TRKN Trikon Technologies (MM)

Trikon Eyes Market Opportunities: Company Focusing Proven Production Technology Across Four Semiconductor Markets NEWPORT, Wales, March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Senior executives at Trikon Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRKN) today reported that the company's business strategy has been aligned to maximize its proven production technology leadership in "mainstream silicon" IC manufacturing by applying focus to four key segments in semiconductor and nanotechnology fabrication: 1) "Mainstream silicon" and power management applications; 2) Memory applications including new non-volatile approaches such as MRAM; 3) Communications covering III-V based high speed electronics and Bulk Acoustic Wave device manufacture; and 4) Emerging technologies in the fields of MEMS and wafer level packaging techniques. "Our four-pronged strategy spreads our product offerings across multiple needs in the semiconductor industry," said Dr. John Macneil, president and CEO of Trikon. "The advantage is that this strategy gives us significant market opportunities to leverage our production leadership and it should help to balance the effects of the industry's cyclical markets. For example, even with the industry currently in a down cycle, we are seeing significant market opportunities for power management applications and the ramp in BAW device production is also realizing a lot of activity. In addition, our flowable oxide technology for sub 65 nm memory manufacturing is being evaluated by several fabs looking for leading-edge solutions that they will need for the next technology node." 'Mainstream silicon' and power fabrication Tools Remove Risk For Producers of Cost Sensitive Semiconductors "Mainstream silicon" production involves proven technology nodes that can be ramped quickly to profitable production with little development and pilot-lining; low cost, high reliability process tools are crucial. By focusing our proven deposition and etch technologies on "mainstream silicon" fabs, Trikon addresses the needs of manufacturers of cost-sensitive semiconductors who are not best served by equipment suppliers focused just on the leading technology nodes. This is a win-win strategy because it is providing Trikon with a significant market opportunity and it has the proven 200-mm deposition and plasma etch technologies that "mainstream silicon" fabs need to expand or enhance their productivity. Also included in "mainstream silicon" applications is the specialist segment of power management. They share a number of common traits with "mainstream silicon" providers; requiring flexible processing tools, low operating cost, low risk and fast ramp to production, but they do have significant processing requirements that require the vendor to develop new techniques and understanding. "We have invested a great deal of resource into power technology, and now have a leading position in trench etch on our Omega product family, thick metal deposition up to 20 um on the Sigma PVD tool, and backside solder metal solutions on wafers thinned to