Category Archives: 3D Integration

February 13, 2012 — Yole Developpement released "European Microelectronic Fabs Database & Report 2012," a database and report on the European microelectronics and microsystem manufacturing fabs, pilot lines, and major R&D organizations.

The database details fab locations, products, technologies, manufacturing facilities, and financial information. Fab data includes employee counts, sales figures, capacity info, and more.

The database covers 50 countries, extending throughout Europe and the Middle East area (EMEA), and Russia. There are 300+ fabs in Europe, Yole reports. It includes major changes that have taken place since 2007, such as fab closures and new investments.


 
The European Microelectronic Fabs Database & Report 2012 includes:

The database can be used to understand the European fab environment, and assess business opportunities in the European and Middle-East market.

Companies described in the database: ABB Semiconductor, Acreo AB, Altis/GIS Semiconductor, Analog Devices, austriamicrosystems, Autopribor, Avago Technologies, Boehringer Ingelheim microParts, Robert Bosch, Colibrys, Dynex Semiconductor, e2v technologies, ELMOS, EM Microelectronic Marin, EPCOS, Estel, First Sensor Technology, FLIR Systems, Freescale Semiconductor, GE Measurement & Control Solutions, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, HL-Planartechnik, IBM Microelectronics, IMEC, Infineon Technologies, Intel, International Rectifier, IPDIA, Leister Process Technologies, LETI, Lionix, LITE F, MHS Electronics, Micran, Microfab Bremen, Micron Technology, Micronas, Nemotek Technologies, Norstel, Nortel Technology, NXP, Oclaro Inc., Olivetti I-Jet, OMMIC, On Semiconductor, OptoGaN, OSRAM, Philips, Photonix, Prema Semiconductor, Pulsar (Scientific Research Institute), Raytheon Company, Retina Implant, RF Micro Devices, Scottish Microelectronics Centre, SE MEFAB, SENSIRION, SenSonor Technologies, Sigm Plus, Silex Microsystems, Siliconix, Silway Semiconductor, SINTEF, STMicroelectronics, Telefunken Semiconductors, Texas Instruments, Texet, Three-Five Epitaxial Services, TowerJazz Semiconductors Ltd., Tronic’s Microsystems, ULIS , United Monolithic Semiconductors, Vishay Intertechnology, VTI Technologies, VTT, XFAB semiconductor.

Access the report at http://www.i-micronews.com/reports/European-Microelectronic-Fab-Database-Report-2012/226/

February 8, 2012 — The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing US semiconductor manufacturing and design, released the 2011 International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), a roadmap of near-term and long-term challenges and innovations for the semiconductor design and manufacturing industry through 2026.

Also read: ITRS 2010: What happened during this off-year?

The ITRS is sponsored by five regions of the world; Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States and is overseen by SIA. The 2011 ITRS was first presented at a public forum in Incheon, Korea on December 14, 2011. Through the cooperative efforts of the global chip manufacturers and equipment suppliers, research communities and consortia, the Roadmap teams identify critical challenges, technical needs and potential solutions.

2011 edition. Several key areas of advancement have been highlighted in the 2011 ITRS, specifically: DRAM and Flash memory, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) technology development will be accelerated, allowing for new higher-performance servers and sophisticated graphics for game consoles. Flash technology, used as memory in mobile computing devices such as digital cameras, tablet PCs and cell phones, will experience accelerated development over the next 2 years. The introduction of three-dimensional (3D) flash technology, beginning in 2016, will bring greater memory capabilities to a range of popular consumer electronics.

The 2011 ITRS also explores the newest possibilities for innovative interconnects, switches, devices, and materials to advance nanotechnology. While the continued scaling down to the nanometer level occurs, innovative designs and models for new applications and products have expanded research and development of MEMS, increasingly included in smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, and numerous other consumer electronic products. Researchers are also increasing attention on RF and analog mixed-signal technologies.

Also read: NIST collaborates on MEMS roadmaps: ITRS, iNEMI

One of the primary challenges that the industry has identified is how to decrease the size of semiconductors while increasing performance standards to meet consumer demands. In addition to addressing scale and performance challenges, the ITRS presents models for enhancing the highly complex manufacturing and measurement processes required to achieve smaller, higher performance and more energy efficient semiconductors. The ITRS also focuses on cost-effective manufacturing and resource conservation to meet the rapidly changing needs of semiconductor design innovations.

Also read: Packaging, assembly changes coming in next ITRS

Each ITRS working group coordinates with related teams across disciplines to write reports indicating the state of the current technology, technology challenges, critical needs, potential solutions, and areas of innovation. When incorporated into the ITRS, the reports provide guidelines for the global industry that are intended for technology assessment only, without regard to any commercial considerations. The roadmap can serve as a guide for corporate strategic plans and business unit programs; help to assess lead times for equipment development plans, process and materials; and assess key metrics for industry productivity/profitability such as progress on Moore’s law, productivity trends, industry cycles and economic models.

Access the ITRS at www.itrs.net. 

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February 6, 2012 — Micro-scale thermal management device maker Nextreme Thermal Solutions announced that its thin-film thermoelectric technology has achieved a 60.1°C temperature difference between its cold and hot sides at an ambient temperature of 24.7°C, bringing it on par with the performance of bulk thermoelectric technology.

The 60°C temperature milestone, known as the ΔTmax, indicates the thermoelectric device’s ability to pump heat efficiently, improving cooling and lowering input power requirements for applications in electronics, photonics, automotive, avionics, and high-speed PCR applications.

The improved performance is the result of new materials development at Nextreme and the use of advanced, state-of-the-art interconnect and contact technology developed at the Center for Solid State Energetics at RTI International.

Nextreme will be introducing new products with this higher level of cooling performance in 2012.

Nextreme Thermal Solutions manufactures thin-film thermoelectric modules and subsystems. For more information, visit www.nextreme.com.

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February 3, 2012 – Marketwire — Silicon Frontline Technology Inc. (SFT), an EDA company in the post-layout verification market, announced that X-FAB Silicon Foundries, a More-than-Moore semiconductor foundry, has used SFT’s R3D (Resistive 3D) software for X-FAB’s 0.18

January 24, 2012 — The Commerce Department’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) seeks nominees in the US for the 2012 National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI), honoring "this nation’s creative geniuses," said Richard Maulsby, the USPTO

January 23, 2012 – PRNewswire via COMTEX — Pure-play MEMS foundry Silex Microsystems joined "Energy-efficient Piezo-MEMS Tunable RF Front-End Antenna Systems for Mobile Devices," or EPAMO, which is a European Union funded program developing new technologies for high performance RF systems, energy-efficient mobile communication systems, highly miniaturized and integrated RF components, and cost-efficient mobile phone component technologies.

Silex will develop high-performance metal through-silicon vias (TSV) for RF applications, PZT piezoelectric thin film technologies for actuator manufacture, and advanced integrated passive devices (IPD) using through-wafer processing and advanced materials development. This program leverages Silex’ expertise in 3D through-wafer processing to develop new micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) capabilities, says Dr Thorbjorn Ebefors, chief technologist at Silex Microsystems. "These new techniques will be used to fabricate high-density integrated inductors, resistors and capacitors for new classes of devices," Ebefors added.

RF MEMS have gained a great deal of interest from mobile electronics followers recently, when a WiSpry RF MEMS component was identified in a major Samsung smartphone. WiSpry confirmed the design win.

EPAMO will develop new advanced wafer materials and RF component designs, combining new thin film materials and thin film technologies with CMOS solutions and advanced 3D packaging technologies. Silex is the only pure-play foundry involved in EPAMO.

EPAMO is coordinated by Dr. Thomas Metzger of EPCOS AG (RF filters and module solutions provider for the RF front-end of mobile phones). For more information see www.epamo.eu.

ENIAC JU (European Technology Platform on Nanoelectronics Joint Undertaking), a public-private partnership between the European Commission, 21 European countries and various nanoelectronics actors funds euro 2.2 M of EPAMO budget. National public funding from the participating nations covers euro 5.5 M, and euro 5.6 M comes from EPAMO partners. For more information see www.eniac.eu.

Silex Microsystems a pure-play MEMS foundry with production operations totaling 25,000 square feet and dedicated lines for both 6" and 8" wafers. For more information see www.silexmicrosystems.com

January 23, 2012 – JCN Newswire — Sony Corp. has developed a next-generation backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS image sensor (CIS) that layers the pixel section with back-illuminated structures over the chips containing signal processing circuits, instead of using supporting substrates. The result is a denser, higher-performance, smaller-form-factor BSI CIS for smartphone cameras and other applications.

Conventional CMOS image sensors package the pixel section and analog logic circuit on top of the same chip, which require numerous constraints when wishing to mount the large-scale circuits — circuit scaling and chip size, suppressing the noise caused by the layout of the pixel and circuit sections, and optimizing the characteristics of pixels and circuit transistors. Sony’s stacked packaging structure layers the pixel section containing formations of back-illuminated structure pixels over the chip affixed with mounted circuits for signal processing, which eliminates the supporting substrates used in conventional BSI CIS. In the stacked structure, large-scale circuits can now be mounted, keeping small chip sizes. Since the pixel section and circuit section are formed as independent chips, a manufacturing process can be adopted that enables the pixel section to be specialized for higher image quality while the circuit section can be specialized for higher functionality. Faster signal processing and lower power consumption can also be achieved through the use of leading processes for manufacturing the chip containing the circuits.

Features of stacked CMOS image sensor:
– Large-scale signal processing circuits required for higher image quality and better functionality are built-in
– More compact image sensor chip size
– Even higher image quality of the pixel section by adopting manufacturing processes specialized for superior image quality
– Faster speeds and lower power consumption by adopting the leading process for the circuit section

More sophisticated cameras in consumer electronics like smartphones enable a wider range of scene capture. In addition to the higher pixel numbers, superior image quality and faster speeds than conventional image sensors, this Sony stacked image sensor technology enables highly advanced functionalities and a more compact size.

Also read: CMOS image sensors overrun CCD for digital cameras

Sony has developed a model with built-in signal processing functionality, an element that usually requires external embedment. Samples will be shipped from March 2012. Models have been developed with Sony’s "RGBW Coding" function for low noise, high quality image capture even in low light condition, and "HDR (High Dynamic Range) Movie" function for brilliant color images in bright light.

Planned product launches:

– Type 1/4 Stacked CMOS Image Sensor with approx. 8.0 effective megapixels (equipped with camera signal processing function). Sample shipments planned for March 2012.

– Type 1/3.06 Stacked CMOS Image Sensor with approx. 13.0 effective megapixels (equipped with "RGBW Coding" and "HDR Movie" functions). Sample shipments planned for June 2012.

– Type 1/4 Stacked CMOS Image Sensor with approx. 8.0 effective megapixels (equipped with "RGBW Coding" and "HDR Movie" functions). Sample shipments planned for August 2012.

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

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January 20, 2012 – Marketwire — Minco Technology Labs LLC, high-reliability semiconductor die processing, packaging and test services provider, appointed board member Bill Bradford as president and CEO. Bradford has served on the board of Minco since May 2010.

Bradford brings a background in the semiconductor industry, building organizations and developing channels, alliances, and strategic partnerships for leading semiconductor companies including Entropic Communications, Freescale Semiconductor, ON Semiconductor, Cypress Semiconductor and Texas Instruments. As senior vice president of worldwide sales for Entropic Communications, his most recent post, he oversaw a doubling of revenue over a 2-year period. Bradford has over 25 years of direct sales, sales management, marketing, and business development experience in the semiconductor industry. His domestic and international experience will help shape Minco’s growth strategy for hi-rel markets, said Keith Kolerus, Chairman of the Minco Board.

Bradford holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Management from the University of Alabama.

Also read: Column grid array: High-reliability option for packaging and Harsh Environments in Advanced Packaging: Just the Beginning

Former CEO Don Potter, who has been with the company since 1982, served as president since 1991 & CEO since 2010, has announced his retirement and will be leaving the company effective today. "Don’s contributions have been instrumental in establishing Minco as a leader in die processing, packaging, test & distribution," said Kolerus. "We wish Don well in his new endeavors."

Minco assembles, processes and distributes mission-critical semiconductors and components used in military and aerospace applications as well as medical equipment, down-hole drilling equipment, and other harsh-environment applications. Learn more at http://www.mincotech.com/.

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