Germany's Fraunhofer-Institut fur Angewandte Festkorperphysik IAF (Institute for Applied Solid State Physics) has ordered a GEN200 molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system from Veeco-Applied Epi. The systems will be used for indium phosphide-based microelectronics in a programme sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of the German government.

Brooks-PRI Automation is using IONA's Orbix E2A Application Server Platform
as the foundation of its CLASS MCS real-time, material control system. The
Brooks-PRI system is an automated material handling solution designed to
control AMHS equipment and manage carriers and data movement within the fab,
from raw material to packaged product. IONA, based in Ireland, provides
"e-business platforms" for "web services integration".

Swedish mask writing tool company Micronic Laser Systems is to use
Extraction Systems' filter system in its new designs. The chemical
filtration technology will be used to protect Micronic's new line of Sigma
laser pattern generators from molecular contamination that could damage
optical elements and the photoresists used to print chip designs on
photomasks.
Joint development work by the two companies has included molecular
contamination data collection, analysis and monitoring, as well as close
interaction on tailoring a filter design for Micronic's products.

Teradyne's Test Assistance Group (TAG) will standardise on Galaxy
Semiconductor's Optimizer tool set for mixed-signal and system on chip (SOC)
test program development.
Galaxy's product uses patented statistical optimisation and process control
algorithms. Galaxy Optimizer supports Teradyne's A5 and Catalyst tester
families, including the Catalyst Tiger. Galaxy Semiconductor is
headquartered in Ireland.

Robotic Vision Systems has received a repeat order for a WS-2500 bumped
wafer inspection system to be installed in Europe. The customer is described
as one of the world's largest microprocessor companies. The system is for
2-D defect inspection and 3-D bump height metrology of microprocessor
wafers.

Highlink Technology's new LED manufacturing facility in Taiwan will be using
Unaxis Semiconductors' GaN LED and laser fabrication process solution. These
technologies include deposition of hard masks (SiO2 and Si3N4) and final
passivation. Additionally, a Unaxis NE 860 IL system will be used for GaN
etch.
Highlink is a blue spectrum high brightness LED (HB-LED) venture established
in Taiwan by Chuong Tran, formerly of Emcore. The company currently produces
products for China. The next stage of the company's expansion is to increase
Highlink's facilities from its current eight MOCVD reactors to ten. The
company also wants to begin trade in the USA.

TRONIC'S Microsystems has reached agreements with two Japanese companies to
represent its silicon-based microsystem foundry service. TRONIC'S produces
custom micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) devices for high-end
applications. One of the Japanese firms - Marubeni Solutions - has expertise
in the MEMS industry. The other - Seika - specialises in
silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. Seika distributes Soitec's UNIBOND
SOI wafers. The oxide layer in SOI wafers allows use of the different
etching properties of silicon and silicon dioxide.

Yield Dynamics has appointed TELTEC as the exclusive distributor of its
yield management and process control products in Europe. TELTEC has offices
in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the UK.

Innovative Micro Technology (IMT) has secured a $1.3mn contract with L-3
Communications, Interstate Electronics Corporation (L-3/IEC), to prototype
and manufacture an advanced MEMS-based inertial measurement unit (IMU). The
work is Phase I of a contract that L-3/IEC is carrying out for the US
Army. The advanced Low-cost, high-G MEMS IMU device is an upgrade in
performance to current laser ring gyros. Performance includes a drift rate
of less than 1degree/hour. The Phase I contract extends over one year. First
prototypes are already underway.