2 January 2012

Tegal sells NLD portfolio; Cu barrier and low-k dielectric patents still under auction

Tegal Corp of Petaluma, CA, USA has awarded patents to multiple bidders for three of the four bid lots of its nanolayer deposition technology (NLD) patent portfolio, which was offered for sale last September for a total of about $4m. To date, about $3.6m has been received.

Tegal sold over 30 patents from the NLD portfolio — which includes more than 35 US and international patents in pulsed chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced atomic-layer deposition (ALD) and NLD.

Tegal says that NLD process technology bridges the gap between high-throughput, non-conformal CVD and lower-throughput, highly conformal ALD. Founded in 1972, Tegal offered the patent portfolio for sale in an effort to complete the divestment of its semiconductor capital equipment assets.

In March 2010, Tegal sold its legacy thin-film etch and physical vapor deposition (PVD) product lines to OEM Group Inc of Gilbert, AZ, USA, and in February 2011 it sold its deep reactive ion etch (DRIE) assets to SPTS Technologies Ltd of Newport, Wales, UK.

The firm says that discussions are ongoing for placement of Lot 4 of the portfolio, which applies to copper barrier and low-k dielectric technology. “Interest in Lot 4 is coming primarily from IC device manufacturers, whereas interest in Lots 1 through 3 was driven largely by equipment manufacturers,” notes chief technologist Robert Ditizio.

See related items:

Tegal extends bid deadline for nanolayer deposition patent portfolio

Tegal sets bid deadline for Nanolayer Deposition patent portfolio

Tags: Tegal NLD

Visit: www.Tegal.com