring a new patented redundancy vacuum system at the show, “It uses an optimized combination of two pumps plus one booster to minimize changes in chamber pressure in case of pump failure.” This vacuum system eliminates wafer scrap and process excursion.

Visit Busch Vacuum Solutions at SEMICON WEST from July 11-15 in San Francisco, CA. Meet their experienced vacuum experts, exchange ideas and get valuable advice at booth #541.

About Busch
For more than 50 years, Busch has been an integral part of the global semiconductor industry by providing reliable solutions that enable manufacturers to produce advanced microchips. Their commitment to quality is in every product they offer and service provided. Continuous advancements ensure that Busch solutions are always state-of-the-art and used by hundreds of subfabs worldwide. www.buschusa.com | [email protected]

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PEER Group®, the largest supplier of innovative factory automation software products for the semiconductor industry, has been announced as one of the founding members of the newly established SEMI® Midwest Chapter.

Formed to support SEMI member companies in the greater Midwest area and Ontario, Canada, the regional chapter provides a platform to identify, discuss, and find solutions to current topics impacting the semiconductor industry. The Midwest region has the potential to be a leader in semiconductor manufacturing following the 2022 groundbreaking of a new Intel® fab in Ohio and renewed industrial investments stimulated by the US Chips and Science Act.

Bob Kane, PEER Group’s Director of Factory Sales, will serve on the chapter’s Steering Committee and the Events Subcommittee. “The Midwest region, spanning into southern Ontario, has long been an industrial and manufacturing powerhouse and we’re excited to lend our support to the growth of the semiconductor industry in this strategically important region.”

To mark the establishment of the chapter, member companies are converging on Ann Arbour, MI on June 8 for the Inaugural SEMI Midwest Breakfast Forum. Taking place at the headquarters of process control and yield management company, KLA, attendees will hear from experts from the Center for Automotive Research, Intel, SK Siltron CSS, and SkyWater Technology as well as discuss future events and forums.

PEER Group is currently the chapter’s only Canadian company and sees this as an opportunity to help advance cross-border collaboration. “With our abundance of critical minerals, technology and trade infrastructure, and manufacturing talent, Canada has a strategic role to play in advancing North America’s domestic semiconductor supply,” says Mike Kropp, Co-founder, CEO, and President of PEER Group and member of the SEMI North American Advisory Board. “We look forward to working with other member companies to strengthen and expand semiconductor manufacturing in not only the Midwest, but all of North America.”

To register for the SEMI Midwest Breakfast Forum, visit: https://www.semi.org/en/connect/events/semi-midwest-chapter

About PEER Group
PEER Group® is the largest supplier of innovative factory automation software products for the semiconductor industry. Since 1992, our solutions have helped the world’s most advanced OEMs and factories reduce time to market and lower costs by solving their equipment automation, data management, and process control problems. A multi-award winning company, PEER Group has been named a Best Workplace by Great Place to Work Canada 11 times, and most recently was one of six recipients of Intel’s 2022 EPIC Outstanding Supplier Award, which recognizes the absolute top performers in the Intel supply chain. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn and Twitter at @PEERgroup_Inc..

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A NEW CHAPTER IN MANUFACTURING INNOVATION

AMSTERDAM — DataProphet, a global leader in data-driven performance optimization solutions for digital-era manufacturing, is excited to announce the addition of Prof. Dr. Jürgen Grotepass to its esteemed industry advisory board.
Through his network and connections within the German Platform Industrie 4.0, ZVEI, and DIGITALEUROPE, Prof. Dr. Grotepass will help DataProphet extend its global footprint in the smart manufacturing space and establish additional strategic partnerships.

IMPACT EXPERIENCE WITH LEADING-EDGE 4IR INNOVATIONS
DataProphet’s inclusion of Prof. Dr. Grotepass in the broader team is a puzzle piece toward accelerating the adoption of solutions that move the needle on digital success in the manufacturing sector globally.

Prof. Dr. Grotepass brings over 30 years of experience in the manufacturing sector, with a strong background in machine vision technology. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from RWTH Aachen, focusing on Machine Vision.

The new advisory board member has been instrumental in driving digital transformation in the manufacturing industry as Chief Strategy Officer of Manufacturing Europe at HUAWEI Technologies Duesseldorf GmbH and the European Research Center (ERC) in Munich.

Prof. Dr. Grotepass has developed many AI supported and 5G-enabled Industry 4.0 use case innovations. A noteworthy example is via SmartFactory-KL in cooperation with 15+ industry partners. These showcased during Hannover Messe exhibits between 2018 and 2023. One of Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s projects solves for quality assurance. It uses machine vision to optimize the quality inspection of customized products by deploying secure cloud services and a federated learning approach.

DEMYSTIFYING MANUFACTURING’S DIGITAL-ERA — SOLUTION PROVISION, GUIDANCE, AND ALLIANCE
When asked what attracted him to collaborate with DataProphet in driving innovation in sustainable manufacturing performance, Prof. Dr. Grotepass shared this insight:

“Industries are currently progressing in the twin transition process (digital and green) with the carbon footprint of products and processes becoming a new currency. With access to data, AI will be a key enabler in turning empirical process knowledge into predictive solutions. Such solutions will yield savings for customers and related value chains.”

Prof. Dr. Grotepass points out that the electronics industry is spearheading digitalization and, therefore, is a good starting point for other verticals to frame their own digital maturity trajectory:

“In more traditional industries, such as steel and rubber, model creation for predictive and prescriptive AI still is a journey. Experience accumulates collaboratively over time. This is because process data in front end processes are still missing, calling for sensor integration to generate them.”

For traditional industries to evolve, Prof. Dr. Grotepass highlights the importance of multiple stakeholder collaboration and the role an AI-as-a-Service company like DataProphet plays in this context:

“Digitalization and the interaction between the three key players — solution provider, integrator, and end-user/operator — are becoming success indicators. DataProphet’s offerings in this domain serve as a solution provider, guide, and ally to customers on their journey.”

“With DataProphet, success is achieved with measurable KPIs. These include the OEE of processes and material as well as energy and carbon footprint savings, all demonstrated on customers’ premises,” Prof. Dr. Grotepass concludes.

NEXT-GENERATION MANUFACTURING PERFORMANCE SYNERGY
There is great synergy with DataProphet in Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s results-driven approach to manufacturing performance optimization. The AI-enabled quality assurance innovation mentioned earlier delivered a 30-40% productivity increase and lead time reduction.

Likewise, DataProphet prides itself on guaranteed value generation, its manufacturing customers enjoying a measurable return on assets and bottom line with the company’s data-driven solutions.

Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s background in academia, research, and industry leadership will provide DataProphet with unique insights, offering a well-rounded perspective on current trends, challenges, and opportunities in manufacturing.

In addition to his role at HUAWEI Technologies, Prof. Dr. Grotepass is a guest professor at Tongji University (CDHK: Chinese German College) in Shanghai. He is also an expert at the German Platform Industrie 4.0, as part of a working group on ‘Technology and Application Scenarios.’ Finally, at the ZVEI working Group ‘AI in Automation’ he acts as chairman, and is a DIGITALEUROPE Digital Manufacturing Executive Council member.

EXPANDING COLLABORATIVE MANUFACTURING INNOVATION FOR DIGITAL ERA SUCCESS
Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s wealth of expertise and experience will prove invaluable to DataProphet as it continues to innovate and expand its AI and ML offerings for the manufacturing sector. As Frans Cronje, CEO and co-founder at DataProphet, said of this development:

“We are honored to welcome Prof. Dr. Jürgen Grotepass to our industry advisory board. His vast experience and leadership in the manufacturing industry — particularly in machine vision, AI, and Industry 4.0 — will provide valuable insights and guidance. These will be brought to bear as we continue to develop end-to-end, cutting-edge AI and ML performance optimization solutions for our clients to realize value from the digital transition.”

And as Andrea Böhmert, Chairperson of the board of DataProphet, adds, “DataProphet is privileged to count a number of thought leaders in their respective fields as members of our Industry Advisory Board. These are our supporters, champions and guides in this fast changing industry and have been instrumental in ensuring that we as a team stay ahead of industry trends. Adding Prof. Dr. Jürgen Grotepass to this circle will help us to obtain even further insights into the latest thinking of some of Europe’s most active umbrella organizations driving industry initiatives. We couldn’t be closer to the pulse.”

Undoubtedly, Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s appointment to the industry advisory board will be a factor in extending DataProphet’s global footprint. His input will help ensure the company remains at the forefront of technological innovation in manufacturing worldwide.

Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s diverse experience working with multiple stakeholders, including OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and research institutions, shines a light on cross-industry collaboration. This is a strategy DataProphet passionately believes in.

About DataProphet
DataProphet is a global leader in AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) process performance optimization for digital-era manufacturing success. Its IIoT platform and prescriptive AI technology measurably enhance efficiency, minimize waste, and improve product quality across industries. Clients experience a 40%+ increase in value with DataProphet PRESCRIBE, the company’s award-winning, results-driven, end-to-end prescription engine.

DataProphet tailors its solutions to each unique smart factory journey, supporting and accelerating digitalization roadmaps through consultation and collaboration. Manufacturers, Machine Builders, OEMs, and Tier 1 suppliers partner with its machine learning specialists to digitize processes, elevate their teams’ digital maturity, and realize their goals for sustainable production.

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Imec and Brewer Science present process solutions for CVD oxide deposition processes on ultrathin wafers at Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC)

Process challenges during CVD oxide deposition on the backside of 20-µm thin 300-mm wafers temporarily bonded to glass carriers

Grande Lakes, FL – May 22, 2023 – Brewer Science, Inc., a global leader in developing and manufacturing next-generation materials and processes for the microelectronics and optoelectronics industries, is presenting and exhibiting at Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC) May 30th through June 2nd.

Dr. Koen Kennes from imec is copresenting with Brewer Science, Process challenges during CVD oxide deposition on the backside of 20-µm thin 300-mm wafers temporarily bonded to glass carriers, which evaluates a temporary carrier system during several backside processing steps on thin wafers down to 20 µm. The main focus is the impact of various chemical vapor deposited (CVD) oxides on thinned wafers supported by temporary bonding materials. Such wafers have the risk of deformation and even delamination during the deposition step. The presentation is May 31st at 10am, a part of Session 37: Interactive Presentations.

A step-by-step investigation reveals the deformation/delamination mechanism to be highly dependent on the oxide deposition conditions rather than the deposition temperatures. Controlling the stress in the oxide layer enables both high-temperature and low-temperature oxides to be successfully deposited on the backside of ultrathin wafers. The experimental results are corroborated with finite element simulations.

Figure 1. Schematic of the process flow. The wafer thinning starts by edge trimming the wafer followed by coating the release layer, BrewerBOND® T1107 material. After bonding with the temporary bonding material (TBM), BrewerBOND® C1301-50 material, the wafers are ground down to 55 µm and chemical mechanical polished (CMP) to smooth the surface. Further thinning is achieved via a wet etch step. After oxide and dielectric deposition, several wafers are transferred to a new carrier using a wafer flip step in which the original stack is bonded to a second carrier enabling debond of the first carrier.

“During high-temperature CVD oxide deposition on thinned wafers on temporary carriers, delamination of the thin wafer from the carrier was observed.” States Dr. Kennes, R&D team lead for bonding, assembly, and wafer-level packaging at imec. “Using FEM simulations and DOE experiments, the failure mechanism was identified, and process solutions were defined. This resulted in successful damascene processing on the backside of thinned wafers on glass carriers.”

Brewer Science is a Gold Sponsor of ECTC. You can connect with Brewer Science at booth #110 throughout the duration of the event May 30th through June 2nd. Learn more about Brewer Science’s innovative packaging solutions on their website, and connect with an expert by submitting a request on their website.

About Brewer Science
Brewer Science is a global leader in developing and manufacturing next-generation materials and processes that foster the technology needed for tomorrow. Since 1981, we’ve expanded our technology portfolio within advanced lithography, advanced packaging, smart devices, and printed electronics to enable cutting-edge microdevices and unique monitoring systems for industrial, environmental, and air applications. Our relationship-focused approach provides outcomes that facilitate and deliver critical information. Our headquarters are in Rolla, Missouri, with customer support throughout the world. We invite you to learn more about Brewer Science at www.brewerscience.com.

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PEER Group® has announced an upcoming webinar designed to help semiconductor equipment manufacturers prepare for the increasing demand from backend factories for automation capabilities and SEMI® Standards compliance in assembly and test processes.

Taking place on June 22, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. MT, the webinar, Standardizing the Assembly and Test Process, will feature an in-depth discussion between Jason Cicero, Micron Technology’s Senior IT Domain Architect, and PEER Group’s Director of Marketing, Doug Suerich.

Topics covered will include: why the backend, including assembly and test, needs more automation and standardization, how this will impact equipment design and integration, common issues faced by factories when integrating new tools, and how equipment suppliers can help solve these issues. There will also be a live Q&A for attendees to ask questions during the webinar.

“The SEMI Standards Program has been around for more than 40 years,” says Suerich. “During that time, these standards have evolved into the guiding principles which ensure compatibility and interoperability across suppliers and factories, improving manufacturing productivity, quality, and reliability, and reducing the cost and pain of integrating new equipment onto the factory floor. Universally adopted in the frontend, we are starting to notice increasing demand from factories to implement standards in the backend, including assembly and test processes.”

Evidence of this shift is seen as major players in the frontend enter the assembly and test market while established facilities announce major capital investments into their operations. This expansion introduces new, high-value processes to assembly and test and closer integration with the frontend – both of which are enabled through the application of standards. Meanwhile, the SEMI Advanced Backend Factory Integration task force continues to investigate and promote the adoption of SEMI Standards for assembly and test.

The webinar is scheduled to last 30 minutes followed by a 15-minute Q&A. All registrants will have the opportunity to access a recording of the webinar. For more information, including how to register, visit: https://bit.ly/3mq2yf3

About PEER Group
PEER Group® is the largest supplier of innovative factory automation software products for the semiconductor industry. Since 1992, our solutions have helped the world’s most advanced OEMs and factories reduce time to market and lower costs by solving their equipment automation, data management, and process control problems. A multi-award winning company, PEER Group has been named a Best Workplace by Great Place to Work Canada 11 times, and most recently was one of six recipients of Intel’s 2022 EPIC Outstanding Supplier Award, which recognizes the absolute top performers in the Intel supply chain. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn and Twitter at @PEERgroup_Inc..

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Deventer, May 11, 2023 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, and Svenska Grindmatriser AB (SGA), a well-established fabless IDM for the development and supply of customized mixed-signal ASICs, today announce that the companies have started a cooperation for high-volume production testing of SGA’s ASIC products.

The cooperation with RoodMicrotec as European partner enables SGA to meet the rapidly growing market demand. Furthermore, RoodMicrotec as a supplier will help SGA to strengthen its supply chain by providing flexible testing capacities as well as other quality assessment services.

“This collaboration offers us the opportunity to grow faster. In addition, both companies benefit from each other's knowledge, which is of tremendous value! Therefore, I am expecting this cooperation to be growing to a strategic level”, says Henrik Sjöberg, CEO of SGA.

Being a leading European service provider in the semiconductor industry, this partnership matches well with RoodMicrotec’s portfolio of capabilities.

Martin Sallenhag, CEO of RoodMicrotec, says, “This cooperation shows that we are a reliable partner for test and quality services in Europe. It is always nice to see that such strong companies as SGA rely on our expertise and test capabilities. In addition, this project helps us to strengthen our position as a service provider for the Swedish semiconductor industry.”

About SGA
SGA is a fabless manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal ASICs. SGA works closely with customers throughout the entire product lifecycle, from development to high-volume production. SGA's deep technical expertise and continuous quality focus has led to long-lasting partnerships in a broad set of industries. The company was founded in 1986 and is located in the city of Linköping, Sweden.
For more information please visit www.sga.se.
Further information
Henrik Sjöberg, CEO or Andreas Marinus, Sales
Phone +46 13 36 46 60, E-mail [email protected]

About RoodMicrotec
With more than 50 years of experience in the semiconductor and electronics industry, RoodMicrotec is a leading independent company for semiconductor supply and quality services. RoodMicrotec is a highly valued partner for many companies worldwide and offers specifically tailored turnkey solutions for each single customer's requirements. The turnkey services include project management, wafer test, assembly, final test, qualification, failure analysis, and logistics. All services provided by RoodMicrotec meet the high quality standards of the automotive, industrial, healthcare, and high reliability aerospace sectors. RoodMicrotec is headquartered in Deventer, Netherlands, with operational units in Nördlingen and Stuttgart, Germany.
For more information please visit https://www.roodmicrotec.com
Further information
Martin Sallenhag, CEO or Arvid Ladega, CFO
Phone +31 570 745623, E-mail [email protected]

This press release is available in English and German. In case of conflict between these versions, the English version shall prevail.

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Verific Design Automation today announced Vorak Solutions is its vendor of choice to assist Verific customers to accelerate projects that implement its SystemVerilog, Verilog, VHDL and UPF Parser Platforms.

“Vorak engineers are well-versed in Verific’s APIs,” remarks Rick Carlson, vice president of sales at Verific. “They are highly experienced and able to jump in to do small- to medium-sized projects, quickly understanding the project scope and details, communicating regularly and delivering high quality on schedule and on budget. We couldn’t have a better engineering services partner.”

Founded in 2015 in the United States and Armenia, Vorak Solutions provides cost-effective and high-quality development and quality assurance services for software, cloud migration and electronic design automation (EDA) flow integration and quality assurance testing.

Vorak’s knowledge of the Verific parser platforms and engineering expertise has been used to develop numerous applications and programs for Verific customers including Rapid Silicon and other noted semiconductor companies. It accelerates application development projects for customized solutions, product development and testing. In one example, a floorplan estimator was developed for a Verific customer who needed block-level initial estimates. In another, Vorak designed a custom hierarchy report that specified characteristics at each level.

“Verific is a company with a reputation of providing exceptional value and it’s a pleasure to work alongside its engineers,” says Georgi Mikichyan, COO of Vorak. “Our projects implementing the Verific parser platforms or building on top of the platforms always reinforce that Verific’s reputation is well warranted.”

About Vorak Solutions
Vorak Solutions, founded in 2015 in the United States and Armenia, was formed by experienced professionals from both countries based on a long-standing successful collaboration of the management and engineering teams. Vorak, Armenian for Quality, provides high-quality development and quality assurance services in the areas of software, cloud and EDA products at a fraction of first world engineering costs.

About Verific Design Automation
Verific Design Automation is the leading provider of SystemVerilog, Verilog, VHDL and UPF Parser Platforms that enable project groups to develop advanced electronic design automation (EDA) products quickly and cost effective worldwide. With offices in Alameda, Calif., and Kolkata, India, Verific has shipped more than 60,000 copies of its software used worldwide by the EDA and semiconductor industry since it was founded in 1999.

Engage with Verific at:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.verific.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verific-design-automation-inc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Verific-Design-Automation-100448363329771/

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