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Posted: February 9, 2009

SEMATECH educational forums in 2009 to focus on key areas in nanoelectronics
(Nanowerk News) SEMATECH today announced the content of its 2009 SEMATECH Knowledge Series (SKS), a lineup of seminal public meetings designed to increase global knowledge and collaboration in key areas of nanoelectronics R&D.
“We recognize the current economic crisis and have aligned this year's SKS lineup to focus on the most critical challenges facing the semiconductor industry,” said Michael Polcari, President and CEO of SEMATECH. “Especially in these areas, it is more important than ever for our industry to come together, share ideas, build consensus, and drive actionable solutions. We believe we do that best with our SKS series.”
The focus of this year’s meetings will be on the critical challenges and technology developments in next-generation lithography, materials and methods to enhance transistor and back-end development, and ways to improve manufacturing efficiency and yield.
During SKS meetings, participants will:
  • Review and rank critical issues required to bring R&D concepts to commercial production
  • Focus on ways to extend the use of current materials and technologies in the face of increasing costs
  • Share data and methodologies for lowering manufacturing expenses both in existing and next-generation fabs through advances in equipment, processes, resources, fab design, and manufacturing methods
  • Guide the industry in seeking effective solutions for future technology generations
  • Build on critical university, supplier and manufacturer relationships required to accelerate innovation
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    The 2009 SKS meetings include the following, grouped by technology focus. Other meetings may be added during the course of the year, and all will be open to the public, with several accepting sponsorships and exhibits.
    Lithography
  • SEMATECH EUV Source Workshop, May 29-30 in Baltimore, MD
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    In 2009, fully integrated extreme ultraviolet (EUV) LPP lithography sources with output power of approximately 100 W are scheduled to be delivered to exposure tool manufactures for integration into the pre-production EUV scanners. This workshop will review the progress made in source performance and provide an overview of the critical challenges and technology developments of EUV lithography sources. The objective of the workshop is to develop an understanding of the current status and performance of these lithography sources, identify remaining challenges, and identify development and engineering gaps in current EUV source technology.
  • SEMATECH Advanced Mask Cleaning Workshop, Sept. 14 in Monterey, CA
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    Held in conjunction with the BACUS Conference, this full-day workshop provides a forum for SEMATECH members, mask and wafer cleaning suppliers, and researchers to discuss advancements in technologies and solutions applicable to advanced mask cleaning and surface preparation challenges. Topics include sub-30nm particle removal, molecular contamination removal, mask inspection defect analysis, and environmental approaches to mask cleaning.
  • 2009 International Symposium on Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography, Oct. 18-21 in Prague, Czech Republic
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    The EUVL Symposium, hosted by EUV CRC in cooperation with SEMATECH, Selete, and EUVA, is part of SEMATECH’s ongoing commitment to help mature the technology and infrastructure for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL), including sources, masks, optics, resists, contamination control, and metrology to support EUVL pilot line manufacturing requirements.
  • 6th International Symposium on Immersion Lithography Extensions, Oct. 22-23 in Prague, Czech Republic
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    The Immersion Extensions Symposium focuses on efforts to extend 193nm lithography to the 22nm half-pitch node and beyond. The primary emphasis will be placed on patterning processes that enable pitch division, techniques for improving process control, and on emerging technologies that will extend optical lithography. Hosted by SEMATECH in collaboration with IMEC and Selete, and co-located with the EUVL Symposium.
    Advanced Technologies
  • SEMATECH Surface Preparation and Cleaning Conference, March 23-25 in Austin, TX
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    This conference—which brings together the leading researchers from the semiconductor industry and the university community—focuses on advanced wafer and mask cleaning and surface preparation technologies. Speakers and participants will explore current developments and ITRS challenges in wafer and mask cleaning, including wafer front-end, wafer back-end, advanced mask, and environment, safety and health issues for the 32nm node and beyond.
  • SEMATECH 3D Interconnect Workshops
    		•
    Stacking layers of silicon with through-silicon vias—3D ICs—can improve electrical performance, shrink device size, enable the integration of heterogeneous devices, lower power consumption, and reduce cost. However, 3D ICs can exacerbate thermal problems and will require new thinking in terms of architecture, design, and test. SEMATECH will continue to host workshops to address the design, test, equipment and thermal challenges associated with this innovative new technology.
  • International Symposium on Advanced Gate Stack Technology, Aug. 23-26 in San Francisco, CA
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    This symposium focuses on the technical challenges for functional stacks in future (sub 32nm node) logic and memory devices. Functional stacks include: high-k/metal gate stacks for Si, SiGe, III-V high performance MOSFETs; metal/high-k/metal gate stacks for storage capacitors and resistive change memory; high-k/metal gate for flash memory; insulators and metals needed for high performance NEMS and sensors; and magnetic material stacks needed for spin based devices. The symposium will feature industry experts presenting their latest research in both invited and contributed talks, and a discussion panel of representatives from major semiconductor device makers, equipment makers, and academia.
    Manufacturing
  • AEC/APC Symposia
  • European AEC/APC Conference, April 22-24 in Sicily, Italy
  • North America AEC/APC Symposium, Sept. 27-30 in Ann Arbor, MI
  • AEC/APC Symposium-Asia, Nov. 5-6 in Kumamoto, Japan
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    These ISMI-sponsored symposia covering advanced equipment control and advanced process control (AEC/APC) bring IC manufacturers and suppliers together to accelerate the industry toward more efficient and more intelligent manufacturing through automated data-driven decision making.
  • Next Generation Factory Briefing and E-manufacturing Workshops
  • SEMICON West, July 17 in San Francisco, CA
  • SEMICON Japan, Dec. 1 in Makuhari, Japan
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    These workshops, jointly sponsored with SEMI, provide a vision and roadmap to further align IC manufacturers and suppliers in their next-generation factory and e-manufacturing implementation strategies for continuous factory improvement.
  • ISMI Manufacturing Week, Oct. 19-22 in Austin, TX
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    ISMI Manufacturing Week features two full days of workshops and short courses on a wide range of manufacturing-related topics, followed by the 6th Annual ISMI Symposium on Manufacturing Effectiveness, the industry’s only symposium focused entirely on increasing productivity and reducing manufacturing expenses through advances in equipment, processes, resources, sustainability, and manufacturing methods. Additional information about the latest products, services and novel ideas for increasing profits can be found at the supplier exhibits throughout the week.
    Other Industry-wide Events
  • International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) Conferences
  • Summer Conference, 15 July in San Francisco, CA
  • Winter Conference, Dec. 2009 in Hsin Chu, Taiwan
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    The entire ITRS will be revised in 2009, with new information and assessments from 2009 through 2024. These public conferences offer technologists and strategists from the manufacturing and supplier communities the opportunity to participate in building the next ITRS by providing input to the working group teams of industry and research experts who revise the semiconductor industry Roadmap.
  • SEMATECH and ISMI Symposia
  • Taiwan Symposium, Sept. 15 in Hsin Chu, Taiwan
  • Japan Symposium, Sept. 17 in Tokyo, Japan
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    Senior executives and managers from SEMATECH and ISMI will hold symposia in Taiwan and Japan to present program updates and examples of how SEMATECH’s models for consortial R&D are accelerating the next technology revolution worldwide. Public sessions will focus on key technology, manufacturing, and business issues in today’s global semiconductor industry, with opportunities for networking; member-only sessions will be devoted to reviewing program activities, technology transfer, and member feedback.
    For further information or updates on upcoming SKS events and meetings please visit www.sematech.org/meetings/sks.htm.
    Source: SEMATECH