Heidelberg, Germany – We are happy to announce that one hundred and fifty MLA 150 Maskless Aligners have been successfully installed worldwide at our customers facilities. First launched to the market in 2015, the revolutionary maskless technology of the MLA 150 has become firmly established within the advanced microfabrication community.

The MLA 150 was the first and only tool that has become a true alternative to mask-based aligners, offering extremely high exposure speed, high frontside and backside alignment accuracies, warpage compensation, high resolution and high accuracy, and the ability to expose on any substrate size from pieces that are a few square millimeters up to full 8” wafers. Further adding to the flexibility, the non-contact exposure technique for the MLA150 in addition to the simple ease of use makes this the ideal tool in rapid prototyping environments, for low to mid-volume production, and for research and development. Common application areas include MEMS, electronics, micro-optics, micro-fluidics, sensors, and many more.

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) – Pioneer in maskless technology
The beta-version of the MLA 150 was installed in August 2014 at the Center of MicroNanoTechnology (CMi) of the renowned École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) located in Switzerland, being one of Europe’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan science and technology centres. The CMi is a complex of clean rooms and processing equipment devoted to microtechnology made accessible to trained academic and industrial users. The CMi is at the same time one of the pioneers in maskless lithography.

In 2022, the CMi purchased their second MLA 150 Maskless Aligner, which was installed most recently. “The MLA 150 is today one of the most important equipment in our facility, and there are many users that daily use the machine for printing. So, we wanted to have two of them”, emphasizes Julien Dorsaz, the manager of the photolithography division of the CMi. To get insights into the work at the CMi, and to learn about the MLA 150 experience of the users, we conducted a 30-minute interview with Julien Dorsaz. Get the full interview on our YouTube channel.

Today, the MLA 150 serves as a trusted, indispensable workhorse in many multi-user facilities, microfabrication labs, and research institutes. Since its market introduction, the MLA 150 has developed into one of our most important technologies in our company’s product portfolio. Setting the bar for state-of-the-art maskless lithography, the MLA 150 promises continuous market growth in the coming years.

For further information please visit: www.heidelberg-instruments.com

• Read more about An unparalleled success story – 150th Heidelberg Instruments' MLA 150 Maskless Aligner installed

Rochester, N.Y. -- Linton Crystal Technologies (www.lintoncrystal.com) announces Scott Blazey has joined the company as Director of Operations. Located in Henrietta, New York, Linton is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of Czochralski silicon furnaces for production of monocrystalline silicon ingots for the semiconductor and solar industries.

“Scott brings with him a wealth of experience in operations, as well as direct knowledge of our Czochralski furnaces and the silicon ingot growth process,” says Todd Barnum, president and COO of Linton Crystal Technologies. “This, combined with his track record in the areas of cost reduction, continuous improvement, quality control, and employee and business development, will help us take advantage of new opportunities in both solar and semiconductor.”

Blazey has a passion for problem-solving, quality control and employee and business development. He most recently served as senior manager of quality for Gleason Works in Rochester, New York. In this position, he focused on driving down the cost of poor quality through process development and continuous improvement. In his previous role, he managed operations and manufacturing for Gleason Works automation and CNC divisions. There, he implemented processes to reduce manufacturing variance and lead time while improving upon on-time delivery. As the operations manager, he successfully led the development, production and installation of many projects for tier one automotive manufacturers. Prior to joining Gleason, he worked for Kayex SPX. Over the course of five years there, he moved from field service engineer to field service site manager, and ultimately to project manager/process development engineer.

Linton specializes in silicon and produces equipment for materials such as germanium and gallium arsenide. They also provide technical support, process engineering support and replacement parts to help clients get businesses off the ground, improve productivity and continue to innovate. Linton has been the exclusive owner of Kayex technology since 2013.

For more information, visit www.lintoncrystal.com.

# # #

• Read more about Linton Crystal Technologies Welcomes Blazey as Director of Operations

Breker Verification Systems, the leading provider of advanced test content synthesis solutions, today unveiled the Breker Integrity FASTApps™ Portfolio, a library of automated test generation intellectual property (IP) elements targeting difficult-to-verify processor core and system-on-chip (SoC) scenarios.

The FASTApps provide commercial-grade, high-coverage verification for RISC-V processor cores and the SoC platforms that use them.

“The RISC-V Open ISA concept, while powerful, introduces verification challenges to engineering teams unfamiliar with processor complexities,” observes David Kelf, Breker’s CEO, an active RISC-V Consortium member involved with a public effort to improve RISC-V verification methodologies. “By automating test content generation, Breker’s years of verification experience can be encapsulated and applied across many projects, driving high test coverage with a minimal level of effort.”

Breker’s new Integrity FASTApps, ideal for the verification of processors based on the RISC-V Open Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) provide specific test sets for both processor core integrity and the System-on-Chip (SoC) that encompass these cores.
The Processor Core Integrity FASTApps include commonplace, but hard-to-verify scenarios such as load store integrity, random instruction testing, register-to-register hazards, conditionals and branches, exceptions, async. interrupts, privilege level switching, core security, exception testing (memory protection and machine-code integrity), virtual memory/paging and core coherency.

In addition, the SoC Integrity FASTApps include random memory and register tests, system interrupt testing (external, timing and software interrupts), multi-core execution, memory ordering, atomic operations, system coherency, system paging and memory management unit (MMU) operations, system security and power management.

Also available are apps for end-to-end multi-IP SoC testing and early firmware testing for RISC-V.

The FASTApps make full use of the Breker Test Suite Synthesis technology. Features include seamless portability across the entire verification flow and execution platforms, coverage-driven and pre-execution randomization for enhanced use models, powerful debug and performance profiling capability, and concurrent test set. They integrate fully with the Breker TrekApps such as the system coherency, security, power domain, networking and other system verification IP tests for fully comprehensive SoC and core-level verification.

Availability and Pricing
The Breker Integrity FASTApps for RISC-V as well as Arm and X86 based systems are available today.
Pricing is available upon request. Special introductory pricing applies to the FASTApps.
For more information, visit the Breker website or email [email protected].

Breker at the RISC-V Summit
Breker executives and technical staff will be part of the RISC-V Summit program held Tuesday, December 13, and Wednesday, December 14, at the San Jose Convention McEnery Center in San Jose, Calif.
John Sotiropoulos, principal engineer at Breker, will present “The New Verification Ecosystem that Supports RISC-V Verification for all Adopters” with Lee Moore, consulting engineer at Imperas Software, December 13 at 4:20 p.m. P.S. T.
Adnan Hamid, Breker’s CTO, will address “RISC-V SoC and Processor Integrity: Dealing with Unique RISC-V Integrity Issues” December 14 at 12:10 p.m. P.S.T.
Send email to [email protected] to arrange a meeting.

About Breker Verification Systems
Breker Verification Systems is a leading provider of Portable Stimulus solutions, a standard means to specify verification intent and behaviors reusable across target platforms. It is the first company to introduce graph-based verification and the synthesis of powerful test sets from intent-based, abstract scenario models based on AI planning algorithms. Breker’s Test Suite Synthesis and TrekApp library allows the automated generation of high-coverage, powerful test cases for deployment into a variety of UVM, SoC and Post-Silicon verification environments. Case studies that feature Altera (now Intel), Analog Devices, Broadcom, IBM, Huawei and other companies leveraging Breker’s solutions are available on the Breker website. Breker is privately held and works with leading semiconductor companies worldwide.

Engage with Breker at:
Website: www.brekersystems.com
Twitter: @BrekerSystems
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breker-verification-systems/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrekerSystems/

• Read more about Breker Verification Systems Unveils Easy-To-Adopt Integrity FASTApps Targeting RISC-V Processor Core, SoC Verification Scenarios

MILPITAS, CALIF. –– November 15, 2022 –– The 2022 Phil Kaufman Award ceremony and banquet honoring Dr. Giovanni De Micheli will be held Thursday, February 23, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. at The GlassHouse, 2 South Market Street in San Jose, Calif.

The evening will be hosted by the Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance) and the IEEE Council on Electronic Design Automation (CEDA). Early bird ticket pricing is available through Friday, January 13, 2023, at $175 per individual from member companies and $225 each for non-members. After January 13, member tickets are $225 each and $275 per non-member. Member pricing is offered for individuals or companies that are active SEMI or IEEE members.

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Bob Smith, executive director of the ESD Alliance, at [email protected] for more information.

Dr. De Micheli is Professor and Director of the Institute of Electrical Engineering (IEL) and of the Integrated Systems Centre at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is being recognized for his contributions to electronic design automation (EDA). His research on EDA tools and methodologies has helped drive significant advances in the academic field of design automation and made a lasting impact on the industry through their incorporation into commercial EDA solutions.

About the Phil Kaufman Award
The Phil Kaufman Award, co-sponsored by the ESD Alliance and CEDA, honors individuals who have had a demonstrable impact on the field of electronic system design through technology innovations, education/mentoring, or business or industry leadership. The annual award was established in 1994 as a tribute to Phil Kaufman, the late industry pioneer who turned innovative technologies into commercial businesses that have benefited electronic designers. The 2021 recipient was Dr. Anirudh Devgan, President and CEO of Cadence Design Systems. Visit the Phil Kaufman Award webpage for more details and a list of previous recipients.

About the IEEE Council on Electronic Design Automation (CEDA)
The IEEE Council on Electronic Design Automation (CEDA) provides a focal point for EDA activities spread across seven IEEE societies (Antennas and Propagation, Circuits and Systems, Computer, Electron Devices, Electronics Packaging, Microwave Theory and Techniques, and Solid-State Circuits). The Council sponsors or co-sponsors over a dozen key EDA conferences including: the Design Automation Conference (DAC), Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference (ASP-DAC), International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), Design Automation and Test in Europe (DATE), and events at Embedded Systems Week (ESWEEK). The Council also publishes IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits & Systems (TCAD), IEEE Design & Test (D&T), and IEEE Embedded Systems Letters (ESL). The Council boasts a prestigious awards program in order to promote the recognition of leading EDA professionals, which includes the A. Richard Newton, Phil Kaufman, and Ernest S. Kuh Early Career Awards. The Council welcomes new volunteers and local chapters.

Stay in touch with IEEE CEDA:
Website: www.ieee-ceda.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8343531
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ieeeceda/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IEEECEDA

About the SEMI Electronic System Design Alliance
The Electronic System Design (ESD) Alliance, a SEMI Technology Community representing members in the electronic system and semiconductor design ecosystem, is a community that addresses technical, marketing, economic and legislative issues affecting the entire industry. It acts as the central voice to communicate and promote the value of the semiconductor design ecosystem as a vital component of the global electronics industry.

Follow SEMI ESD Alliance
www.esd-alliance.org
ESD Alliance Bridging the Frontier blog
Twitter: @ESDAlliance
LinkedIn
Facebook

• Read more about 2022 Phil Kaufman Award Ceremony and Banquet Honoring Dr. Giovanni De Micheli Scheduled for February 23 in San Jose

microMIRA™ provides highly uniform, force-free lift-off of material layers at high speeds;
more than ten 3D-Micromac laser systems sold for microLED applications to date

Chemnitz, Germany, November 7, 2022—3D-Micromac AG, the industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for the semiconductor, photovoltaic, glass and display markets, today announced that a leading optical solutions provider has purchased multiple microMIRA™ Laser Lift-Off (LLO) systems from 3D-Micromac for use in the production of microLED devices. The customer will install the new microMIRA systems in pilot- and production lines at its state-of-the-art LED chip factory in Asia.

Laser Lift-Off an Enabling Process for microLEDs
MicroLEDs have the potential to revolutionize the display industry, promising a variety of advantages such as superior viewing angle, high dynamic range with perfect black luminance and high brightness, wide color gamut, fast refresh rates, long lifetime, and low power consumption. Potential applications include very large displays for indoor and outdoor use, as well as high-resolution displays for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) wearable devices.

However, the microLED fabrication process is vastly more complex than LCD and OLED manufacturing, and faces several technical challenges that must be overcome before microLEDs can be readily available in the mass market. Among these challenges is detaching and transferring the processed microLED chips from the donor or growth substrate (e.g., sapphire) to an intermediate substrate for subsequent testing without damaging the expensive growth substrate, allowing it to be repurposed for future use. The microMIRA system from 3D-Micromac precisely addresses this task with superior performance.

3D-Micromac’s microMIRA system provides highly uniform, force-free lift-off of different layers on large-area substrates at high processing speeds without the need for costly and polluting wet chemical processes. The unique line beam system is built on a highly customizable platform that can incorporate different laser sources, wavelengths and beam paths to meet each customer’s unique requirements. The system is capable of processing different substrate materials and sizes, and can achieve processing speeds (including handling) of up to 60 eight-inch wafers per hour.

According to Uwe Wagner, CEO of 3D-Micromac, “This multiple system order is a testament to our ability to provide innovative and enabling laser micromachining solutions for industrial applications serving both mature and emerging markets. It also represents an important milestone for 3D-Micromac as we continue to expand our product offerings and services into the display industry, addressing the production needs for exciting new display technologies, including microLEDs. To date, 3D-Micromac has sold more than 10 laser processing systems for microLED applications, including our industry-benchmark microMIRA laser-lift-off system as well as our recently introduced microCETI™ micromachining platform.”

The microMIRA LLO system has been used successfully in mass production by electronics manufacturers globally for years. In addition to gallium nitride (GaN) lift-off from glass and sapphire substrates in microLED display manufacturing, the microMIRA system can also be used for layer separation in semiconductor and sensor manufacturing, as well as for laser annealing and crystallization for surface modification.

More information on microMIRA, including our latest white paper “Laser technologies for microLED production,” can be found at https://3d-micromac.com/laser-lift-off/micromira/.

About 3D-Micromac
Founded in 2002, 3D-Micromac AG is the industry leader in laser micromachining, delivering powerful, user-friendly and leading-edge processes with superior production efficiency. We develop processes, machines and turnkey solutions at the highest technical and technological level. 3D-Micromac systems and services have been successfully implemented in various high-tech industries worldwide including photovoltaic, semiconductor, glass and display industries, micro diagnostics, and medical technology. For more information, visit the company’s website at http://www.3d-micromac.com.

• Read more about 3D-Micromac receives order for multiple Laser Lift-Off systems for microLED device manufacturing