- Lam Research: $800 - now $717
- ASM International: €545 - now $459
- KLA: $550 - now $554
- Applied Materials: $175 - now $149
Thursday, November 23, 2023
AI-Driven Chip Demand Spurs Optimism in Semiconductor Industry; Analyst Upgrades Key Players with Bullish Price Targets
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Kokusai Electric's Stellar Tokyo IPO: A Surge in Stock, High Hopes for the Future
Kokusai Electric's stock rose 28% in its Tokyo debut after KKR sold its shares for $724 million, marking Japan's largest IPO in five years. Closing at 2,350 yen, Kokusai's valuation reached $3.61 billion. This was the biggest Tokyo listing since SoftBank Corp. in 2018. KKR reduced its stake from 73.2% to 47.7%. Analysts noted a challenging market for chip-related stocks but anticipate a rebound for Kokusai. The company specializes in machines for silicon wafer films, with major clients like Samsung. Despite a predicted profit drop, Kokusai's President sees growth potential by 2025. KKR's previous sale attempt to Applied Materials was unsuccessful. The IPO saw huge interest, with foreign investors oversubscribing by over 10 times.
Source: Kokusai Electric shares jump 28% in Tokyo debut - Nikkei Asia
Friday, September 15, 2023
Tokyo Electron Integrated Report/Annual Report 2023 available for download
For anyone involved in the semiconductor industry or those eager to gain fresh perspectives in this dynamic field, this report is a must-read. It not only showcases TEL's history and strategies but also sheds light on industry trends, sustainability practices, and the exciting developments shaping the future of semiconductor technology. Dive into this comprehensive report and unlock valuable knowledge about TEL's journey and the semiconductor industry at large.
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Global Fab Equipment Spending to Rebound in 2024 After 2023 Slowdown, Predicts SEMI Report
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Global Semiconductor Industry Poised for 2024 Recovery Amidst Near-Term Challenges, SEMI Reports
In a recent report by SEMI, in collaboration with TechInsights, the global semiconductor industry shows signs of emerging from its downcycle, with a projected recovery expected in 2024. The report highlights that the third quarter of 2023 is anticipated to witness a healthy 10% quarter-on-quarter growth in electronics sales, while memory IC sales are set to achieve double-digit growth for the first time since the downturn began in 2022. Although headwinds persist in the semiconductor manufacturing sector during the latter half of 2023, a rebound is on the horizon.
Inventory drawdowns at integrated device manufacturer (IDM) and fabless companies are forecasted to keep fab utilization rates lower than those seen in the first half of 2023. Despite this, positive trends are noted in capital equipment billings and silicon shipments, stemming from government incentives and robust equipment sales backlogs.
Market indicators suggest the semiconductor industry reached its nadir by mid-2023, commencing a path to recovery, setting the stage for growth in 2024. All segments are predicted to witness year-over-year increases in 2024, with electronics sales projected to surpass their 2022 peak.
Clark Tseng, Senior Director of Market Intelligence at SEMI, pointed out that the gradual demand recovery might extend the timeline for inventory normalization until the end of 2023, leading to temporary reductions in fab utilization rates. Nevertheless, semiconductor manufacturing is expected to hit its bottom in Q1 2024.
Boris Metodiev, Director of Market Analysis at TechInsights, highlighted the resilience of equipment sales and fab construction despite the broader downturn. He attributed this trend to government incentives driving new fab projects and strong backlogs supporting equipment sales.
Original Source: SEMI https://www.semi.org/en/news-resources/press-releases/2023/08/global-semiconductor-industry-on-track-for-2024-recovery-but-near-term-headwinds-remain-semi-reports
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Indo-Pacific Region's Pivotal Role in Global Semiconductor Industry Supply Chain
Mapping the Semiconductor Supply Chain: The Critical Role of the Indo-Pacific Region
Materials and Chemicals: Cornerstones of Semiconductor Manufacturing
Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment: Key Players and Indo-Pacific Dominance
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Global 300mm Fab Equipment Spending to Reach Record $119 Billion in 2026, Fueled by Strong Demand for High-Performance Computing and Automotive Applications
Korea Leads the Way, Foundry and Memory Sectors Drive Expansion
- Global 300mm fab equipment spending is projected to reach a record high of $119 billion in 2026, driven by strong demand for high-performance computing, automotive applications, and improved memory requirements.
- Korea is expected to lead global 300mm fab equipment spending in 2026, followed by Taiwan, China, and the Americas, with the foundry and memory sectors playing significant roles in the expansion.
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Global semiconductor equipment billings rise 9% YoY to $26.8B in Q1 2023. Taiwan up 42%, China down 8%, North America soars 51%. Strong AI and automotive investments.
Regional Billings
- China: Billings of $5.86 billion, reflecting an 8% decrease quarter-over-quarter and a 23% decrease year-over-year.
- Korea: Billings of $5.62 billion, showing a slight 3% decrease quarter-over-quarter but a positive 9% increase year-over-year.
- North America: Billings of $3.93 billion, indicating a substantial 51% increase quarter-over-quarter and a significant 50% increase year-over-year.
- Japan: Billings of $1.90 billion, with a 16% decrease quarter-over-quarter but no change year-over-year.
- Europe: Billings of $1.52 billion, reflecting a 4% increase quarter-over-quarter and a 19% increase year-over-year.
- Rest of World: Billings of $1.06 billion, experiencing a 20% decrease quarter-over-quarter and an 18% decrease year-over-year.
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Global fab equipment spending is expected to increase 9% YOY to a new all-time high of US$99 billion in 2022

Sunday, September 4, 2022
Tokyo Electron is forcastiong high continued sales in semiconductor equipment sales 2023 - slow down in DRAM
Friday, July 15, 2022
Global Total Semiconductor Equipment Sales On Track to Record $118 Billion in 2022
Friday, April 8, 2022
Sneak Peak Into Our New Equipment Components Session at CMC2022 in Chandler AZ April 27-29
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Beneq unveils two new ALD products for 300mm and compound semiconductor device fabrication respectively
Saturday, November 28, 2020
Applied Materials will regain its No. 1 ranking in the semiconductor equipment market in 2020 from ASML
- Atomic Layer Deposition
- MOCVD
- Furnace
- Dielectric Etch
- Spray Processing
- Dielectric Etch (including ALE)
- Wet Stations
1. Move in to top 3 spot in ALD2. Take number 2 spot in Furnace business
Saturday, March 16, 2019
VLSIresearch released its list of the top Semiconductor Equipment Suppliers for 2018 shown big wins for Japanese OEMs
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Lam Research and Tokyo Electron took market shares in 2017
The three companies compete in the following areas with huge growth due to the memory boom in 2017 (3DNAND and DRAM):
- conductor and dielectric etch equipment
- deposition equipment - single/multiwafer ALD and CVD
SEMI Data Projects New Highs in Fab Equipment Spending. #semiconductor https://t.co/JfCpJD6wSR pic.twitter.com/2RRCYi2Iu0— SEMICON (@SEMIexpos) January 3, 2018
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Get back to work - SEMI projects continued boom in fab equipment spending for 2018
The SEMI World Fab Forecast data shows fab equipment spending in 2017 totaling US$57 billion, an increase of 41 percent year-over-year (YoY). In 2018, spending is expected to increase 11 percent to US$63 billion.
While many companies, including Intel, Micron, Toshiba (and Western Digital), and GLOBALFOUNDRIES increased fab investments for 2017 and 2018, the strong increase reflects spending by just two companies and primarily one region.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Tokyo Electron to Begin Accepting Orders for Triase+™ EX-II™ TiON
Aug 8, 2016 Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) announced today that it would begin accepting orders for the Triase+TM EX-IITM TiON (titanium oxynitride) single-wafer metallization system in August 2016.
The Triase+ EX-II TiON is a high-speed, single-wafer ASFD [1] system capable of oxidizing TiN (titanium nitride) films. This new system inherits the optimized reactor chamber and unique gas injection mechanism that characterize the Triase+ EX-II TiN system. Because the TiON film deposited by the Triase+ EX-II TiON has a higher work function [2] than that of a conventional TiN film, it effectively reduces leakage current when used to form the electrodes of an MIM capacitor [3]. Customers already using the TiN system can upgrade to the TiON system by modifying their existing systems, thereby reducing investment costs.
"The Triase+ EX-II TiON is a product with significant cost and performance benefits that can meet the continual demand for miniaturization in semiconductor manufacturing processes," said Shingo Tada, Vice President and General Manager of Thin Film Formation BU at TEL. "We intend to keep expanding the type of films the Triase+ EX-II series can handle, enabling it to cover an even greater variety of metallization applications in the future."
Leveraging its ability to develop innovative technologies, TEL will continue to deliver products that add high value and optimize solutions to the technological problems associated with advanced devices.
[1] ASFD: Advanced Sequential Flow Deposition. A low-temperature processing method for forming nanoscale metal films with highly-engineered properties.
[2] Work function: The minimum quantity of energy required to remove an electron from the surface of a solid.
[3] MIM capacitor: Metal-Insulator-Metal capacitor. It consists of an insulator layer between two metal layers.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
[UPDTAE] Lam Research launch New ALTUS(R) Max E Series for Low-fluorine, Low-stress, and Low-resistivity ALD Tungsten
FREMONT, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/16 -- Lam Research Corp. (NASDAQ: LRCX), an advanced manufacturer of semiconductor equipment, today introduced an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for depositing low-fluorine-content tungsten films, the latest addition to its industry-leading ALTUS® family of products. With the industry's first low-fluorine tungsten (LFW) ALD process, the ALTUS Max E Series addresses memory chipmakers' key challenges and enables the continued scaling of 3D NAND and DRAM devices. Building on Lam's market-leading product portfolio for memory applications, the new system is gaining market traction worldwide, winning production positions at leading 3D NAND and DRAM manufacturers and placement at multiple R&D sites.
"Consumer demand for ever more powerful devices is driving the need for high-capacity, high-performance storage, and deposition and etch are key process technology enablers of advanced memory chips," said Tim Archer, Lam's chief operating officer. "With the addition of the ALTUS Max E Series, we are expanding our memory portfolio and enabling our customers to capitalize on this next wave of industry drivers. Over the past twelve months, as the 3D NAND inflection has accelerated, we have doubled our shipments for these applications, leading to the largest deposition and etch installed base in our 3D NAND served markets."
As manufacturers increase the number of memory cell layers for 3D NAND, two issues have become apparent for tungsten deposition in the word line fill application. First, fluorine diffusion from the tungsten film into the dielectrics can cause physical defects. Second, higher cumulative stress in devices with more than 48 pairs has resulted in excessive bowing. The resulting defects and stress can cause yield loss, as well as degraded electrical performance and device reliability. Because of these issues, tungsten films for advanced 3D NAND devices must have significantly reduced fluorine and intrinsic stress. Further, as critical dimensions shrink, resistance scaling becomes more challenging for the DRAM buried word line, as well as for metal gate/metal contact applications in logic devices.
"As memory chip manufacturers move to smaller nodes, the features that need to be filled are increasingly narrow and have higher aspect ratios," said Sesha Varadarajan, group vice president, Deposition Product Group. "Lam's new LFW ALD solution uses a controlled surface reaction to tune stress and fluorine levels and to lower resistance, all while delivering the required tungsten fill performance and productivity. When compared to chemical vapor deposition tungsten, the ALTUS Max E Series lowers fluorine content by up to 100x, lowers stress by up to 10x, and reduces resistivity by over 30%, solving some of our customers' most critical scaling and integration challenges."
The ALTUS Max E Series with LFW ALD technology offers a unique all-ALD deposition process that leverages Lam's PNL® (Pulsed Nucleation Layer) technology, which is the industry benchmark for tungsten ALD with 15 years of market leadership and more than 1,000 modules in production. Lam led the transition of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tungsten nucleation to ALD tungsten nucleation with its PNL technology. The company continued that leadership by advancing low-resistivity tungsten solutions with its products ALTUS® Max with PNLxT™, ALTUS® Max with LRWxT™, and ALTUS® Max ExtremeFill™ for enhanced fill performance.
The ALTUS products use Lam's quad-station module (QSM) architecture to allow per-station optimization of tungsten nucleation and fill for fluorine, stress, and resistance without compromising fill performance since station temperature can be set independently. The QSM configuration also maximizes productivity of the all-ALD process by providing up to 12 pedestals per system, enabling the highest footprint productivity in the industry.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Hydrogen Peroxide Gas Delivery for ALD, Annealing, and Surface Cleaning in Semiconductor Processing
Atomic Layer Depostion
“ALD is now firmly established as a key enabling technology. Today, ALD has become a critical technology for the manufacture of virtually all leading-edge semiconductor devices. The leading customers in our industry have already ramped several device generations based on our ALD equipment – for high-k metal gate applications in logic and foundry and for multiple patterning applications in the memory sector.”
The 3D challenge in high aspect ratio structures
The new atomically ultrathin films are more sensitive to environmental conditions than thicker structures from past design nodes. Precise cleaning and preparation is required to prevent atoms from straying into other layers. Complicating the process is that these layers are no longer planar, but are three dimensional shapes with very high aspect ratios approaching 150:1 for DRAM memory cell capacitors and 3DNAND flash memory charge trap devices, creating inverted skyscrapers on an atomic layer.
Samsung presented a low cost manufacturing of 20 nm DRAM and beyond at IEDM2015 using honeycomb structure narrow gap air-spacer technology (left). For visualisation, here (right) the advanced High Aspect Ratio etch and ALD that is required for 3DNAND flash memory manufacturing in a reverse engineering cross section by Chipworks from a SAMSUNG V-NAND Flash array.
- Chemicals must be stable enough to reach the bottom, but reactive enough to be effective when they contact the bottom target site.
- Low temperatures are needed to prevent migration of atoms in and out of the layers, so the chemicals must be active at low temperatures.
RASIRC specializes in products that generate and deliver gas to fabrication processes. Each unit is a dynamic gas plant in a box—converting common liquid chemistries into safe and reliable process gas on demand.. First to generate ultra-high purity (UHP) steam from de-ionized water, RASIRC technology can now also deliver hydrogen peroxide gas in controlled, repeatable concentrations.
Hydrogen Peroxide Gas (HPG) is a powerful and versatile oxidant for processing new materials and 3D structures. HPG is now available in stable, high concentration and offers significant benefits to ALD, annealing and cleaning applications. The Peroxidizer is an order of magintude improvement over its predecessor and overcomes the limits of pre‐humidification and high concentration H2O2 liquid supply by concentrating liquid inside the vaporizer. It handles gas flows of 5 to 30 slm in vacuum or atmospheric conditions. It delivers H2O2 concentrations from 12,500 to 50,000 ppm, which equates to 1.25 to 5% gas by volume. The Peroxidizer delivers a 4:1 water to Peroxide ratio. This is not possible with other high temperature vaporization methods due to H2O2 decomposition.
The membrane used in the vaporizer preferentially vaporizes H2O2 relative to water. This allows the concentration to stay below 75% and 90°C in the vaporizer while being able to generate 50,000 ppm. The fab only needs to supply 30% w/w, which is already in use throughout most facilities.
Hydrogen peroxide is a hazardous chemical and must be handled properly to prevent exposure of operators to unsafe chemical conditions. With proper design, installation, and operator training, hydrogen peroxide can be a viable alternative to other oxidants. The Peroxidizer includes a range of safety features focused on temperature, concentration, pressure, liquid and gas leak detection, venting and liquid handling.
H2O2 is auto‐refill capable. If a continuous supply of 30% H2O2 liquid is available, the Peroxidizer can run 24/7. For R&D, the Peroxidizer can be manually refilled with an internal source container to run 4 to 24 hours depending on flow rate.
- Primary interlock loop will shutoff power when any of a number of safety conditions occur.
- Temperature safeties include redundant thermal interlocks with thermal switches for heaters.
- H2O2 liquid and headspace temperatures are interlocked into the safety control loop.
- Concentration safety features include level sensors for overfill and low liquid conditions. If liquid level is too low, an alarm is displayed and carrier gas turned off to prevent further liquid concentration.
- Pressure safety features include direct pressure monitoring, pressure relief, and direct vent lines to channel high pressure vapor directly to scrubbed exhaust in case of overpressure conditions.
- Leak safety features include a flood sensor to detect liquid leaks.
- The system is ducted for exhaust ventilation to prevent HPG exposure in case of H2O2 liquid or gas leak. A ventilation pressure switch will trigger the interlock loop if ventilation is not adequate. A ppm HPG monitor is recommended in the exhaust ducting.
- The drain line has a float switch to monitor for drain back up.
- An optional condenser is available to condense HPG and water vapor before it goes to vent. Alternatively, scrubbers can be used to convert HPG directly to oxygen and water.
[2] ASMi Annual Reporting (2015)