A long-term, strategic, enterprise-level technology collaboration aims to further increase production efficiencies and reduce costs for Micron and its suppliers.

Cambridge, MA, July 13, 2022 – Today, Athinia™ announced that Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU), a global leader in innovative memory and storage solutions, plans to use the Athinia™ data analytics platform to create a pioneering data collaboration ecosystem that will help lead a continued journey of digital transformation with Micron’s critical suppliers. Athinia™’s state-of-the-art AI-driven quality control methodology will be able to further improve process and device yield, reduce costs and accelerate time to value generation using select data and insights from Micron’s supply chain. Athinia™, launched in December 2021, is a partnership between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (DAX:MKGAF) and Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR).

“The secure architecture provided by Athinia™ will allow Micron and its suppliers to share a single source of real-time data without compromising data ownership, governance, privacy and security,” said Laura Matz, CEO of Athinia™ and Chief Science and Technology Officer of Merck, KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Through data sharing and collaboration, the platform leverages machine learning-driven analytics to solve critical challenges.”

Using Athinia™’s platform, Micron’s suppliers will be able to share their process and manufacturing data as well as key parameters, offering secure collaboration on a much larger population of critical data analytics. Micron and its suppliers can expect to see improvements in yields, shortened qualification times and enhanced quality.

“Micron is leading the industry in adopting the Athinia™ platform for its new ecosystem. Through data collaboration, Athinia™ can help to achieve key objectives for the semiconductor industry such as the improvement of material quality and sustainability, supply chain resilience as well as the acceleration of innovation cycles,” said Kai Beckmann, Member of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and CEO Electronics. “Ultimately, data analytics and collaboration will allow a wide range of benefits to the entire semiconductor industry.”

“The production and delivery of semiconductors is absolutely vital to our collective welfare and security,” said Alexander C. Karp, co-founder and chief executive officer of Palantir Technologies Inc. “We are committed to ensuring that Micron and Athinia™ have the software they need to address the supply chain challenges involved in the distribution of one of the world’s most essential and important products.”

About Athinia Technologies LLC
Data for Pioneers. Athinia™ provides a data analytics platform that brings manufacturers and materials suppliers together to share, aggregate, and analyze data to unlock efficiencies and time to market, while improving quality, supply chain and sustainability. All this without taking ownership of data.

Athinia™ is a partnership between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (DAX:MKGAF), and Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR). Athinia is headquartered in Cambridge, MA, USA. Athinia operates independently from the Electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. More information can be found at www.athinia.com, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 60,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2021, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 19.7 billion in 66 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark “Merck” internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company’s technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company.

About Palantir Technologies Inc.
Foundational software of tomorrow. Delivered today. Additional information is available at https://www.palantir.com.

For more information please contact [email protected]

• Read more about Micron to Select Athinia™ for Pioneering Data Collaboration

Deventer, July 13, 2022 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, will publish the Company’s first half-year report for 2022 before stock opening on July 21, 2022.

CEO Martin Sallenhag and CFO Arvid Ladega will comment on the report and will respond to questions during the conference call for media, analysts and shareholders on July 21, 2022 at 9:30 CEST.

You are invited to join the Microsoft TEAMS event using the following login instructions:
Join with your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+49 69 509544247 Germany, Frankfurt am Main
+31 20 399 9804 The Netherlands, Amsterdam
+32 2 895 09 68 Belgium, Bruxelles
+41 43 217 23 02 Switzerland, Zurich

Find a local number – in case you are in another country
Phone Conference ID: 760 330 187#

About RoodMicrotec
RoodMicrotec is a leading independent company for semiconductor supply and quality services. With more than 50 years of experience in the semiconductor and electronics industry, RoodMicrotec is well-established as a highly valued partner for many companies worldwide. The Company provides full-turnkey ASIC services for complex microchips that are customized to handle specific applications for individual customers. In cooperation with strong partners, RoodMicrotec manages the entire development and production flow of ASICs in the target volume, ranging from low quantities up to multiple millions per year. The turnkey solution includes project management, wafer test, assembly, final test, qualification, failure analysis and logistics. All services comply with the industrial and quality requirements of the high reliability, aerospace, automotive, healthcare and industrial sectors. RoodMicrotec’s headquarter is located in Deventer, Netherlands, with operational units in Nördlingen and Stuttgart, Germany.

For more information visit https://www.roodmicrotec.com

Further information
Martin Sallenhag - CEO, Arvid Ladega - CFO
Telephone: +31 570 745623 Email: [email protected] Web: www.roodmicrotec.com

This press release is published in English only.

• Read more about RoodMicrotec N.V.: Invitation to the presentation of the first half-year’s results for 2022

Sikama International is excited to exhibit at SEMICON West 2022 this July, presenting the innovative Electron Attachment fluxless reflow technology, our upcoming 40th anniversary, and an extensive product line for a broad range of applications providing customers with the highest efficiency, smallest footprint, and most versatility in the industry. Our patented Electron Attachment technology, developed in partnership with AirProducts™, provides unmatched performance offering truly safe and residue-free fluxless reflow. The system is operated with N2 cover gas and an H2/N2 blend with less than 5% hydrogen, ensuring safe operation. The EA UP1200 utilizes an electrically isolated ceramic roller transport mechanism to move the work item from zone-to-zone through the oven. The work item is deoxidized in the EA zones prior to reflow which eliminates the need for flux coating or washing. This technology has shown to be superior to formic acid processes time and time again. In addition, this revolutionary breakthrough offers the safest and lowest cost per wafer yet for the semiconductor packaging industry.

Sikama is looking forward to discussing their full product line at SEMICON West this year. Visit our booth #1447 to learn more and enter to win an iPad Air!

• Read more about Sikama International at SEMICON West 2022 – “Reliable, Repeatable, Responsible Reflow”

Yield Engineering Systems, Inc. (YES), a leading manufacturer of process equipment for semiconductor advanced packaging, life sciences, and “More-than-Moore” applications, today announced that it has promoted Dan O’Connell to Vice President of Strategic Accounts.

Mr. O’Connell joined YES in November of 2021 as Senior Director of Key Account Management. In his newly expanded role, he will work closely with the company’s Sales, Marketing and Technology teams to nurture strategic customer relationships and ensure YES’s alignment with current and future customer technology requirements.

“Dan’s extensive strategic account experience in the semiconductor industry has contributed to our rapid growth,” said Rezwan Lateef, President of YES. “His proven ability to develop strong industry relationships aimed at enabling technology roadmaps, coupled with his intimate knowledge of Advanced Packaging processes, make Dan a valued addition to our senior leadership team.”

Prior to joining YES, Mr. O’Connell held senior key account management positions of increasing responsibility at ASM Pacific Technology Ltd., Tokyo Electron (TEL), LAM/Novellus, and Ebara. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

About YES
Yield Engineering Systems, Inc. (YES) is a preferred provider of high-tech, cost-effective equipment for enhancing surfaces and materials. The company’s product lines include thermal processing systems, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) systems, and wet process equipment used for the precise surface modification of semiconductor substrates, semiconductor and MEMS devices, LED displays, and biodevices. Customers ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies rely on YES systems to create and volume-produce innovative products in a wide range of markets. YES is headquartered in Fremont, California, with a growing global presence. For more information, please visit yieldengineering.com.

• Read more about YES Names Dan O’Connell as Vice President of Strategic Accounts

Deventer, June 21, 2022 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, and EnSilica plc, a leading chip maker of mixed signal ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), today announce that they have successfully brought a mixed signal automotive ASIC to commercial production following the official launch of a new flagship vehicle by a premium automotive company. The ASIC provides key differentiating features in the chassis control of the vehicle.

As announced in 2018, RoodMicrotec was selected by EnSilica to support it in the qualification and testing of this mixed signal automotive ASIC. RoodMicrotec will undertake final testing and shipment of the ASICs for EnSilica.

EnSilica is pleased to confirm that the main production run has now commenced with the official launch of the vehicle. The production schedule for more than 2.5 million ASICs over the next 12 months has been received. The ASIC has an anticipated seven-year production life and depending on the model, there are up to 24 ASICs per vehicle.

“It has been exciting to support EnSilica in bringing this project to production over the last few years. We are now looking forward to supporting production of this device in our Nördlingen facility”, says Martin Sallenhag, CEO of RoodMicrotec. “It again shows the demand for our unique combined capabilities, in depth experience and excellent track record in bringing automotive products to the market for our valued customers.”

“We are delighted to be entering the full production volume of this exciting project, having successfully collaborated with RoodMicrotec over a number of years. Our joint effort across this highly technical automotive project has now resulted in successful launch of the vehicle”, says Ian Lankshear, CEO of EnSilica.

About EnSilica
EnSilica is a leading fabless design house focused on custom ASIC design and supply for OEMs and system houses, as well as IC design services for companies with their own design teams. The company has world-class expertise in supplying custom RF, mmWave, mixed signal and digital ICs to its international customers in the automotive, industrial, healthcare and communications markets. The company also offers a broad portfolio of core IP covering cryptography, radar and communications systems. EnSilica has a track record in delivering high quality solutions to demanding industry standards. The company is headquartered near Oxford, UK and has a design centres across the UK and in Bangalore, India and Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Further information on EnSilica at www.ensilica.com

About RoodMicrotec
RoodMicrotec is a leading independent company for semiconductor supply and quality services. With more than 50 years of experience in the semiconductor and electronics industry, RoodMicrotec is well-established as a highly valued partner for many companies worldwide. The Company provides full-turnkey ASIC services for complex microchips that are customized to handle specific applications for individual customers. In cooperation with strong partners, RoodMicrotec manages the entire development and production flow of ASICs in the target volume, ranging from low quantities up to multiple millions per year. The turnkey solution includes project management, wafer test, assembly, final test, qualification, failure analysis and logistics. All services comply with the industrial and quality requirements of the high reliability, aerospace, automotive, healthcare and industrial sectors. RoodMicrotec’s headquarter is located in Deventer, Netherlands, with operational units in Nördlingen and Stuttgart, Germany.
Further information on RoodMicrotec at www.roodmicrotec.com

Further information
Martin Sallenhag - CEO, Arvid Ladega - CFO
Telephone: +31 570 745623 Email: [email protected] Web: www.roodmicrotec.com

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

• Read more about Premium Automotive Vehicle Launched with EnSilica’s Key Mixed Signal ASIC

Brewer Science presents EUV lithography innovation at largest tech conference in Asia
Roles of underlayers in EUV lithography is the keynote speech at CSTIC 2022
 

Rolla, Mo. June 20, 2022 - Brewer Science, Inc., a global leader in developing and manufacturing next-generation materials and processes for the microelectronics and optoelectronics industries, will present the keynote address, Roles of Underlayers in Novel Patterning for EUV Lithography, at the China Semiconductor Technology International Conference (CSTIC), one of the largest and the most comprehensive annual semiconductor technology conferences in Asia.

Semiconductor Innovation Requires Materials for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV)
EUV lithography is used to pattern the smallest features in advanced semiconductor devices. The demand for smaller devices with more capabilities requires industry innovation in EUV processes and materials. Additionally, EUV plays a critical role in the evolution of technology and enables the continuous advancement of the semiconductor roadmap, as it provides the capabilities of higher processing power, while using less energy, and providing higher performance. However, one of the biggest challenges facing EUV lithography is material requirements, recognizing the critical role underlayers play in the patterning of EUV lithography. Unlike bottom anti-reflective coatings (BARC), thickness is not limited by wavelength, but rather related to resist and process requirements.

 
Roles of Underlayers in Novel Patterning for EUV Lithography
Dr. Douglas Guerrero, Senior Technologist at Brewer Science, has published over 60 papers in the areas of conducting polymers, BARCs, DSA, and underlayers for EUV lithography, and is an inventor on over 20 US patents. In his keynote address, Roles of Underlayers in Novel Patterning for EUV Lithography, during the Symposium II: Lithography and Patterning at CSTIC, he will provide information on the device and materials roadmap, as well as answer questions to the most critical questions in the industry:

• How does overall EUV patterning require thinner layers?
• What challenges do chemically amplified resists (CARs) and underlayers face?
• What role will underlayer play in future patterning?
• What are the options for patterning without a CAR?

Additionally, Zhimin Zhu, Senior Scientist at Brewer Science, will be co-chairing the Session II panel, Lithography Materials, within the Symposium II: Lithography and Patterning.

CSTIC will have nine symposiums covering all aspects of semiconductor technology with focus on manufacturing and advanced technology, including detailed manufacturing processes, device design, integration, materials, and equipment, as well as emerging semiconductor technologies, circuit design, and silicon material applications. CSTIC is organized by SEMI and IEEE-EDS, co-organized by IMECAS. The conference will be held June 14th, 2022 through July 12, 2022 accessed online through the SEMI Cloud.

If you are unable to attend, but wish to learn more about Brewer Science’s innovative EUV lithography materials, you can visit our website to view datasheets and schedule a call with an EUV expert.

 
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.

• Read more about Brewer Science presents EUV lithography innovation at largest tech conference in Asia

Zurich, Switzerland / Heidelberg, Germany – Heidelberg Instruments Nano AG in Zurich, a subsidiary office of Heidelberg Instruments Mikrotechnik GmbH celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the commercialization of the NanoFrazor system series. The NanoFrazor is based on the Thermal Scanning Probe (t-SPL) technology and can be used for nanopatterning of quantum devices on 1D/2D materials, grayscale photonics devices, nanofluidic structures or biomimetic substrates for cell growth.

Originally the Thermal Scanning Probe technology was developed at IBM, where a group of researchers showed that the sharp tips of atomic force microscopes can be heated and used as a tool to “drill” nanoscale holes and later to write arbitrary nanostructures by using special, evaporating materials.

After exploring the technology at IBM, Felix Holzner and Philip Paul incorporated SwissLitho AG as a spin-off from ETH Zurich (Heidelberg Instruments Nano AG since 2021) as CEO and CTO with the idea of selling nanolithography equipment for t-SPL. The technical term “Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography” was then replaced by the product name “NanoFrazor”.

After starting operations of then SwissLitho in early 2013, the first commercial NanoFrazor machine named “Titlis”, a NanoFrazor Explore, was installed in 2014 at McGill University in Canada. “Titlis” is still running and just recently received an upgrade with the integration of the laser writer module jointly developed in Heidelberg and Zurich. Today, more than 50 NanoFrazor systems have been installed at renowned facilities all over the world, with new customers lined up for future systems.

“The NanoFrazor team in Zurich works on various promising developments on the instrument as well as on the materials to continuously expand the applications range of the technology. There are still manifold open opportunities for the NanoFrazor, as it can still be considered novel, even 10 years after the start of its commercialization. Everyone at Heidelberg Instruments is excited to see how the NanoFrazor will have developed in another 10 years from now”, Konrad Roessler, CEO of Heidelberg Instruments Mikrotechnik says.

The anniversary was celebrated in the newly opened office of Heidelberg Instruments Nano in Zurich together with family, friends, and numerous partners, who supported the successful journey of the NanoFrazor.

About Heidelberg Instruments Mikrotechnik GmbH
With over 35 years of experience and more than 1,200 installed systems, Heidelberg Instruments is one of the leading international players in developing and producing high-precision photolithography systems and nanofabrication tools. Heidelberg Instruments systems are installed in industrial and scientific facilities around the world. They are used for efficient direct writing and photomask fabrication for various industries, including semiconductors, quantum computing, photonics, 2D materials, IoT, and many related fields.

• Read more about Heidelberg Instruments celebrates 10 years of NanoFrazor

Primarius Technologies today announced its SDEP™ intelligent spec-driven model extraction platform has been adopted by Samsung Foundry.

SDEP helps Samsung Foundry and its customers significantly shorten turnaround time for SPICE model development, accelerating development competitiveness at legacy nodes, and enabling fast Design Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO) iterations at advanced process nodes. By continuously embedding know-how in the customized flow, engineers can run automated flows with more than 50% efficiency improvement for curve fitting. That solves resource shortage problems for multiple projects and ensures high-delivery quality of SPICE models independent of engineer’s experience level.

“Samsung and Primarius achieved another success with SDEP’s adoption after intensive testing and qualification of the technology on our advanced process platforms,” remarks Jongwook Kye, Executive Vice President of Foundry Design Enablement Team at Samsung Electronics. “Our mutual customers will benefit from having faster time to market with reduced model development and delivery time. With a SDEP setup, we can provide high-quality SPICE model and meet increasing customer demands with our available engineering resources.”

“Samsung has been a long-time Primarius customer and a strategic partner,” comments Dr. Zhihong Liu, Primarius’ Chairman and CEO. “SDEP is a revolutionary technology to enable an efficient DTCO and meet the toughest needs from advanced process development. We’re glad that SDEP is being adopted by Samsung Foundry, which enables fast iterations with design groups and further increases Primarius’ value as a Samsung SAFE ecosystem partner.”

SPICE modeling is more challenging and takes more effort at smaller technology nodes where device characteristics are more complicated. It now takes several months to develop a full SPICE model library for IC design after process technology development is completed.

In the post-Moore’s Law era, challenges include continuous shrinking of transistors and new process platforms for different applications using older technology nodes. Each variety of a process platform requires a dedicated effort on SPICE model development and foundries see more model development requests than previous generations. As a result, delivery of fast and accurate SPICE models with limited engineering resources is a challenge when faster time to market and quick iterations between process development and circuit designs are expected.

About SDEP
An innovative model development platform designed to tackle advanced SPICE modeling challenges, SDEP provides a system to retain and receive device modeling expertise and build automated flows for different process platforms and applications with intelligent target-oriented algorithms. Modeling experts can establish fully customized model auto-extraction flows for different applications using powerful and flexible modules available. With a built-in parallel SPICE as the core simulation engine for fast performance, it has integrated data analysis and validation utilities, rich parameter control and optimization functions as well as flow automation features.

At 2022 Design Automation Conference
Primarius Technologies will exhibit at the 2022 Design Automation Conference (DAC) in Booth #1419 (First floor) Monday, July 11, through Wednesday, July 13, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

To arrange a meeting or demonstration of the Primarius Technologies product line, send email to: [email protected].

About Primarius
Primarius Technologies (688206.SH) is a global EDA company delivering industry-leading design enablement technologies for advanced SPICE modeling, PDK generation and standard cell library characterizations, and a complete DTCO-enabled custom design EDA flow for complex memory, analog and mixed-signal designs. Powered by leading edge SPICE/FastSPICE simulation technologies, Primarius is committed to deliver innovative DTCO EDA solutions, with the mission to shorten time-to-market and improve YPPA of circuit designs at advanced process nodes, and unique data-driven EDA solutions, supported by full range of semiconductor parametric testing systems and industry’s golden low frequency noise testing systems. Visit Primarius Technologies for more information.

• Read more about Samsung Foundry Adopts Primarius’ SDEP to Shorten SPICE Model Development Turnaround Time