Chinese Semiconductor Foundry in pact with Numerical

Wednesday, 15 January 2003, 20:30 IST
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SAN JOSE: Numerical Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: NMTC), a provider of subwavelength lithography-enabling technology to the global semiconductor industry, Wednesday announced that China's leading foundry, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation (SMIC), will deploy the company's Virtual Stepper simulation-based mask qualification products at the foundry's Shanghai manufacturing plant. The order expands Numerical's presence within the Asia/Pacific region and highlights the demand for its subwavelength technology in this burgeoning semiconductor manufacturing hub. Numerical's Virtual Stepper software enables simulation-based photomask qualification. It simulates the silicon results of exposing a photomask under a specific set of lithography conditions and identifies areas of the mask that are likely to produce silicon errors. The results are then employed to automatically quantify the severity of these errors. The Virtual Stepper-networked software capability takes the product to the next level by enabling multiple users in different locations to simultaneously access these results and jointly agree on repair or acceptance strategies. A key player in the burgeoning Chinese semiconductor manufacturing industry, SMIC will deploy Numerical's Virtual Stepper to reduce the number of mask rejections and "false" defect repairs, and cut the number of photomasks with unacceptable defects. According to the foundry's Director of Mask Shop, Jesse Huang, "As we develop our manufacturing strategies for next-generation integrated circuits (ICs), we are looking at all available technologies that will allow us to produce high-quality silicon at the most competitive cost. Rising mask costs stand out as a key factor that calls for highly streamlined mask quality assurance processes. Initial results indicate that Numerical's Virtual Stepper technology will mitigate some of these anticipated cost increases, allowing us to generate high-quality masks in a timely fashion, and protect our own profit margins." Paying tribute to SMIC for its emergence as a world-class semiconductor manufacturer, Atul Sharan, Numerical's senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing, pointed to the foundry's aggressive roadmap for next-generation device production. "SMIC has hit the ground running with its IC production activities and we're really pleased that the foundry has selected our VSS technology to help solve its subwavelength mask challenges. Its broad device portfolio and expanding customer base make this company a very valuable Numerical customer. We hope that this inaugural VSS order is our first milestone on the path toward future partnership opportunities, and we look forward to providing SMIC with innovative lithography-related solutions as it continues to grow."
Source: IANS
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