San Francisco again played host to Semicon West, an exhibit and trade show organized by the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials Institute (SEMI). As in the past few years, Semicon West was held in association with Intersolar North America, a solar energy trade show. The overall tenor of both shows was highly positive. The combined shows drew an estimated attendance of more than 20,000, roughly a 20% increase over last year (see IBO 7/31/09), when the show fell in the midst of the semiconductor industry doldrums. Since plans for this show were likely made at that time, there were about 10% fewer exhibitors at Semicon West than last year.

In contrast, Intersolar, though still a smaller show, recorded a 30% increase in exhibitors, and the majority of booths were large and impressive. Indeed, one got the distinct impression that analytical instrument manufacturers would rather associate with the more upbeat photovoltaic and solar energy industries. Hitachi High-Technologies, PerkinElmer, Shimadzu and Thermo Fisher Scientific were four of the major vendors that chose to exhibit at Intersolar rather than Semicon West. In previous years, exhibitors sometimes had booths at both shows, but this was far less common this year, with AMETEK being one of the few instrument companies to do so.

SEMI’s mid-year consensus forecast was optimistic. The final numbers for 2009 estimated the market for semiconductor equipment at $15.92 billion, a slight improvement over last year’s projection, but still a drop of 46% from 2008. However, the 2010 forecast calls for the market to more than double to $32.50 billion, and to grow another 9% in 2011. Growth is fairly constant across all equipment types, with wafer processing, test, and assembly and packaging all forecast to grow more than 100% for 2010. South Korea is expected to show the fastest growth, a 188% increase. It is also the second-largest geographic market, after Taiwan, whose demand for semiconductor equipment will grow 111%.

Although analytical instruments are not a primary focus of either show, there were a few notable product releases, primarily of process instruments. Jordan Valley Semiconductor was given a “Best of the West” award for its JVX 7200 metrology tool, which combines X-ray reflectance and diffraction measurements to provide critical in-line measurements that are particularly useful in thin film analysis and strained silicon applications involving epitaxial layers. Five systems have been sold, but the show represented the official launch of the system, which is priced at $2–$2.5 million.

Verity Instruments displayed a new electron resonance spectrometer, making use of technology obtained in Verity’s acquisition of Lexas Research in February. The system analyzes the optical emission from plasmas used in semiconductor processes. Spectral variations in the signal can indicate when the endpoint of the process is reached, and otherwise characterize the plasma. Verity expects to begin shipment in the near future at a price under $10,000, primarily as an OEM product to equipment manufacturers.

Tiger Optics launched the Aloha, based on cavity ringdown spectroscopy. The Aloha detects moisture and ammonia down to the 10 ppb range. The system is now available at a price of about $45,000.