Category Archives: Applications

By Heidi Hoffman, FlexTech | SEMI

In 2016, the Nano-Bio Manufacturing Consortium (NBMC), a FlexTech-managed consortium focused on human performance monitoring technology, and funded in part by the Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL), contracted with a broad-based team of industry and academia researchers, to develop a wearable monitor based on sweat analysis. The device is delivering excellent performance and reliable, wireless, actionable human performance data in a non-invasive nature.

The device, simply nick-named, the ‘patch,’ provides real-time feedback on sweat electrolytes and hydration status of the wearer as part of a larger project to predict fatigue and enhance individual performance. Continuous monitoring of physiological and biological parameters improves performance and medical outcomes by assessing overall health status and alerting for life-saving interventions.

patches

The NBMC patch project includes the non-invasive measurement of biomarkers in sweat including: electrolytes such as Sodium, Potassium, and stress – small molecules and proteins, such as cortisol and Orexin A. The patch seeks to exceed the capabilities of other devices on the market with its combination of wireless communications, microfluidics system, selective biochemical sensing, and, critically, its ability to be produced for health and human-performance monitoring devices. Technical challenges remain in ensuring readings are accurately and robustly assessing the total body hydration.

Wearable-Biofluid 1

The thin wireless patch device is the initial result of an on-going NBMC program entitled “Wearable Device for Dynamic Assessment of Hydration Status.” The patch program is led by GE Global Research, but is actually a highly-collaborative, multi-disciplinary, endeavor with partners from the Air Force Research Laboratory, University of Connecticut, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, American Semiconductor Inc., University of Arizona, UES, and Dublin City University. The project is funded by the industry and academic partners and the AFRL.

GE-Global

Devices which might leverage this technology and manufacturing capability include the next-generation of human performance monitors currently being developed by organizations as diverse as Apple, Google, and Nike. Systems encompass data acquisition, analysis, transmission, interpretation, and archiving in a secure manner.

NBMC continues to explore R&D and manufacturing strategies for making the next generation of life-saving wearable devices, through its relationship with NextFlex and management by SEMI | FlexTech.

A new optical nanosensor enabling more accurate measurement and spatiotemporal mapping of the brain also shows the way forward for design of future multimodal sensors and a broader range of applications, say researchers in an article published in the current issue of Neurophotonics. The journal is published by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.

Neuronal activity results in the release of ionized potassium into extracellular space. Under active physiological and pathological conditions, elevated levels of potassium need to be quickly regulated to enable subsequent activity. This involves diffusion of potassium across extracellular space as well as re-uptake by neurons and astrocytes.

Measuring levels of potassium released during neural activity has involved potassium-sensitive microelectrodes, and to date has provided only single-point measurement and undefined spatial resolution in the extracellular space.

With a fluorescence-imaging-based ionized-potassium-sensitive nanosensor design, a research team from the University of Lausanne was able to overcome challenges such as sensitivity to small movements or drift and diffusion of dyes within the studied region, improving accuracy and enabling access to previously inaccessible areas of the brain.

The work by Joel Wellbourne-Wood, Theresa Rimmele, and Jean-Yves Chatton is reported in “Imaging extracellular potassium dynamics in brain tissue using a potassium-sensitive nanosensor.” The article is freely available for download.

“This is a technological breakthrough that promises to shed new light — both literally and figuratively — on understanding brain homeostasis,” said Neurophotonics associate editor George Augustine, of Duke University. “It not only is much less invasive than previous methods, but it adds a crucial spatial dimension to studies of the role of potassium ions in brain function.”

This potassium-sensitive nanosensor is likely to aid future investigations of chemical mechanisms and their interactions within the brain, the authors note. The spatiotemporal imaging created by collected data will also allow for investigation into the possible existence of potassium micro-domains around activated neurons and the spatial extent of these domains. The study confirms the practicality of the nanosensor for imaging in the extracellular space, and also highlights the range of possible extensions and applications of the nanosensor strategy.

Semiconductor manufacturing thought leaders will convene at the annual SEMI Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference (ASMC 2017) on May 15-18 in Saratoga Springs, New York. The conference will feature 35 hours of technical presentations and over 100 experts addressing all aspects of advanced semiconductor manufacturing. This year’s event features a panel discussion on “The Next Big Thing: Technology Drivers for Next-Gen Manufacturing − Where will the Road take Us?” and a tutorial on Piezoelectric MEMS by Professor Gianluca Piazza, director of Nanofabrication Facility, Carnegie Mellon University.

SEMI‘s ASMC continues to provide a venue for industry professionals to network, learn and share knowledge on new and best-method semiconductor manufacturing practices and concepts.  The conference is co-chaired by Delphine LeCunff of STMicroelectronics and Russell Dover of Lam Research.  ASMC 2017 offers keynotes by Roberto Rapp, VP of Manufacturing at Robert Bosch GmbH; William Miller, VP of Engineering of Qualcomm; and Robert Maire, president of Semiconductor Advisors.

The topical areas that ASMC 2017 will address include:

  • 3D and Power Technologies
  • Advanced Equipment and Materials Processes
  • Advanced Metrology
  • Advanced Patterning
  • Advanced Process Control (APC)
  • Contamination Free Manufacturing (CFM)
  • Yield Management; Defect Inspection
  • Equipment Reliability and Productivity Enhancement
  • Factory Optimization

ASMC includes an interactive poster session and reception, which provides an ideal opportunity for networking between presenters and conference attendees.

The new ‘Women in Semiconductors‘ program takes place on May 15 in conjunction with ASMC 2017.  Sponsored by Applied Materials, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, IBM, Nikon and TEL, the program will focus on “The Power of Talk: Getting a Seat at the Table.”  Registration is complimentary for ASMC attendees.

ASMC 2017 is presented by SEMI with technical sponsors: Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology Society (CPMT). Corporate sponsors include: BisTEL, Edwards, GreeneTweed, KLA-Tencor, Mellor Consulting Group, Nikon, and Valqua America.

Registration for the SEMI Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference (ASMC) is available at www.semi.org/asmc.  For more information, contact Margaret Kindling at [email protected] or phone 1.202.393.5552. Qualified members of the media are invited to contact Deborah Geiger (SEMI Public Relations) at [email protected] for media registration information.

ULVAC Technologies, Inc. (www.ulvac.com), a supplier of production systems, instrumentation and vacuum pumps for technology industries, has been selected by a global MEMS inertial sensor manufacturer to deliver an ULVAC ENVIRO-1Xa advanced plasma ashing system for running critical low-temp descum processes and high-temp bulk photoresist strip processes. These steps are crucial for the manufacturing of high-performance accelerometers and gyroscopes used in consumer, automotive, health and fitness, and industrial applications.

The ENVIRO-1Xa is the latest photoresist removal equipment from ULVAC, and offers superior performance at an exceptional price. The system is equipped with a versatile platform that can handle multiple wafer sizes, ranging from 4-inch to 8-inch in diameter. The system is capable of high-speed photoresist removal at more than 10µm/min, but has the process flexibility required for other important operations, such as; high-dose implanted resist removal, descum and surface modification, SU-8 and fluorinated resist removal, and MEMS sacrificial-layer removal.

Wayne Anderson President/CEO of ULVAC Technologies, Inc. states that “The sale of this ENVIRO 1Xa, for descum applications, serves to increase our market penetration in the global MEMS manufacturing marketplace, where we have been very successful with our MEMS product portfolio; which includes plasma etching equipment, sputter deposition equipment and the ENVIRO family of plasma ashing equipment.”

Rice University researchers have modeled a nanoscale sandwich, the first in what they hope will become a molecular deli for materials scientists.

Their recipe puts two slices of atom-thick graphene around nanoclusters of magnesium oxide that give the super-strong, conductive material expanded optoelectronic properties.

Rice materials scientist Rouzbeh Shahsavari and his colleagues built computer simulations of the compound and found it would offer features suitable for sensitive molecular sensing, catalysis and bio-imaging. Their work could help researchers design a range of customizable hybrids of two- and three-dimensional structures with encapsulated molecules, Shahsavari said.

The research appears this month in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Nanoscale.

The scientists were inspired by experiments elsewhere in which various molecules were encapsulated using van der Waals forces to draw components together. The Rice-led study was the first to take a theoretical approach to defining the electronic and optical properties of one of those “made” samples, two-dimensional magnesium oxide in bilayer graphene, Shahsavari said.

“We knew if there was an experiment already performed, we would have a great reference point that would make it easier to verify our computations, thus allowing more reliable expansion of our computational results to identify performance trends beyond the reach of experiments,” Shahsavari said.

Graphene on its own has no band gap – the characteristic that makes a material a semiconductor. But the hybrid does, and this band gap could be tunable, depending on the components, Shahsavari said. The enhanced optical properties are also tunable and useful, he said.

“We saw that while this single flake of magnesium oxide absorbed one kind of light emission, when it was trapped between two layers of graphene, it absorbed a wide spectrum. That could be an important mechanism for sensors,” he said.

Shahsavari said his group’s theory should be applicable to other two-dimensional materials, like hexagonal boron-nitride, and molecular fillings. “There is no single material that can solve all the technical problems of the world,” he said. “It always comes down to making hybrid materials to synergize the best features of multiple components to do a specific job. My group is working on these hybrid materials by tweaking their components and structures to meet new challenges.”

STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor developer serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications and a top MEMS supplier, DSP Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DSPG), a global provider of wireless chipset solutions for converged communications, and Sensory Inc., the developer of voice interface and keyword-detect algorithms, have revealed details for a highly power-efficient, voice-detecting and -processing microphone that delivers keyword-recognition capabilities in a compact package.

The small System-in-Package (SiP) device integrates a low-power ST MEMS microphone enabled by DSP Group’s ultra-low power voice-processing chip and Sensory’s voice-recognition firmware. The solution leverages ST’s advanced packaging technology to achieve a powerful yet lightweight package, extremely long battery runtimes, and advanced functionality.

Although typical wake-on-sound microphones eliminate the need for users to touch the device to wake it from sleep mode, they suffer from limited processing power and wake the main system processor to recognize the received instruction. Using the powerful computation capabilities from DSP Group, ST’s microphone detects and recognizes instructions without waking the main system, enabling energy-efficient, intuitive, and seamless interactions for users speaking to voice-operated appliances like smart speakers, TV remotes, and smart home systems.

The new microphone solution taps DSP Group’s HDClear ultra-low power audio processing chip to significantly reduce energy consumption, extending the lifetime of battery-operated equipment for several years without the need to recharge or replace battery. Responses to voice commands are also faster, because the system acts on the instruction immediately without first having to recognize it.

“Unlike previous existing solutions, this microphone doesn’t just listen to voices – it immediately understands the commands, too, without using the power and computation resources of the main processor,” commented Andrea Onetti, MEMS and Sensors Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. “This smart integration step is a key enabler for the voice interfaces that are being added to IoT objects and applications, including those contributing to Industry 4.0.”

“As voice becomes the default user interface, more and more innovative products embrace smart voice-processing technology. Our solution combines a small footprint, high integration, and the low-power consumption needed to enable seamless and effective voice user interfaces in battery-operated devices,” said Ofer Elyakim, CEO of DSP Group. “Collaboration with industry leaders ST and Sensory on this smart microphone brings to market a powerful yet energy-efficient solution with best-in-class performance, which makes it a perfect match for any smart system that needs to incorporate high-quality voice capabilities.”

Todd Mozer, CEO of Sensory, added, “Voice activation has the potential to transform the way people interact with all kinds of electronic equipment in the home, while on the go, or at work. ST’s new highly integrated solution, leveraging our latest-generation firmware, is an important enabler for OEMs seeking to deliver a natural and fluid user experience.”

First prototypes of ST’s new command-recognition microphone will be available by the end of Q1 2017 with volume production in early 2018.

STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) announced the expansion of its STSAFE family of secure elements with the introduction of a powerful plug-and-play solution that provides state-of-the-art security features to devices connected to the Sigfox low-power wide-area network (LPWAN).

The new STSAFE-A1SX secure element (SE) is based on a tamper-resistant Common Criteria EAL5+ -certified SE technology that enhances the integrity and confidentiality of transmissions to and from the IoT device over the Sigfox network. The secure element runs an optimized secure application that combines ST’s proven expertise in electronic security for applications in banking, e-commerce, and identity with Sigfox’s expertise in networking and data communications for the emerging IoT world.

STSAFE-A1SX is a tiny and cost-effective secure IC solution that connects to the microcontroller of the IoT application or module via an Intelligent Interface Controller (I2C) connection. The chips are provisioned in ST’s secure-personalization center with device ID and keys that allow plug-and-play secure connection to the Sigfox cloud, and further ensure data-exchange integrity and confidentiality. Whether the frame is an uplink or downlink message, the STSAFE-A1SX secure element generates or verifies payload proof of integrity as well as optional encryption or decryption. Keys and other secrets are always protected inside the secure element during manufacturing and over the end device’s full life.

“By executing Sigfox security services within our certified tamper-proof STSAFE-A1SX, we support Sigfox Ready(TM) device makers and Sigfox application providers to implement state-of-the-art end-to-end security,” said Laurent Degauque, Secure Microcontroller Marketing Director, Microcontroller and Digital ICs Group, STMicroelectronics. “The STSAFE-A1SX makes security over the Sigfox network even stronger and more straightforward. Our customers simply attach this secure element to their general-purpose MCU, such as an STM32, and focus on application development.”

“It’s more important than ever to consider and plan the security architecture at the very beginning of the design and development of an IoT solution,” said Laetitia Jay, CMO at Sigfox. “Working closely with STMicroelectronics has been fundamental to offering state-of-the-art certified tamper-resistant security to our ecosystem of partners and customers. The integration of the ST secure element with the Sigfox libraries, the STM32, and the S2-LP sub-1GHz transceiver, provides an ultra-low power, high performance turn-key solution that brings end-to-end security in IoT and Sensor-to-Cloud applications to the next level.”

Like other members of the STSAFE family, the STSAFE-A1SX will come with a full ecosystem of tools and software to speed its adoption by developers with or without expertise in secure designs. The device is available on expansion boards directly compliant with the popular STM32 Open Development Environment. Associated with the ST S2-LP sub-1GHz transceiver­ and the STM32, ST provides a complete reference design of a Sigfox Ready device:

  • NUCLEO-L053R8, an STM32 Nucleo-64 development board with STM32L053R8 MCU
  • STEVAL-FKI868V1 sub-1GHz development kit, equipped with a low-power STM32L MCU to control the S2-LP sub-1GHz transceiver and the ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger and programmer for firmware updating
  • STSAFE-A1SX

The STSAFE-A1SX secure element is scheduled to enter production in May 2017 in both 4x5mm SO8N and 2x3mm UFDFPN8. Please contact your ST sales office for pricing options and sample requests.

Gas sensors used for leakage alerts and air quality monitoring are essential in our daily lives. Towards a ubiquitous society, smart gas sensors, which perform signal processing and communication besides sensing, have attracted much attention. In addition, integrating these functions into a single chip leads to low-cost and miniature smart gas-sensing systems.

Semiconductor gas sensors, which are the most widely used gas sensors, require a sensor material to be heated to several hundreds of degree Celsius. Therefore, in order to integrate these gas sensors with electronic circuits, a micro-hotplate (MHP), which is a MEMS-based heating structure, is required to thermally isolate the sensor and the circuits. The MHP is generally mechanically unstable, and there exists a tradeoff between the mechanical stability and thermal isolation property.

Recently, a research team at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering at Toyohashi University of Technology proposed the employment of SU-8 as a supporting material for the MHP, in order to improve the mechanical stability, while ensuring the thermal isolation property. Furthermore, SU-8 is a polymer material that is widely used for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and has good mechanical stability and low thermal conductivity. The researchers fabricated the MHP and investigated its heating characteristics.

This is a simulation result of the temperature distribution in the proposed micro-hotplate. Credit: Toyohashi University of Technology.

Figure 1: This is a simulation result of the temperature distribution in the proposed micro-hotplate. Credit: Toyohashi University of Technology.

The first author Assistant Professor, Tatsuya Iwata, said that “By using a thick polymer film, it is possible to realize both the mechanical stability and high thermal isolation property. Furthermore, although we have to evaluate the mechanical stability, this device is promising for smart gas sensors.”

“Mechanical stability is one of the major concerns for fabricating an MHP. Using a polymer material for such microhotplates seems to be an eccentric approach, but surprisingly, it went well. Moreover, this device will boost our study to develop multimodal sensors, which are multifunctional integrated sensors including gas sensors,” said Professor Kazuaki Sawada.

The fabricated MHP consists of a heating membrane with an area of 140 μm × 140 μm, and a 33-μm-thick SU-8 layer deposited on its bridges. The simulation confirmed that the MHP displayed good thermal isolation properties (Fig. 1). The MHP temperature was found to reach 550 °C at 5V. Moreover, the power consumption of the MHP approximately corresponded to 13.9 mW for heating to 300 °C, which is comparable with the power consumption reported in the previous studies. Furthermore, a stable operation under a constant voltage was observed for 100 min.

Owing to the thick SU-8 layer, the MHP does not need the strict control of the stress that occurs inside the membrane during the fabrication process. This feature, together with the good thermal isolation property, enables the flexible layout design of the chip, and therefore, the MHP is beneficial to a miniature smart gas sensor chip. The researchers will advance their study to realize such smart gas sensors.

A group of researchers at Waseda University has developed processes and materials for ultrathin stick-on electronic devices using elastomeric “nanosheet” film, achieving ease of production while also preserving high elasticity and flexibility fifty times better than previously reported polymer nanosheets.

This is a sandwich of printed circuits and SBS elastomer is just 750 nm thick, for extremely high flexibility and comfort. Credit: Waseda University

This is a sandwich of printed circuits and SBS elastomer is just 750 nm thick, for extremely high flexibility and comfort. Credit: Waseda University

This research is published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C online edition, February 1, 2017.

Smart electronics and wearable devices have several requirements for widespread adoption, especially ease of fabrication and wearing comfort. The materials and processes developed by the Waseda University team represent huge strides forward in both criteria.

Inkjet printing of circuitry and low-temperature fixing allow production of electronic devices which are durable and functional but also extremely thin and flexible enough for use as a comfortable, skin-fitting appliance, while also maintaining the easy handling properties and protection of elastomeric films. At only 750 nm, the new film is ultra-thin and flexible. These advances could help change the nature of wearable electronics from objects like wristwatches to items less noticeable than a band-aid.

The Waseda team also established a method of joining electronic components without soldering, allowing thinner and more flexible elastomer films (SBS: polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene). Conductive “wiring” is created by inkjet printing, which can be done with a household type printer without the need for clean room conditions. Further, conductive lines and elements such as chips and LEDs are connected by adhesive sandwiching between two elastomeric nanosheets, without using chemical bonding by soldering or special conductive adhesives.

Thanks to the simple, low-temperature processes, the resulting ultrathin structures achieve better adhesion, without using adhesive matter such as tape or glue, better elasticity and comfort for skin-contact applications. The new system was proven functional for several days on an artificial skin model.

These results were achieved through collaboration among three specialties: Molecular assembly and biomaterials science; medical robotics and rehabilitation engineering; and micro-electromechanical systems, thanks to collaborative structures at Waseda University.

Uses for these products are expected to include human-machine interfaces and sensors in the form of electronic tattoos, as radically improved tools for the fields of medicine, healthcare and sports training.

These applications are the subject of further investigation by the Waseda University Institute of Advanced Active Aging Research.

Today, the research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technology imec, and the Flemish Government announced a new, 5-year strategic commitment that aims at strengthening the pioneering role of Flanders’ renowned research hub. Imec’s annual grant has been raised to 108 million euro with extra money being invested in imec’s longer-term strategic research to consolidate its global position in advanced semiconductor R&D and digital technology and their application domains in smart health, smart cities, smart mobility, sustainable energy and Industry 4.0.

Following the merger of imec and the Flemish research institute in software and ICT, iMinds in 2016, Flanders has a world-class innovation hub in the domains of nanoelectronics and digital technology, collaborating with industry leaders and universities and research centers worldwide. Imec attracts talented scientists from around the world and has distributed research teams at the five Flemish universities. The center’s innovation capacity culminates in over 120 European patent applications on a yearly basis.

“In the new strategic agreement with imec, we fully recognize the relevance of its international leadership. Yet, the annual grant of 108 million euro also includes additional resources for supporting local innovation,” added Philippe Muyters, Flemish Minister for Economy and Innovation. “Flemish companies can turn to imec for integrated solutions that capitalize on the latest hardware and software developments. This is a crucial element in their quest for technology that can immediately be incorporated in their products – earning them a quick competitive advantage.”

Luc Van den hove concluded: “We truly appreciate the Flemish Government providing us with the resources to step up our long-term strategic research and to further support companies in Flanders and worldwide with the development of technological solutions applicable to their products and services, offering our hardware and software solutions throughout the entire lifecycle of the innovations process.”