Mel Burks

Founder / Senior Partner, Tech Quest Research, LLC

Member of the Technology Council

Council Member Biography

Mel Burks is with Tech Quest Research, LLC, a market research company providing consultation and in-depth analysis and reports. He is an acknowledged engineering professional within the semiconductor, test & measurement and PV sector. He held positions in semiconductor manufacturing and semi-equipment sector. Mel has over 30 years of direct involvement in various semiconductor technologies including lithography, ion-implantation, etching and metallization. His knowledge-base is on wafer fabrication processes and advanced semiconductor technology nodes (45nm, 32nm and 22nm). For photovolatics, he is knowledgeable on current polysilicon manufacturing techniques and reactors, “thin-film” solar-cell variants using amorphous silicon, microcrystalline, CdTe and CIGS. Mel held positions at ON Semiconductor, Western Digital, Texas Instruments and Candela Nova / Solar Engineering. He has also done contract work throughout the US, Canada, and Asia for such companies as TSMC, Hitachi, Hynix and Motorola. (This is me - Update Profile)

Employment History

2008 - 2008: Principal Engineer, ON SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
2008 - present: Founder / Senior Partner, Tech Quest Research, LLC
2003 - 2008: Yield and Failure Analysis Engineering Manager, ON SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
1997 - 2003: Thin Films Section Manager, AMI SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
1988 - 1997: Principal Engineer, AMI Semiconductor, Inc.
1985 - 1988: Co Founder, Candela Nova / Solar Engineering
1983 - 1987: Applications Engineering Manager, ENTEGRIS, INC.
1976 - 1983: Process Engineering Manager, Western Digital Corp

GLG News^SM Analyses by Mel Burks(?)

Opinions and analyses expressed in GLG News are solely those of the author. See the Terms of Use for details.

A Contender for the Number-Two Spot in Wafer Foundry Services

June 2, 2009

Analysis by:Mel Burks, Founder / Senior Partner, Tech Quest Research, LLC

Analysis of: Chartered Denies Bid From Abu Dhabi’s ATIC | www.semiconductor.net

In 2007, Chartered was ranked number four in revenue market share behind TSMC, UMC and SMIC. However, an acquisition of Chartered, combined with GlobalFoundries, could conceivably compete for the number two slot challenging UMC but likely not before 2011. An acquisition of Chartered Semiconductor...

Alternatives for Cost Reduction in Solar Cell Manufacturing – Nano Flakes

January 4, 2008

Analysis by:Mel Burks, Founder / Senior Partner, Tech Quest Research, LLC

Analysis of: Nano Flakes May Revolutionize Solar Cells | www.sciencedaily.com

Development of silicon and III-V compound semiconductor nanostructures offers yet another path for low cost production and increased photovoltaic efficiencies. The real question is when how soon these advanced methods will become commercialized. The decisive factor for the success and production of...

Lam Research Acquires New Opportunities with SEZ Acquisition

January 3, 2008

Analysis by:Mel Burks, Founder / Senior Partner, Tech Quest Research, LLC

Analysis of: Lam Research rival may bid up price for SEZ Group | www.bizjournals.com

This acquisition is not Lam Research’s first step into wet processing but will be the most significant and application intensive. A very good match considering the industry is in the transitional phase for new materials and device structures at and below the 65nm node and requires an in-depthunderstanding...

Intel and STMicro’s JV Delay to Spansion’s Advantage?

December 28, 2007

Analysis by:Mel Burks, Founder / Senior Partner, Tech Quest Research, LLC

Analysis of: Chip Makers Delay a Merger of Their Memory Divisions | www.nytimes.com

The sluggish memory market combined with the credit crunch changes the dynamic for bank funding of the Intel, STMicroelectronic and Francisco Partners joint venture agreement. This delay could impact select semiconductor capital equipment vendors. Competitor Spansion won’t likely benefit from a 3-month...

View All GLG News ^SM Analyses by Mel Burks