Category Archives: Applications

SkyWater Technology Foundry announces that it has been assigned the Specialty Foundry customer relationships from Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. The customer relationships were already being serviced within SkyWater’s 200mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility when purchased from Cypress earlier this year. Through the transaction, SkyWater assumes ownership of Cypress’ current embedded Specialty Foundry customer engagements and adds associated business management personnel.

“This transaction builds upon the concept of a Technology Foundry, which enables customers to design, build, and scale their products by simplifying the realization of complex technologies through access to semiconductor technology, experienced personnel and volume manufacturing capabilities,” said SkyWater Chairman of the Board Gary Obermiller. “The addition of the Specialty Foundry customers is synergistic with our pure-play Technology Foundry model; customers come to us with their ideas and we transform them into practice through the application of our differentiated semiconductor technology and operational expertise.”

The Technology Foundry Business model enables customers to design and optimize their product concepts. In tandem with SkyWater’s advanced wafer manufacturing facility, customers are able to prototype and rapidly scale to production volumes, all inside of a high-yield production fab.

“The Specialty Foundry Business was created in 2008 with the vision of providing advanced development access to a high-volume production-scale fab, building on the site’s proven track record of success in bringing new technologies to production,” said Michael Moore, executive vice president of Sales and Marketing at SkyWater. “It’s in our DNA. We’ve been doing development work at this site for decades, right alongside production.  This move is a natural next step for the company and our customers.  We have successfully diversified the customer base this way, by serving new and unique markets that are poised for rapid growth.”

As part of the assignment, which closed October 2, SkyWater will now have direct responsibility for all Specialty Foundry Business customers, eliminating the prior Cypress interface. Because of the existing working relationship between all parties, there will be a seamless transition for all current projects; the same team will continue working with all existing customers, the only difference being that they are now SkyWater employees.

Within SkyWater’s manufacturing facility there are a wide variety of unique technologies currently being developed and manufactured – from superconducting quantum computers to advanced technology Readout IC’s (ROIC), MEMS-based infrared imagers, DNA sequencing and fabrication platforms, and photonic integrated circuit (PIC) devices.

According to SkyWater’s Senior Director of Sales Brad Ferguson, “These types of Technology engagements just start with a simple conversation about our capabilities, and once Customers see the potential of our Technology Foundry solution, they realize this is the right place to transform their concepts into a manufactured product.”

SkyWater is a U.S.-based technology foundry specializing in the development and manufacturing of a wide variety of semiconductor based solutions.

For the first time ever, SEMICON Southeast Asia (SEMICON SEA), the region’s premier gathering of the industry connecting people, products, technologies and solutions across the electronics manufacturing supply chain, will be held in Kuala Lumpur. Taking place 8 to 10 May 2018, the conference will debut in the newly constructed Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC). With more than 85 percent of the exhibition space already sold, SEMICON SEA 2018 will represent companies from Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, Europe and the U.S.  More than 300 companies will exhibit and as many as 8,000 visitors from 15 countries are expected to participate in SEMICON SEA. Organised by SEMI, SEMICON SEA 2018 theme will be “Think Smart Make Smart.”

The Southeast Asia region is a world-class electronics manufacturing hub with end-to-end R&D capabilities, and SEMICON SEA 2018 is the comprehensive platform for the electronics industry in the region. The event will feature three themed pavilions, five country pavilions, keynote presentations, and forums that will address critical trending topics within the semiconductor eco-system. The show will connect decision makers from the industry, demonstrate the most advanced products, and provide the most up-to-date market and technology trends.

Ng Kai Fai, president of SEMI Southeast Asia says, “The growth of SEMICON Southeast Asia is attributed to the rapid expansion and robust growth of the Electrical & Electronics (E&E) sector across Southeast Asia, with companies emerging as world leaders in mobile, automotive, medical and Internet of Things (IoT) supply chains. As one of the high-growth markets in the region, Malaysia contributes 44 percent of the total manufacturing output and 26 percent of the total Gross Domestic Product of the region and is forecasted to generate approximately US$ 382 billion in exports in 2018.”

Over the past three years, SEMICON SEA has become the annual gathering of the full regional supply chain. SEMICON SEA 2018 will feature a supplier search programme to encourage cross-border business matching as well as a technology start-up platform which will bring together Southeast Asia technology entrepreneurial resources. In conjunction with SEMICON SEA 2018, this event will also include the SEMICON University Programme which aims to encourage and promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) interest amongst young talent and will also include a job fair.

Leti, a research institute of CEA Tech and coordinator of the pan-European consortium FED4SAE, today announced that the 14 project partners have launched a three-year European Commission program to facilitate the acceleration of European cyber-physical-system (CPS) solutions to market. This project will boost digitization of European industry by strengthening companies’ competitiveness in the CPS market.

Cyber-physical systems link the physical world (e.g., through sensors or actuators) with the virtual world of information processing. They are comprised of diverse constituent parts that function together to create some global behavior. These constituents may include software systems, communications technology, and sensors/actuators that interact with the real world, often including embedded technologies.

The FED4SAE project, launched in September in Grenoble, will create a pan-European network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) by leveraging existing regional tech or businesses ecosystems across complete value chains and multiple competencies. The network of DIHs will enable startups, SMEs and midcap companies in all sectors to build and create new digital products, smart applications and services. The project mission also includes innovation management – linking these companies to suppliers and investors to create innovative CPS solutions and accelerate their development and industrialization.

“FED4SAE will give birth to a competitive ecosystem that will help European startups, SMEs and midcaps innovate and thrive as they access leading technology sources, competencies and industrial platforms,” said Leti project coordinator, Isabelle Dor. “The network will also effectively link them to well-connected business infrastructures, such as banks, investors and business accelerators, and existing regional innovation hubs.

“Bottom line: the expanded adoption of CPS solutions offered by the network is expected to lead to quantifiable increases in the participating companies’ market share, productivity and industrial capacities,” Dor said.

The FED4SAE project will fund industrial projects thanks to the cascade-funding process set by the European Commission. There will be three open calls over the course of the project. The first call, which opens Nov. 14, will support the best projects based on their innovation potential and technical expertise, the maturity of the solution, with technology-readiness levels between 3 and 6, and their efficient management of the innovation to create a lasting impact with the developed solution.

This pan-European network will enable companies to use CPS platforms combined with expertise and knowhow from the R&D advanced platforms. The ultimate goal of each industrial project within FED4SAE is to develop a complete solution that can get to market and scale.

This includes combining hardware and software components and deploying them in a range of testbeds prior to deployment into the targeted market, as well as support in business modeling and market insights through guidance from conceptual design through market launch. Application experiments will be funded for developing innovative CPS products that will increase the competitiveness of European innovative companies.

Proposals can be submitted from Nov. 14 to Feb. 6, 2018, for the first open call. The expected average funding per applicant is €50,000 with a maximum of €60,000 for one application experiment.

SEMICON Europa 2017 will take place in Munich from 14 to 17 November, co-located with productronica. Consistent with SEMI’s theme “Connect, Collaborate, and Innovate,” co-locating SEMICON Europa with productronica gathers the full span of electronics manufacturing and end-products, creating the largest European electronics platform ever. More than 400 exhibitors will present their products and innovations at SEMICON Europa 2017. Over 40,000 attendees are expected at the co-located events.

After a period of slow growth, Europe’s semiconductor manufacturers are investing in new construction of 300mm fabs in Germany, Italy and France. Four semiconductor and MEMS manufacturers have announced investments in Europe totaling more than $10 billion. Bosch will build a new fab in Dresden; ST Microelectronics is planning two new 300mm fabs in Agrate and Crolles; and GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Infineon plan to expand their production capacity.

“The global industry will invest more than US$100 billion in equipment and materials this year. Forecasts for 2017 also predict that semiconductor manufacturers worldwide will exceed $400 billion in revenue ─ a new record,” says Ajit Manocha, president and CEO of SEMI.  “An unprecedented number of new inflections and applications will broadly expand the digital economy and drive increasing silicon content — in areas including IoT, assisted driving in automotive, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and 5G. Assuming an average 7 percent CAGR, global chip sales could approach $1 trillion by 2030, and equipment and materials spending could similarly grow to nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars.”

The market segments in which European companies hold strong market positions also shape the conference program of SEMICON Europa 2017. More than 250 presentations, 50 conferences and high-caliber discussions provide an overview of current trends. Key issues this year include: materials, semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging, MEMS/sensors, power electronics, flexible and printed electronics. The focus is also on important applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing (“Industry 4.0”), automotive electronics and medical technology.

The Opening Ceremony will include a welcome speech by Ajit Manocha, president and CEO of SEMI,followed by Laith Altimime, president, SEMI Europe, plus four keynotes:

  • Bosch Sensortec: Stefan Finkbeiner, CEO, on how environmental sensing can contribute to a better quality of life in the context of the IoT
  • Rinspeed Inc.: Frank M. Rinderknecht, founder and CEO, on how to create innovative technologies, materials and mobility means of tomorrow
  • SOITEC: Carlos Mazure, CTO, executive VP, on contributions and benefits of engineered substrates solutions and thin-layer transfer technologies, focusing on applications in the smart space
  • TSMC Europe: Maria Marced, president, on opportunities for new business models to apply in the Smart City

On the exhibition show floor, the TechARENA free sessions are a highlight with the SEMI China Innovation and Investment Forum and the INNOVATION VILLAGE.

With 7% CAGR between 2016 and 2022, the magnetic sensor market should reach almost US$ 2.5 billion in 2022. Driven by the automotive applications and the introduction of the magnetoresistive technologies, it is showing a steady growth. The industry is step by step undergoing a consolidation process. According to Yole Développement (Yole), future mergers and acquisitions are expected to allow companies to ensure their market positioning and penetrate new market segments.

The “More than More” market research and strategy consulting company, proposes today a dedicated technology & market report related to semiconductor magnetic sensors industry: Magnetic Sensors Market & Technologies. Magnetic sensors functions included in this new analysis are switches/latches, position (angle/linear), speed, current and electronic compass. With this new report, Yole’s analysts are offering a comprehensive overview of the magnetic technologies such as Hall Effect, magneto resistive (AMR, GMR and TMR) and others, combined with market data and competitive landscape. Based on its strong knowledge of the semiconductor industry and its technical expertise, Yole’s team investigated the magnetic sensor ecosystem, conducted numerous interviews with leading players and gathered lot of strategic information. This report presents the key driving forces and restraints for each magnetic sensor market and provides accurate market forecasts in dollars, units and number of wafers.

magnetic sensor market

Magnetic sensors is becoming a key enabling technology for the growing automotive and IoT industries, announces the consulting company.

“Automotive market is the 1st magnetic sensors business thanks to a huge number of magnetic sensors per vehicle, as well as the large volume showed by the automotive sector,” said Yann de Charentenay, Technology & Market Analyst at Yole.

Therefore automotive is the biggest magnetic sensor business by far, accounting for more than 50% of the overall market’s US$1.64 billion value in 2016. Today, 20-30 magnetic sensors are used in a traditional ICE car. This could rise to 35 in hybrid cars, which require additional current sensors. Magnetic sensors can be used for position and speed sensing, switching, current sensing, and have the advantage of being contactless and thus very robust. Thus magnetic sensors already contribute significantly to car electrification. This will continue in coming years, in both powertrain and auxiliary brushless motors, and as reliability requirements increase for autonomous cars.

In parallel, Yole’s analysts consider a 2nd market segment including industrial plants, transportation, homes, appliances and consumer electronics. “The market is clearly very fragmented, with smaller volumes and more dedicated products than in automotive, which are thus also higher priced”, details Yann de Charentenay from Yole. But similar trends as in automotive are currently driving the market growth. And the transition to brushless motors and IoT are boosting the market by providing intelligence and connectivity to objects either for ‘industry 4.0’ or for consumer smart homes. “At Yole, we therefore expect this business will have double digit growth, the highest in the magnetic sensor market,” added Yann de Charentenay.

The ‘ecompass’ electronic compass market is stabilizing after several years of shrinkage due to rapid price erosion and smartphone market saturation. Ecompasses that use 3D magnetic sensors equip a majority of smartphones to precisely give pedestrians directions in digital maps, and for a few years have assisted GPS when satellite signals are unavailable. Market growth will come back thanks to new applications such as wearable, robots and drones, but will be moderate compared to other businesses.

The magnetic sensors market evolution is also pushed by a dynamic technology landscape. Indeed, the presence of magnetoresistive technologies, named xMR grows and reinforces the increasing complexity of the technology environment. It includes AMR, GMR, and more recently TMR. Their growth comes at the expense of, or combination with, historical Hall Effect technology.
xMR technologies’ main advantage is better sensitivity and thus they are mainly used for position measurement, especially for precise angles. Most big Hall players have introduced xMR technologies into their product portfolios and intend to grow this business. Yole’s analysis identified: AKM, Infineon Technologies, Allegro Microsystems, Melexis, TDK (especially with the acquisition of Micronas end of 2015), Diodes and Honeywell. According to Yole, xMR technologies will increase their market share from 27% to 33% from 2016 to 2022.

Electrical physicists from Czech Technical University have provided additional evidence that new current sensors introduce errors when assessing current through iron conductors. It’s crucial to correct this flaw in the new sensors so that operators of the electrical grid can correctly respond to threats to the system. The researchers show how a difference in a conductor’s magnetic permeability, the degree of material’s magnetization response in a magnetic field, affects the precision of new sensors. They also provide recommendations for improving sensor accuracy. The results are published this week in AIP Advances, from AIP Publishing.

With the addition of new renewable energy sources and smart homes demanding more information, the electrical grid is becoming more complex. Author Pavel Ripka said, “If you have [a] grid at the edge of capacity, you have to be careful to monitor all the transients (power surges).” Surges are overloads or failures to the system, which can be caused by something as simple as a broken power line, or more dramatic events like lightning strikes or geomagnetic storms.

Ripka explained the importance of monitoring electrical currents: “Every day you get a lot of these small events (surges) within a big power grid, and sometimes it is difficult to interpret them. If it is something really serious, you should switch off parts of the grid to prevent catastrophic damage, but if it’s a short transient which will finish fast there is no need to disconnect the grid. It’s a risky business to distinguish between these events, because if you underestimate the danger then parts of the distribution installations can be damaged causing serious blackouts. But if you overestimate and disconnect, it is a problem because connecting these grids back together is quite complicated,” he said.

To address the increasing complexity of the grid and power outage threats, there has been an increase in use of ground current sensors in the past couple of years. New yokeless current sensors are popular because of their low cost and compact size. These sensors are good for assessing currents in nonmagnetic conductors such as copper and aluminum. However, ground conductors are usually iron due to its mechanical strength, and iron has a high magnetic permeability.

Using these new sensors to measure ground currents when iron is present is a bit like using a thermometer to assess if the heating needs to be switched on, not taking into account where exactly the thermometer is placed. Near a door or window, the thermometer’s reading can be affected differently than elsewhere. In the same way, this study has shown that not taking into account the magnetic permeability of a conductor distorts the accuracy of a reading with a yokeless sensor.

Ripka and his team matched experimental measurements with theoretical simulations to highlight the difference in yokeless sensor readings between nonmagnetic and magnetic conductors.

“We can show how to design (yokeless) current sensors so that they are not so susceptible to this type of error,” Ripka said. “[This study is] just a small reminder to make [engineers] design sensors safely.”

To further prove the point, Ripka’s group is starting to take long-term readings at power stations, comparing results to commercial uncalibrated sensors. In the future, Ripka envisions cooperating with geophysicists to correlate ground currents and geomagnetic activity, to better understand how these currents are distributed within the earth and even predict future disruptions to the grid.

SEMICON Europa is quickly approaching on 14-17 November.  As the premier platform in Europe for discovering new technologies, finding solutions to electronics design and manufacturing challenges, and meeting the people and companies who are advancing electronics innovation, SEMICON Europa features over 60 presentations covering the entire electronics manufacturing supply chain.

BOSCH-300

SEMI interviewed one of the four keynotes presenting on November 14 during the Opening Ceremony, Dr. Stefan Finkbeiner, CEO of Bosch Sensortec, about topics about developments and trends in IoT, Environmental Sensing, and Value Chain as well as the role of Europe.

SEMI:  IoT growth is slower than expected. Possible reasons are relatively high costs and lack of silicon integration and interoperable standards. However, expected progress over the next two years on all those fronts will fuel a market that “will very quickly double” its shipment rates. What do you see as key factors for a success of IoT solutions and what are today’s roadblocks?

Finkbeiner: Today, the IoT market is fragmented. The lack of standardization is limiting the implementation of new solutions, and only a cooperation of different competencies will bring us closer to a better result. Key success factors for doing so are customization, standardization and cooperation between different parties along the ecosystems and the value chain: all those elements will contribute to the progress of the IoT. In the end, it is the use case that really counts. If you have to pay for a solution, you will only do so if you are sure you will really benefit from it.  Some applications, which are already in the market, include the possibility of detecting the indoor air quality. When and where shall I open the window to get fresh air in order to improve the work environment? If a room is empty, there is no need to use the sensors to heat up or cool down. We can calculate the benefits – and those in charge of operation can measure how much it pays off.

SEMI:  Which role does the cooperation along the value chain play here?

Finkbeiner:  Cooperation is the key, and when we talk about the value chain, there are different competencies, e.g. hardware, software and collaboration with partners to generate smart sensors. These smart sensors accumulate and evaluate sensor signals and dates. Only valuable data is transferred via gateways into a cloud. It is not only about “making the value chain happen,” but also about having access to the market. No company on its own is able to access all markets, but with a net of partners we can. It is crucial to combine competencies in order to get access to the IoT market and accelerate penetration in different applications.

SEMI:  Smart buildings represent the second largest target of the IoT market. This is followed by connected vehicles and smart farms at about a billion devices each. Let’s take the automotive industry and major changes of today’s new players such as Tesla, Google or Uber entering the market. Do you expect or see already similar trends for in the field of Smart buildings or Smart Cities?

Finkbeiner: If we talk about environmental sensing, the answer will be “no.” Still, companies with competencies in the field of sensors or microcontrollers are the ones providing sensor solutions. However, if you talk about making use out of the data, companies like Google, Apple, or Amazon, will also be involved in the IoT market’s data business.

SEMI:   What are typical examples of Environmental Sensing you are referring to?

Finkbeiner: A typical example of environmental sensing is measuring the indoor air quality for energy management in a smart home or smart factory. Let´s take, for example, a fitness application: you can use an app to measure the humidity rate and the air quality. If the results do not show favorable conditions for doing sports, you will most probably decide not to exercise in that specific area, or during a specific time, or period. One of the first products on the market is a smart case for the smartphone developed by i-BLADES, which turns into a portable air quality monitor, thanks to the integrated gas sensor BME680. We currently see many such smart applications emerging on the market.  But there are also other applications: let´s take, for example, food watching. If food is aging, our sensor can recognize it – and an app can show it on your smart phone.

SEMI: The solutions available on the market are very fragmented today and adopting various often-interoperable standards. How do you think it will evolve?

Finkbeiner: There are applications with more obvious benefits than others. The best practices should be leveraged to develop standards. In fact, nobody wants to work with three or four different ecosystems and thus more standardization will be required. For instance, to run applications coming from different companies with just one app is a must. As soon as applications will grow, the standardization will grow, too. The growing number of applications increasingly drives up the number of use cases and as a result, more standardization will occur. It is a slow process, but it is indeed happening.

SEMI:  Bosch invested in a new 300mm Fab in Dresden, which is the biggest single investment in Bosch’s 130-year history. The fab will satisfy the demand generated by the growing number of internet of things (IoT) and mobility applications; the new location should manufacture chips on the basis of 12-inch wafers.  Bosch is one of the largest players in Dresden. This new investment is marking a big step: how important is it for you, as a global player, to belong to such an important innovation hub in Europe?

Finkbeiner: For Bosch, it is essential to be part of this microelectronics cluster in Dresden and to utilize the synergies around it. For the semiconductor industry, it is important to leverage the synergies of the different players in Dresden. Beyond this, if we talk about ecosystems for IoT applications and collaborations, it is also important to go to innovation hubs driving IoT products and solutions such as Berlin, Singapore and other places with a rich start-up ecosystem. Furthermore, a global footprint is also very important: a worldwide IoT community and a larger ecosystem, a connection with America and Asia. But then again: Europe is a very good place to be! In Europe, all competencies to make the IoT applications happen are available.

SEMI:   Which key areas will enhance the cooperation within innovation hubs across different innovation hubs in Europe?

Finkbeiner: When talking about hardware, Dresden comes into play. Dresden certainly brings the necessary competencies, for instance with universities and industry collaboration. Think about Silicon Saxony in Dresden or clusters around the Stuttgart region in Baden-Wurttemberg. Also presence on global hubs and markets, such as Silicon Valley in the U.S. West Coast or Shanghai in China, are important.

SEMI:  What do you expect from SEMICON Europa 2017 and why do you recommend attending in Munich?

Finkbeiner: SEMICON Europa is a very important platform for us. It is an opportunity to meet partners, customers, industry leaders, to exchange ideas and to get new insights. In addition, together with Stuttgart and Dresden, the Munich region as a location of significant electronics companies and technical universities is particularly important for us. We, at Bosch Sensortec also have a development site in Munich.

Leti announced today that a team of its researchers is participating in a U.S.-funded project to develop a safe, implantable neural interface system to restore vision by stimulating the visual cortex.

Funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Neural Engineering System Design program (NESD) sets out to expand neurotechnology capabilities and provide a foundation for future treatments of sensory deficits.

Scientists from Leti and Clinatec, Leti’s biomedical research center focused on applying micro- and nanotechnology innovations to health care, are part of a consortium conducted by the Paris Vision Institute under the leadership of Prof. José-Alain Sahel and Dr. Serge Picaud. The Vision Institute is a leading European research center in eye diseases, and is part of the Seeing and Hearing Foundation (Fondation Voir et Entendre, FVE), which was awarded the DARPA grant.

The FVE team project, called CorticalSight, is part of the six projects selected by DARPA to participate in the groundbreaking NESD program. CorticalSight will apply techniques from the field of optogenetics to enable communication between neurons in the visual cortex and a camera-based, high-definition artificial retina worn over the eyes. Leti will lead the development of the active implantable medical device that will interface with the visual cortex.

Clinatec and its Leti partners will focus on developing a safe, wireless, implantable system that restores vision through light stimulation of optogenetically modified neurons in the visual cortex. Leti is tasked with designing an implantable device, as well as creating hermetic packaging and radiofrequency links for the implantable system, and subsequently conducting technical test benches. The Leti implant will enable visual cortex optical-stimulation patterns, and integrate the underlying control electronics within a minimally invasive cortical implant.

“Clinatec’s integrated approach to high-tech, medical-device R&D, extending from Leti’s technological development to in-house clinical expertise and testing capabilities, allows our teams to address cutting-edge medtech development challenges,” said Prof. Alim-Louis Benabid, Clinatec’s chairman of the board, and co-investigator of the CorticalSight project. “This contribution to the CorticalSight consortium will pave the way to new therapeutic devices for vision restoration thanks to the NESD program.”

Partners of the CorticalSight project also include the French companies Chronocam and Gensight®, Stanford University, Inscopix and the Friedrich Miescher Institute of Switzerland.

STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) is powering up wireless charging for mobile devices by introducing one of the world’s first chips to support the latest industry standard for faster charging.

Nowadays, people are using their smartphones and tablets so intensively that many need to top up battery power several times a day. With wireless charging, users don’t need to carry the charger or a bulky power bank, and can charge their electronic devices as fast as with a cable. Major mobile manufacturers are committing to wireless charging by joining the industry alliances and launching compatible products.

Users on the move, who put their mobiles down to charge for a few minutes – say, during a break or in a meeting — need the device to be ready to go again when they are. To enable this, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) that manages the Qi specification — a widely adopted industry standard — has introduced the Extended Power profile for faster charging. By raising the maximum charging power from 5W to 15W, this new profile enables devices to be charged up to three times more quickly.

One of the market’s first wireless-charging controllers to support Qi Extended Power, ST’s STWBC-EP combines best-in-class energy efficiency, consuming just 16mW in standby and able to wirelessly transfer more than 80% of the total input power, with unique features created by ST to enhance the user experience. These include a patented solution enhancing active presence detection to wake the system quickly when a compatible object is presented for charging. The patented technology also enhances the performance of Foreign Object Detection (FOD), to cut power and prevent overheating if objects containing metals are brought too close to the charger. Other unique innovations enhance power control and energy transfer to maximize efficiency and ease of use.

“ST’s Advanced Wireless-Charging chip enables manufacturers to create new, high-power products that offer superior features and efficiency,” said Domenico Arrigo, General Manager, Industrial and Power Conversion Division, STMicroelectronics. “The Qi Extended Power support dramatically shortens charging time and our patented detection and safety innovations greatly improve safety and ease of use.”

The STWBC-EP provides the level of integration allowing to simplify charger design while providing the flexibility to work with supply voltages ranging from 5V USB power up to 12V.

To help accelerate time to market for product developers, ST has created an associated reference design with a Qi 15W ready-built transmitter board and documentation to get started. ST also has a 15W receiver chip (STWLC33) for use in high-speed chargeable devices, which developers can use to complete their applications.

ST’s new wireless-charging chip will be showcased at the Qi Wireless Power Developers Conference and Tradeshow held in San Francisco on November 16-17.

The STWBC-EP is available now, as a 32-lead QFN (5mm x 5mm) device, priced from $3.175 for 1000 pieces.

 

Automotive electronic system sales are forecast to rise by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2016 through 2021, which is the highest among six major end-use system categories (Figure 1), according to data presented in the 2018 edition of the IC Insights’ IC Market Drivers—A Study of Key System Applications Fueling Demand for Integrated Circuits that will be released later this year.

worldwide electronic systems 1

Demand is rising for electronic systems in new cars with increasing attention focused on self-driving (autonomous) vehicles, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications, as well as on-board safety, convenience, and environmental features, and growing interest in electric vehicles.  Automotive electronics is growing as technology becomes more widely available on mid-range and entry-level cars and as consumers purchase technology-based aftermarket products.  For semiconductor suppliers, this is good news as analog ICs, MCUs, and a great number of sensors are required for many of these automotive systems.

The automotive segment is expected to account for an estimated 9.1% of the $1.49 trillion total worldwide electronic systems market in 2017 (Figure 2), a slight increase from 8.9% in 2015, and 9.0% in 2016. Automotive’s share of global electronic system production has increased only incrementally through the years, and is forecast to show only marginal gains as a percent of total electronic systems market through 2021, when automotive electronics are forecast to account for 9.8% of global electronic systems sales.  Though many electronics systems are being added in new vehicles, IC Insights believes pricing pressures on both ICs and electronic systems will keep the automotive end-use application from accounting for much more than its current share of total electronic systems through the forecast period.

worldwide electronic systems 2

Other electronic system and IC market highlights from the 2018 IC Market Drivers Report include the following.

• The automotive segment is forecast to be the fastest growing electronic system market through 2021. This is good news for the total automotive IC market, which is forecast to surge 22% in 2017 and 16% in 2018.

• Industrial electronic systems are forecast to enjoy the second-fastest growth rate (4.6%) through 2021 as robotics, wearable health devices, and systems promoting the Internet of Things help drive growth in this segment. Analog ICs are forecast to hold 45% of the industrial IC market in 2017.

• The 2016-2021 communication systems CAGR is projected to be 4.2% as global sales of smartphones and other mobile devices reach saturation.  Asia-Pacific is forecast to show the strongest regional growth of communication systems and account for 69% of the total communications IC market in 2017.

• The consumer electronic systems market is forecast to display a CAGR of 2.8% through 2021.  The logic segment is forecast to be the largest consumer IC market throughout the forecast.  In total, the consumer IC market is expected to register a 2.4% CAGR across the 2016-2021 time period.

• Flat or marginal demand for personal computing devices (desktops, notebooks, tablets) is expected to result in the computer systems market showing the weakest CAGR through 2021. The total computer IC market is forecast to increase 25% in 2017 driven by much higher average selling prices for computer DRAM and NAND flash memory.