Friday, April 3rd, 2009
The SPIE Europe Microtechnologies For the New Millennium congress has new partners this year, with the involvement of GMM, the Society of Microelectronics, Micro and Precision Engineering and the magazine mst|news as Cooperating Organisations for the first time. The event will be held at the Congress Centre Maritim Hotel in Dresden, Germany, 4-6 May 2009. “The interests of our respective audiences are similar, and we believe it will be of benefit to combine forces on this international conference,” said GMM executive director, Dr. Ronald Schnabel.
Plenary talks will be given by:
- Wolfgang Mueller of Qimonda Dresden, Germany, on “Future Memory Technologies;”
- Günter Lugert of Siemens, Germany, on EpoSS (the European Technology Platform on Smart System Integration;
- Griet Van Caenegem of the European Commission, Micro- and Nano Systems Unit, on “Microsystems and Smart Systems Technologies: A European Perspective;” and
- Jean-Michel Léger of CEA-LETI, France, on “Energy Harvesting and Power Management.”
Qimonda 65nm buried wordline DRAM chip (source: Qimonda)
Qimonda seemingly has some of the best DRAM technology for the future with it’s 4F² buried wordline technology (see figure). Work with Elpida was to take it to 45nm now and 32nm as the next step, but as of April 1st, the company is bankrupt. As of April 1st the company is bankrupt. A Munich-based lawyer continues as insolvency administrator for both Qimonda AG and Qimonda Dresden GmbH & Co. OHG companies, trying to find an “anchor” investor in a new Qimonda such that the fabs in Dresden, Munich, and Portugal remain to support as many jobs as possible.
About 600 employees in Munich (84%) and about 1,850 employees in Dresden (93%) accepted the offer made last week to join a transfer company on April 1, 2009. The transfer company guarantees the employees about 70 or 77% of the net wages that had been paid prior to insolvency. About 340 employees in Munich and about 575 employees in Dresden continue to work. Qimonda had invested liquidity for the development of its 46nm buried wordline technology in agreement with the creditors committee during the preliminary insolvency period. Now that work will continue at least until mid–August 2009. –E.K.