NEWS DESK
9
Linde and Schmid
NVIDIA joins the
collaborate to boost
SOI Industry
Consortium
silane production THE SOI INDUSTRY CONSORTIUM
announced that NVIDIA, a provider of
THE ELECTRONIC GASES business of believe Schmid fully understands PV visual computing technologies, has
the Linde Group announced a strategic customer needs, and this collaboration joined the organisation. The SOI
collaboration with Schmid Silicon Pilot will significantly ease the supply of Industry Consortium, which was formed
Production to supply silane to the silane.” in October 2007 by a group of leading
Photovoltaic (PV) industry from a new Christian Schmid, CEO of Schmid companies from across the electronics
facility currently under construction in Silicon Pilot Production, said: “For industry, is aimed at accelerating
Schwarze Pumpe near Dresden, Germany. Schmid, the strategic co-operation with silicon on insulator (SOI) innovation
Schmid will own and operate the process Linde is an important milestone, an into broad markets by promoting the
for production of up to 540 tonnes per opportunity to work closely with an benefits of SOI technology and reducing
annum (tpa) of electronic grade silane. industry leader to expand our capabilities. the barriers to adoption.
Linde will own and operate the silane This agreement also demonstrates the NVIDIA serves the entertainment
filling facility with an initial capacity of strength of our technology based on and consumer market, the professional
300 tpa due on stream in early 2009. monosilane, and gives us the confidence design and visualisation market, as well
The silane from the Schwarze Pumpe to feed the industry’s demand for as the high performance computing
facility will augment the current supply electronic grade silane.” market. Their products are
capacity of the Linde Group, providing Thin film PV cells are manufactured transforming visually rich and
uninterrupted security of supply for by depositing a thin layer of amorphous computationally intensive applications
Linde’s customers. Based on the new silicon on a large area substrate, usually such as video games, film production,
Schmid Monosilane Technology, the glass. Apart from silane, the broadcasting, industrial design,
process is capable of producing high manufacturing process also uses other financial modelling, space exploration,
purity silane for thin film PV high purity gases such as hydrogen. The and medical imaging.
manufacturers as well as producing high deposition chambers require frequent NVIDIA brings the SOI Consortium
quality polysilicon for the crystalline solar cleaning between processing of substrates, membership to twenty three companies.
cell market. a process that uses large volumes of Other members include: AMD, Applied
Graham Hodgson, Director of Linde’s nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) or fluorine (F2). Materials, ARM, Cadence Design
Silane Program, said: “Demand for high Linde is a key supplier of the complete Systems, CEA-Léti, Chartered
purity silane gas for electronics industry range of gases, and is also unique in Semiconductor Manufacturing,
applications is growing rapidly, especially offering electronic grade F2 that is Freescale Semiconductor, IBM,
for the new Thin Film PV market. We generated on site. Innovative Silicon, KLA-Tencor, Lam
Research, Magma Design, Samsung,
Semico, Soitec, SEH Europe,
Rite Track and Brewer Science form
STMicroelectronics, Synopsys, TSMC,
Tyndall Institute, UCL and UMC.
collaborative partnership
“NVIDIA is pleased to join the SOI
Consortium. We are looking forward in
participating on the advancement of
RITE TRACK and Brewer Science chemical expertise and applications such an innovative technology and its
announce the signing of a MoU to support, while Rite Track will leverage its applications to future products,” said
establish a collaborative partnership. This excellence in high volume automated John Chen, VP, Technology and Foundry
partnership draws on the expertise of Rite processing systems. Operations at NVIDIA.
Track and the bench top processing “This partnership with Rite Track will “We are honoured to partner with
equipment of Brewer Science. This will allow us to expand our Cee line of NVIDIA. Their unique insight and
provide customers with improved support processing equipment and add new perspectives as the world leader in
and earlier availability of innovative innovations,” commented Dr. Terry visual computing will be very valuable
production ready technologies. Brewer, President and founder of Brewer in articulating the technology direction
Under the collaborative agreement, Science. “Rite Track is a recognised of the consortium,” says Horacio
Rite Track and Brewer Science will leader in after sales support and field Mendez, executive director of the SOI
explore ways to enhance sales and service engineering.” Industry Consortium. “NVIDIA’ s entry
support for their products, as well as find “We are excited to be working with into the SOI Industry Consortium
ways to integrate new processing Brewer Science and look forward to supports the momentum we are gaining
technologies developed by Brewer Science helping them continue their long history throughout the electronics industry
into the Rite Track supported TEL and of success. By leveraging our equipment from end users and enablers to
SVG track systems. Both parties will also support capabilities with their process suppliers and manufacturers,” added
jointly work on innovative solutions for knowledge, we feel we have the right Mendez. The SOI Consortium is open to
processing needs and applications formula for a successful partnership,” any company, organisation or academic
support. Brewer Science will provide stated Tim Hayden, President and CEO of institution with an interest in SOI.
equipment designs with world class Rite Track.
August 2008
www.euroasiasemiconductor.com
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