Brewer Science is the first and only company in the semiconductor industry with GreenCircle Certification.

Rolla, Mo.– April 3, 2024–Brewer Science, a global technology leader, is pleased to announce it has earned Zero Waste to Landfill Certification for the ninth consecutive year. The Zero Waste to Landfill Certification represents Brewer Science’s commitment to the responsible management of end-of-life materials and demonstrates the company’s commitment to waste diversion practices.

Brewer Science is the first and only company in the semiconductor and microelectronics industry to achieve GreenCircle Certification – Zero Waste to Landfill. GreenCircle certifies an organization for Zero Waste to Landfill Certification if 100% of the materials leaving the facility are intended to be diverted from landfill via one of GreenCircle’s acceptable means of diversion. Waste diversion from landfill, defined as the prevention and reduction of generated waste through source reduction, recycling, reuse, or composting, has been characterized as one of the best ways manufacturing companies can demonstrate genuine environmental responsibility.

Sustainability continues to be a prominent focus for Brewer Science, with remarkable progress towards goals, including:

• Net Zero Carbon Footprint by 2050
• Reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 80% from baseline 2018 by 2030
• Divert over 75% of hazardous waste volume to re-use applications annually
• Achieve 100% renewable energy consumption annually

Education continues to play an important role in advocating for sustainable development across the supply chain. Brewer Science has developed a new program aimed at bridging the gap in environmental initiatives among its stakeholders. You can find the Sustainability Outreach Program at the bottom of Brewer Science’s Going Green webpage.

Brewer Science provides a comprehensive evaluation of the company’s five impact areas in its annual Impact Report, which can also be found on the Going Green page.

“The Sustainability Outreach Program we are launching this year is designed to work with our partners, whether that be our employees, suppliers, customers, or other organizations in the communities in which we serve, to collaborate and align on sustainability programs and projects to have a net positive impact on the environment,” states Matthew Beard, Executive Director, Strategic Planning, Management Systems, and Sustainability at Brewer Science.

For semiconductor companies, it is essential to evaluate the materials used in manufacturing, identify any more environmentally friendly alternatives, and handle the waste responsibly. Brewer Science established its Green Chemistry Program in 2019, which is an effort to identify chemical alternatives that are proven to be more sustainable, as well as divert hazardous materials for reuse applications. Additionally, Brewer Science organizes an annual community collection recycling program partnering with waste disposal companies and volunteer crews to prevent community e-waste from becoming a part of a landfill. The company shares about its sustainability programs on its “Going Green” page to encourage other tech companies to adopt more sustainable practices.

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.

About the GreenCircle Certified, LLC
GreenCircle Certified, LLC was established to ensure specificity in third-party certification after encountering many unsubstantiated claims in the marketplace. Since 2009, GreenCircle has offered forward-thinking companies a competitive advantage by providing specific, third-party certification of environmental claims. GreenCircle’s rigorous evaluation process provides independent verification that claims of sustainable aspects of products and operations are valid. Manufacturers, suppliers, regulators, occupants, and consumers can be assured that products labeled with the GreenCircle Certified mark have been thoroughly assessed and their claims verified to applicable standards. Learn more at www.greencirclecertified.com/.

• Read more about Brewer Science Earns GreenCircle Certification for Zero Waste to Landfill for Ninth Consecutive Year

Kitchener, Ontario, April 2, 2024 – The SEMI North America Information and Control Committee (I&CC) has announced that Albert Fuchigami, a Senior Standards Specialist at PEER Group®, has been confirmed as a Technical Committee co-chair during its recently held spring meeting.

As an I&CC co-chair, Fuchigami will help coordinate the various SEMI task forces responsible for the development and maintenance of communication and control SEMI Standards used to automate the semiconductor manufacturing process. Fuchigami will also play an important role in facilitating collaboration between the regional technical committees while providing mentorship and guidance on navigating SEMI rules and regulations.

“I greatly appreciate the support from committee members to confirm me as co-chair,” says Fuchigami. “SEMI I&C Standards are essential to satisfy our industry’s ever growing demands for big data, smart manufacturing, and automation in an efficient and scalable manner. I look forward to helping move their development further in this role.”

Fuchigami is heavily involved in the SEMI Standards Program in North America, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China. He co-leads the SEMI North America Data Diagnostic Acquisition (DDA) Task Force, has authored various SEMI articles and tech briefs, and regularly shares his knowledge and expertise at industry conferences and events.

In recognition of his contributions to the international SEMI Standards program, Fuchigami was awarded the North American SEMI International Standards Leadership Award in 2022 and the Japan Information and Control Technical Committee Award in 2021.

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. An award-winning company, PEER Group’s commitment to quality has been recognized by Intel’s EPIC Supplier Program, naming PEER Group a Distinguished Supplier in 2024. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn.

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Brooks Instrument, a world leader in advanced flow measurement and control, has released its new GF120xHT Series high-temperature thermal mass flow controller. This is the company’s first high-temperature mass flow controller in the GF family and is specifically designed to support solid and liquid precursors required in semiconductor manufacturing.

Mass flow controllers (MFCs) are the most important component in the gas delivery systems used to produce an integrated circuit. The GF120xHT Series MFC flow module can operate between 45°C and 150°C. In comparison, traditional thermal MFCs can only operate up to 50°C. By offering a greater operating range than conventional thermal MFCs, the GF120xHT Series can precisely deliver vapor to the process chamber, even when that material is a liquid or a solid at room temperature.

The GF120xHT is unique in its capability to support upgrades from Brooks Instrument’s legacy heated 9861 and VC4900 MFC series. With ultrafast EtherCAT® communication, programmable alarms and warnings developed specifically for advanced process control, and fault detection and classification (FDC) tracking, it’s also an optimum choice for next-generation platforms.

“Our high-temperature GF120xHT MFC will solve customer pain points by delivering precursors for critical processes, such as selective atomic layer deposition (ALD), in advanced logic and memory applications,” said Dr. Mohamed Saleem, chief technology officer, semiconductor platform, at ITW, the parent company of Brooks Instrument. “The GF120xHT will deliver these critical precursors reliably, accurately and without particle contamination.”

The new MFC features a variety of user-friendly qualities that support advancements in semiconductor manufacturing, including:

High-Temperature Capabilities: In a typical thermal MFC, the mechanical components can be heated to high temperatures, but the electronic components cannot. To support high-temperature applications, the electronics are remotely connected to the mechanical flow module of the GF120xHT Series. The flow module can operate at temperatures up to 150°C, while the remote electronics are mounted in a cooler location (About Brooks Instrument
Since 1946, Brooks Instrument has been a leader in precision fluid measurement and control technology. Providing instrumentation for flow, pressure and vapor delivery, the company serves customers in semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing, laboratories and other processes and industries. With manufacturing, sales and service locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, Brooks Instrument has the world’s largest installed base of mass flow controllers.

For more information, please visit www.BrooksInstrument.com. The company is also on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/Brooks-Instrument) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/Brooks407).

• Read more about Brooks Instrument Introduces New Mass Flow Controllers for High-Temperature Environments

SANTA BARBARA, CA – September 1, 2023 – Sikama International Inc., in collaboration with AirProducts Inc.™, is proud to announce the full commercial launch of its acid-free Electron Attachment (EA) Fluxless Reflow Soldering System, a revolutionary step for the Advanced Packaging Semiconductor sector.

The innovative technology behind this system is based on the Electron Attachment (EA) principle for activating hydrogen, a method that AirProducts has been refining for the past 15 years to efficiently reduce surface oxides. The EA technology is engineered to break down H₂ molecules into hydrogen anions, which are then targeted towards the soldering surfaces to effectively clean and reduce oxides before the reflow process. Additionally, this technology operates at ambient pressure and temperatures well within the window of traditional reflow processes.

The key advantages of this technology include:
• Truly Residue-Free: Enhanced reflow quality without flux-induced solder voids and wafer contamination. No post-reflow cleaning equipment is required and significantly less oven cleaning.
• In-line Process: Easily integrated into existing manufacturing lines without batch processing. The EA process occurs immediately before the reflow process.
• Environmental Impact: The EA flux-free process is entirely residue-free and environmentally benign with no organic vapors, hazardous residues, or CO2 emission.
• Ambient Pressure and sub-reflow temperatures: No vacuum requirements and safely processes substrates.

Sikama, as the exclusive global integrator of this technology and partner with AirProducts, views the technology and equipment commercialization as “a game-changer for this industry, as the need for advanced solutions to packaging evolutions in the semiconductor industry continue to evolve”, according to Herb Weigel, President and CEO of Sikama International.

The Sikama EA1200 Solder reflow oven is certified to EN 600204-1, SEMI S2/S8/S22/S23/F47/E6, is CE certified, and is verified to be compliant with NFPA79 in installed applications. Nearly 50 Worldwide Patents have been issued on this technology. The technology is well suited to provide significant benefits to small geometries in wafer bumping, copper pillar, and flip chip applications.

Established in 1982, Sikama International, Inc. designs and produces its products in Santa Barbara, California. Their reflow system offerings provide exceptional performance, with the fluxless systems set to redefine industry standards.

Reliable. Repeatable. Responsible. Reflow.

About Sikama
For over 40 years, Sikama International has offered highly reliable equipment and is the trusted option of manufacturers worldwide.

• Read more about Sikama International Announces Full Commercialization of Acid-Free “Electron Attachment” Fluxless Solder Reflow System

Sikama International, a trusted provider of state-of-the-art reflow systems is proud to announce their new partnership with CMT, a global leader specializing in back-end semiconductor solutions.

CMT was formed in August 2010 by Mr. CW Kwak, who has over 30 years experience in the semiconductor industry. CMT offers both material and equipment solutions in the back-end semiconductor assembly market.

CMT is a unique global marketing and sales company. CMT focuses on a micro-level marketing working directly with clients and customers through offering specific projects, right beta sites, and global project management. CMT focuses on short-term projects to deliver sales on client’s current products, then offers mid-term projects for next 2-3 years, and long-term programs 5-10 years out to deliver continuous long-term growth and sustainability.

Sikama’s new partnership with CMT will enable both companies to expand their reach to provide customers with an expansive range of solutions on a global platform.

About Sikama
For over 40 years, Sikama International has offered highly reliable equipment and is the trusted option of manufacturers worldwide.

• Read more about Sikama International Strengthens Worldwide Distributor Network by Partnering with CMT Global to Support Korean and International Markets

Wooptix SL, a company based in Tenerife, Madrid and San Francisco, has announced the signing of a 10-million-dollar Series B financing round. The round includes participation by: Bullnet Capital, CDTI (Centre for the Development of Technology and Innovation), Danobatgroup, European Innovation Council Fund (EIC), Fagor Automation, Intel Capital, Mondragón Promotion and Tel Ventures.

The company is focused on commercializing semiconductor metrology equipment incorporating wavefront phase imaging. “Phemet®, the system developed by Wooptix, measures the silicon wafer warpage, and its accuracy is a “significant advance in the industry,” affirms José Manuel Ramos, Founder and CEO of the company.

Wooptix's patented technology enables blank and patterned wafer-shape measurement in less time and with higher resolution than current systems being used in the industry. "Wooptix's wavefront sensor and its semiconductor applications are generating interest from key players in the semiconductor industry as evidenced by the Series B financing round,” explains Javier Elizalde, Co-founder and COO.

The company has been recognized as well by the EIC Accelerator Program through a 2.5M€ grant in addition to the equity investment. The grant and investment support Wooptix's product introduction and future technological innovation including the manufacture, delivery, and installation of three semiconductor metrology tools in Japan, the USA and the Netherlands this year.

"Keeping in mind that each Phemet® is only a metric ton weight, together with the sensitivity of the instrument components that enable measurements at the nanometer scale, Wooptix demonstrates a world-class engineering and operations capability,” continues Elizalde.

Next steps
Wooptix has a well defined roadmap for each product line to meet the needs of lab and fab customers. In the case of the semiconductor metrology business unit, the next step is to automate Phemet®. Enhanced automation will reduce risk of contamination of wafers under measurement and provide consistent reproducibility to the system. Due to the flexibility of Wooptix’s design, another step is to integrate Phemet® into existing semiconductor equipment platforms from tool vendors.

Phemet® and the Series B financing round demonstrate Wooptix’s growth and maturity as it begins initial tool deliveries to customers. "It is really valuable for us to transition now from an R&D company to become a product and manufacturing company. With this objective in mind, we are building the necessary infrastructure, including procedures and certifications to protocols and management teamwork, to support customers as we enter the market," explains José Manuel Ramos.

Semiconductor Equipment Industry in Numbers
According with SEMI (the global semiconductor industry association) the semiconductor equipment sales forecast for 2023 is $87 billion. "The semiconductor equipment market will see a strong rebound in 2024,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI President and CEO. "Projections for robust long-term growth driven by high-performance computing and ubiquitous connectivity remain intact.”

As reported by SEMI, the wafer fab equipment segment is projected to account for the bulk of the recovery to $100 billion in 2024, generating $87.8 billion in sales, a 14.8% increase.

About Wooptix
Wooptix is a leader in semiconductor metrology through wavefront phase imaging, a technique derived from adaptive optics research in astronomy. With a multidisciplinary team, Wooptix aims to disrupt the semiconductor metrology industry with the highest lateral resolution and fastest measurement technique for inline fab measurements.

The company has developed Phemet®, a wafer shape lab tool for blank and patterned wafers, ahead of the upcoming fully automated fab tool, expected in 2024. Wooptix has already deployed Phemet® at several customer sites worldwide.

Wooptix is based at Tenerife, Madrid (Spain) and San Francisco (USA).

• Read more about Wooptix closes $11 million Series B financing round

PENANG, MALAYSIA - AUGUST 2023 ViTrox, which aims to be the world’s most trusted technology company, is excited to announce its first-ever participation in ELEXCON Shenzhen 2023, one of the influential trade shows in Southern China, at Hall 9, Booth #9G17 in Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center (SZCEC), China from 23rd to 25th August 2023.

ViTrox will be showcasing its latest Back-end Semiconductor Inspection Solutions, which are the Tray-Based Vision Handler – TR3000i and the Post Seal Vision Handler – VR20i G2 during the event.

Introducing the Tray-to-Tape & Reel Vision Inspection Handler –TR3000i, the cutting-edge solution tailored for 5G, IoT, Automotive, and Industry 4.0 industries. Its high-resolution 6-sided vision system ensures comprehensive inspections, supporting sizes from 1.8x1.8mm to 130x130mm without conversion. The TR3000i's robust handling features auto-pitching, tape width conversion, 8 active approaches for Smart Taper Precision, and up to 3x14 pick-and-place nozzles. With additional hardware configurations like the Smart Reel Changer, Auto Nozzle Changer, AUX Tray, and Extended Track, it guarantees high efficiency and high throughput. Fully automated and A.I.-powered, it optimises production yield, setting new standards for efficiency, connectivity, and precision in emerging industries.

ViTrox’s Post Seal Vision Handler – VR20i G2 is a game-changer in reel-to-reel inspection. Designed for tape widths from 8mm to 32mm, it features advanced visual inspection capabilities and automated mechanisms for track and dummy reel width adjustment, ensuring precise component handling. The system supports various package types with multiple vision inspections, enabling comprehensive and high-quality results. With dual-track to improve productivity, it enhances throughput by processing over 130K UPH for a 2mm pocket pitch and 80K UPH for a 4mm pocket pitch, while fast changeovers for different carrier tapes minimise downtime. The VR20i G2 guarantees maximum efficiency, reduces human error, and greatly reduces the return on investment (ROI) period, making it the ideal solution to automate your final gate inspection.

Start your productivity-boosting journey with ViTrox's advanced solutions! Secure an appointment to meet our technical experts and experience live product demonstrations by clicking the registration link. If you want to know more about our solutions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. Get ready to take your productivity to the next level!

Registration Link: https://wj.qq.com/s2/12764140/8c87/

About ViTrox Technologies
ViTrox is committed to being the World’s Most Trusted Technology Company and the leading solutions provider through the most innovative, advanced, and cost-effective machine vision solution of excellent quality to its customers by integrating ViTrox’s technologies, people, and strategic alliances.

ViTrox offers a full spectrum of solutions, ranging from Middle & Back-end Semiconductor Inspection Solutions, SMT PCB Assembly Vision Inspection Solutions, Electronics Communication Systems, and Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Intelligence Solutions. ViTrox is headquartered in Penang, Malaysia, with offices in Asia, Germany, and the United States and sales and support sites worldwide.

For more information about ViTrox’s products and services, please visit www.vitrox.com.

• Read more about ViTrox to Demonstrate Next-Generation Vision Inspection Systems at ELEXCON Shenzhen 2023!