Yearly Archives: 2016

Hua Hong Semiconductor Limited, a global pure-play 200mm foundry, today announced that its shipment of microcontroller (MCU) chips in the first half of 2016 grew to 1.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 50%, breaking the historical record. With its comprehensive embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) technology solutions to support 8-32bit MCU products including the automotive-grade eFlash MCU, the company actively taps potential in the emerging IoT market and strengthens business ties with world-class customers to steadily expand its footprint in the MCU foundry area.

According to IDC, a market research company, by 2020, there will be 29 billion interconnected devices and the global IoT market will grow to USD1.46 trillion, which implies a great prospect for MCUs market. Hua Hong Semiconductor has the eFlash/eEEPROM (embedded Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) process platform for high-end 32bit MCUs and the cost-effective 0.18um 3.3V/5V CE OTP/MTP (One-Time Programming/Multiple-Time Programming) process platform for entry-level 8bit MCUs.

To tap the great potential in the burgeoning MCU market, Hua Hong Semiconductor delivers a comprehensive range of scalable and cost-effective solutions that perfectly fit a wide range of energy-efficient and intelligent applications including IoT, wearables, smart grid, embedded smart devices, healthcare electronics, smart lighting, industry and automotive electronics. In addition, by combining the leading embedded memory storage techniques with low-cost CMOS RF technologies, or integrating flash and high voltage technologies, these solutions may further reduce cost and time-to-market.

With fast evolution of IC industry, functions of terminal products are becoming more versatile, product designs are getting more complex and posing higher demands for low power, which bring more demanding challenges to MCUs. Based on its eFlash/eEEPROM process platform, Hua Hong Semiconductor delivers customized Flash IP/EEPROM IP that features high read speed up to 60MHz and low power with standby current less than 0.1uA. While delivering outstanding performance and reliability, the platform allows data retention up to 100 years and endurance up to 100,000 cycles, enabling customers to develop premium MCUs that cater the needs of diversified applications.

“Over the past few years, through working with local and international customers and introducing high-standard MCU products based on Hua Hong Semiconductor’s eFlash/eEEPROM platform, we have developed a number of hot smart and IoT devices to consolidate our leadership in the MCU area,” said Mr. Fan Heng, Executive Vice President of Hua Hong Semiconductor. “We will further enhance our differentiated technologies and collaborate with our global partners to set the trends of the IoT ecosystem.”

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the “China Semiconductor Industry: Expansion Plans Analysis and Trends (Government Policies and Guidelines, Import and Export Impact on Trade Partners, Key Concepts, Case Study, Key Strategies Adopted, Future Plans, and Recommendation to Players)” report to their offering.

The China semiconductor industry is expected to reach $157.66 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 12.8% between 2016 and 2020, according to this report. The major driving factors for the China semiconductor industry are the growing demand for semiconductors from major verticals and favorable government initiatives. There are also various opportunities available for the growth of the China semiconductor industry such as investment from foreign players and emerging new concepts.

Integrated Circuit (IC) is expected to hold the largest market share by 2020. The IC segment accounted for almost two-thirds of the total semiconductor industry in China in 2015.

Key topics covered:

  • Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on semiconductor products and services offered by the top players in the China semiconductor industry
  • Mergers & Acquisitions: Detailed insights on latest merger and acquisition activities and expansion in the semiconductor industry
  • Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about mergers and acquisitions, contracts, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the China semiconductor industry
  • Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players in the China semiconductor industry

Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB), a provider of silicon, software and solutions for a smarter, more connected world, today named Lori Knowlton as Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer (CPO). In this role, she is responsible for the company’s talent strategy, leadership development, community relations and culture.

“We are delighted to have Lori join the Silicon Labs management team,” said Tyson Tuttle, CEO of Silicon Labs. “She brings a proven ability to translate business strategies into people solutions, as well as deep expertise in attracting, developing and engaging high-caliber talent.”

Prior to joining Silicon Labs, Ms. Knowlton served as CPO for HomeAway.com where she led the company’s people agenda from early-stage growth through an IPO and ultimately through a sale to Expedia. During her nearly ten years at HomeAway, Ms. Knowlton grew the team exponentially and created scale through acquisitions, processes, systems and high employee management.

Previously, Ms. Knowlton served in a variety of human resources leadership roles at leading high-technology companies including Progress Software and its operating company Sonic Software, Interliant, Inc., C-bridge Internet Solutions and the Monitor Company.

“I am excited to join the Silicon Labs team and to have this opportunity to take a strong culture and help make it even better through connection, collaboration and feedback,” said Ms. Knowlton. “Silicon Labs is truly an innovative company filled with great talent. It’s clear that everyone here understands that people are the most important factor in the innovation equation.”

Ms. Knowlton has been a mentor at TechStars Austin for the past three years. In addition, she serves on the strategic planning committee of the Magellan International School, an Austin-based Spanish immersion IB school. She is a frequent and accomplished public speaker at numerous conferences. Ms. Knowlton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature (magna cum laude) from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.

MEMS, a pivotal technololgy predominantly used in the automotive industry, serves to enhance vehicle features. While the automotive MEMS technology has been widely adopted for vehicle control, safety, comfort, convenience, powertrain, and infotainment, vehicle safety is the key factor that majorly impacts the demand for MEMS in the automotive industry.

A few major brands in the automotive MEMS market witnessed a regulatory blow in 2014-15, resulting in passive market dynamics. However, the market has recovered rapidly and is currently growing at a significant pace, according to new research recently published by Future Market Insights.

The major applications of automotive MEMS include airbags, tire pressure monitoring, navigation, and electronic stability. However, according to FMI’s market research, the industry is currently witnessing a growing number of applications, which is expected to continue with the advent of technology and increasing research prospects. The market is thus foreseen to grow at an impressive pace over the forecast period 2016-2026.

Key players in the global automotive MEMS market

According to FMI’s findings, the prominent players in the global automotive MEMS market include Robert Bosch GmbH, General Motors Company, Analog Devices Inc., STMicroelectronics N.V., Sensata Technologies Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG, Delphi Automotive PLC, and Freescale Semiconductors Ltd. (perviously NXP), Denso Corporation, and Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

With the aim of expanding the customer base, few of the prominent players in the automotive MEMS market are setting up their production plants in the foreign market thereby further boosting the market revenues. For instance, on February 20, 2015, Denso Corporation, one of the prominent players in automotive MEMS market confirmed the plans of constructing another plant in Cambodia that would cater to the automotive industries in the region.

Strict government regulations

Various governments are implementing stringent regulations setting the standards for vehicles’ fuel efficiency and emission standards. As a result, major players in the market are increasingly striving to meet the standards through adoption of MEMS, thereby escalating the demand for automotive MEMS in the market. China and India in particular are expected to grow into attractive markets during the forecast period.

Regions with adverse climatic conditions

Studies depict that harsh climatic conditions such as heavy snowfall or rainfall may negatively influence the functioning of MEMS systems in vehicles. Moreover, it is not feasible to replace the entire MEMS system, if it faces a minor fault. This is expected to be a major challcenge that might reflect a shift in consumer behaviour.

Future Market Insight’s research on the global automotive MEMS market offers a 10-year forecast, segmenting the market according to type, applications, and regions.

On the basis of type, the automotive MEMS Market is further segmented into pressure sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, flow sensor and others.

As per the regional analysis, the global automotive MEMS market is segmented into seven key regions, including North America, Latin America, East Europe, West Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast and ETH Zurich, Switzerland, have created a new theoretical framework which could help physicists and device engineers design better optoelectronics, leading to less heat generation and power consumption in electronic devices which source, detect, and control light.

Speaking about the research, which enables scientists and engineers to quantify how transparent a 2D material is to an electrostatic field, Dr. Elton Santos from the Atomistic Simulation Research Centre at Queen’s, said: “In our paper we have developed a theoretical framework that predicts and quantifies the degree of ‘transparency’ up to the limit of one-atom-thick, 2D materials, to an electrostatic field.

“Imagine we can change the transparency of a material just using an electric bias, e.g. get darker or brighter at will. What kind of implications would this have, for instance, in mobile phone technologies? This was the first question we asked ourselves. We realised that this would allow the microscopic control over the distribution of charged carriers in a bulk semiconductor (e.g. traditional Si microchips) in a nonlinear manner. This will help physicists and device engineers to design better quantum capacitors, an array of subatomic power storage components capable to keep high energy densities, for instance, in batteries, and vertical transistors, leading to next-generation optoelectronics with lower power consumption and dissipation of heat (cold devices), and better performance. In other words, smarter smart phones.”

Explaining how the theory could have important implications for future work in the area, Dr. Santos added: “Our current model simply considers an interface formed between a layer of 2D material and a bulk semiconductor. In principle, our approach can be readily extended to a stack of multiple 2D materials, or namely, van der Waals heterostructures recently fabricated. This will allow us to design and predict the behaviour of these cutting-edge devices in prior to actual fabrication, which will significantly facilitate developments for a variety of applications. We will have an in silico search for the right combination of different 2D crystals while reducing the need for expensive lab work and test trials.”

ARM and Intel Custom Foundry this week at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco an agreement to accelerate the development and implementation of ARM SoCs on Intel’s 10nm process. In their joint press releases, Intel and ARM said that the agreement will enable Intel Custom Foundry to use its upcoming 10nm FinFET platform for fabricating chip designs based on ARM’s Artisan Physical IP.

“The initial POP IP will be for two future advanced ARM Cortex-A processor cores designed for mobile computing applications in either ARM big.LITTLE or stand-alone configurations,” according to ARM’s press release. Intel’s release says that LG will be using the process to “produce a world-class mobile platform based on Intel Custom Foundry’s 10nm design platform.”

The Intel-ARM partnership could provide new foundry options for chipmakers like Qualcomm — and potentially Apple — beyond current industry bigwigs Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC).

Chips based on Intel’s 10nm process are expected at some point in 2017.

Innodisk, the worldwide service provider for flash and DRAM product, unveiled its Next Generation innovation in flash storage design technology last week during its VIP product launch at the Hyatt Hotel in Santa Clara, CA. The M2DOM storage product made its U.S. debut in front of technology leaders and the press showing that it was designed with space in mind. Speaking at the event was Randy Chien, Innodisk’s Chairman & CEO along with the U.S. Branch’s President, Victor Le and C.C. Wu, EVP. Also taking the stage was David Chen, VP SSD BU for Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. to discuss its involvement in the product’s development.

“We have a long history with Marvell and are so pleased that Innodisk could collaborate on a product that successfully demonstrates both company’s innovativeness,” said Randy Chien, Innodisk Chairman & CEO.

“Marvell is very pleased to support Innodisk in bringing to market the new M2DOM products,” said Dr. David Chen, Vice President of SSD Business at Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. “With 20 years of market leadership in storage, Marvell is committed to working with ecosystem leaders like Innodisk to deliver ground-breaking innovations that drive the industry forward.”

The Next Generation is All About Space

Innodisk’s vertical SSD, the M2DOM product, saves up to 90 percent more space as compared to a standard M.2 product having a horizontal design. This tiny form factor has high performance and comes in capacities up to 256GB. By adding a housing and board connection of this device, the designer has ample space to lay out the motherboard. Fulfilling various needs of embedded systems, Innodisk’s M2DOM product is compatible with multiple interfaces such as SATA, PCIe and USB.

During the Flash Memory Summit at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Innodisk will debut another flash storage product powered by the Marvell controller. The 3ME series supports the PCIe 3.0 x1 interface providing high performance in this small form factor.

Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) today reported results for its third quarter ended July 31, 2016.

New orders were $3.66 billion, up 6 percent sequentially and up 26 percent year over year. Backlog of $4.95 billion was up 19 percent sequentially and up 60 percent year over year. Net sales of $2.82 billion were up 15 percent sequentially and up 13 percent year over year.

The company recorded gross margin of 42.3 percent, operating margin of 21.1 percent, and net income of $505 million or $0.46 per diluted share. On a non-GAAP adjusted basis, the company reported third quarter gross margin of 43.7 percent, operating margin of 22.8 percent, and net income of $550 million or $0.50 per diluted share.

The company generated $981 million in cash from operations, paid dividends of $108 million and used $196 million to repurchase 9 million shares of common stock at an average price of $21.88.

“With earnings and orders at an all-time high, Applied is performing better than ever and in a great position to sustainably outperform our markets,” said Gary Dickerson, president and CEO. “We are in the early stages of large, multi-year industry inflections that are driving our business today and creating new opportunities for future growth.”

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, Applied expects net sales to be up 15 percent to 19 percent sequentially. Non-GAAP adjusted diluted EPS is expected to be in the range of $0.61 to $0.69.

GlobalWafers Co., Ltd. and SunEdison Semiconductor Limited (NASDAQ:SEMI) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition by GlobalWafers of all of the outstanding ordinary shares of SunEdison Semiconductor in a transaction valued at US$683 million, including SunEdison Semiconductor outstanding net indebtedness.

Under the terms of the agreement, SunEdison Semiconductor shareholders will receive US$12.00 per share in cash for each ordinary share held, representing a 78.6% premium to the average closing price of SunEdison Semiconductor’s common stock for the 30 trading days prior to this announcement and a 44.9% premium to the closing price of SunEdison Semiconductor’s ordinary shares as of August 17, 2016, the last trading day prior to this announcement.  The transaction has been unanimously approved by both GlobalWafers’ and SunEdison Semiconductor’s boards of directors.

The transaction will be structured as a scheme of arrangement under Singapore law, and is subject to the approval of the shareholders of SunEdison Semiconductor, as well as other customary conditions including approvals from relevant regulatory authorities and the High Court of the Republic of Singapore.  SunEdison Semiconductor has requested and obtained a waiver from the Securities Industry Council of Singapore of the application of the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers to the scheme of arrangement.

“We are very excited by this transaction,” said Doris Hsu, Chairperson and CEO of GlobalWafers.  “We believe this combination is unique in that it merges two of the market’s key suppliers with minimal overlap in customers, products and production capacities.  The combined company will bring together GlobalWafers’ unparalleled operating model and market strengths with SunEdison Semiconductor’s expansive global footprint and product development capabilities.  We will remain focused on our customers and will strengthen and build on our product offerings to deliver even greater value to our customers and shareholders,” Hsu concluded.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that delivers a significant premium to our shareholders,” said Shaker Sadasivam, President and Chief Executive Officer of SunEdison Semiconductor.  “We believe this transaction is in the best interest of our company.  We look forward to a smooth process to facilitate an efficient closing, which we hope can occur before the end of the year.”

GlobalWafers will finance the transaction, including payment of the purchase price and payment of SunEdison Semiconductor’s debt facilities at closing, through existing cash on hand and committed acquisition financing from the Bank of Taiwan, Hua Nan Commercial Bank, Mega International Bank, Taipei Fubon Bank, and Taishin International Bank.

GlobalWafers expects a number of strategic and operational benefits from this transaction, including:

  • Meaningful expansion of GlobalWafers’ production capabilities
  • Greater breadth in GlobalWafers’ product and global customer base, including greater access to the E.U. and Korea, as well as SOI product technologies
  • Significant increase in GlobalWafers’ financial scale

Related news: 

SunEdison Semiconductor announces manufacturing consolidation

SunEdison Semiconductor solidifies polysilicon supply

Is silicon’s heyday over? New materials challenge the industry workhorse

Researchers at the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, using the liquid crystal elastomer technology, originally developed in the LENS Institute in Florence, demonstrated a bioinspired micro-robot capable of mimicking caterpillar gaits in natural scale. The 15-millimeter long soft robot harvests energy from green light and is controlled by spatially modulated laser beam. Apart from travelling on flat surfaces, it can also climb slopes, squeeze through narrow slits and transport loads.

Caterpillar micro-robot sitting on a finger tip. Credit: Source: FUW

Caterpillar micro-robot sitting on a finger tip. Credit: Source: FUW

For decades scientists and engineers have been trying to build robots mimicking different modes of locomotion found in nature. Most of these designs have rigid skeletons and joints driven by electric or pneumatic actuators. In nature, however, a vast number of creatures navigate their habitats using soft bodies – earthworms, snails and larval insects can effectively move in complex environments using different strategies. Up to date, attempts to create soft robots were limited to larger scale (typically tens of centimeters), mainly due to difficulties in power management and remote control.

Liquid Crystalline Elastomers (LCEs) are smart materials that can exhibit large shape change under illumination with visible light. With the recently developed techniques, it is possible to pattern these soft materials into arbitrary three dimensional forms with a pre-defined actuation performance. The light-induced deformation allows a monolithic LCE structure to perform complex actions without numerous discrete actuators.

Researchers from the University of Warsaw with colleagues from LESN (Italy) and Cambridge (UK) have now developed a natural-scale soft caterpillar robot with an opto-mechanical liquid crystalline elastomer monolithic design. The robot body is made of a light sensitive elastomer stripe with patterned molecular alignment. By controlling the travelling deformation pattern the robot mimics different gaits of its natural relatives. It can also walk up a slope, squeeze through a slit and push objects as heavy as ten times its own mass, demonstrating its ability to perform in challenging environments and pointing at potential future applications.

– Designing soft robots calls for a completely new paradigm in their mechanics, power supply and control. We are only beginning to learn from nature and shift our design approaches towards these that emerged in natural evolution – says Piotr Wasylczyk, head of the Photonic Nanostructure Facility at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Warsaw, Poland, who led the project.

Researchers hope that rethinking materials, fabrication techniques and design strategies should open up new areas of soft robotics in micro- and millimeter length scales, including swimmers (both on-surface and underwater) and even fliers.