Category Archives: Applications

The Electronic Components and Systems for European Leadership (ECSEL) Joint Undertaking announced the Lab4MEMS project as the winner of its 2016 Innovation Award during the European Nanoelectronics Forum, in Rome, Italy.

At its launch in January 2014, Lab4MEMS was identified as a Key Enabling Technology Pilot-Line project for next-generation Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices augmented with advanced technologies such as piezoelectric or magnetic materials and 3D packaging to enhance the next generation of smart sensors, actuators, micro-pumps, and energy harvesters. These technologies were recognized as important contributors to future data-storage, printing, healthcare, automotive, industrial-control, and smart-building applications, as well as consumer applications such as smartphones and navigation devices.

In accepting the award, Roberto Zafalon, General Project Coordinator of Lab4MEMS and the European Programs Manager in R&D and Public Affairs for STMicroelectronics Italy said, “The ECSEL Innovation Award highlights the excellent results the Lab4MEMS team achieved through the project’s execution and the high impact of its successes. In particular, Lab4MEMS developed innovative MEMS solutions with advanced piezoelectric and magnetic materials, including advanced 3D Packaging technologies.”

In coordinating the €28m[1], 36-month Lab4MEMS project, ST led the team of twenty partners, which included universities, research institutions, and technology businesses across ten European countries. ST’s MEMS facilities in Italy and Malta contributed their complete set of manufacturing competencies for next-generation devices, spanning design and fabrication to test and packaging to the project.

Lab4MEMS’ devices, technologies, and application improvements emphasized:

  • Micro-actuators, micro-pumps, sensors, and energy scavengers integrated on silicon-based MEMS using piezoelectric thin-films (PZT), for applications in Data Storage, Printing, Health Care, Automotive, Energy Scavenging, and Autofocus Lenses.
  • Magnetic-field sensors, for applications in consumer applications such as GPS positioning, indoor navigation, and mobile phones.
  • Advanced packaging technologies and vertical interconnections, including flip chip, Through Silicon Via (TSV) or Through Mold Via (TMV) for full 3D integration, which could be used in Consumer and Healthcare applications such as body-area sensors and remote monitoring.

All of these successes contributed to the Lab4MEMS project and are available to benefit the contributors. These participants were Politecnico di Torino (Italy); Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italy); Politecnico di Milano (Italy); Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per la Nanoelettronica (Italy); Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux énergies alternatives (France); SERMA Technologies SA (France); STMicroelectronics Ltd. (Malta); Universita ta Malta (Malta); Solmates BV (Netherlands); Cavendish Kinetics BV (Netherlands); Okmetic OYJ (Finland); VTT (Finland); Picosun OY (Finland); KLA-Tencor ICOS (Belgium); Universitatea Politehnica din Bucuresti (Romania); Instytut Technologii Elektronowej (Poland); Stiftelsen SINTEF (Norway); Sonitor Technologies AS (Norway); BESI GmbH (Austria).

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, the largest and most advanced foundry in mainland China, and The Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced the signing of a cooperation agreement for a MEMS R&D foundry platform to jointly develop MEMS sensor standard processes and build a complete MEMS supply chain.

According to the agreement, SMIC and IMECAS will work together closely to take advantage of IMECAS’s experiences in MEMS Sensor design and packaging technology design and SMIC’s standardized process technology platforms, industry and market influence. Starting with the development of a MEMS environmental sensor and combining the features of other types of MEMS Sensors, SMIC and IMECAS will collaborate to create a platform–based standard as well as mass production technologies to shorten the development cycle from design to production, thus helping the MEMS industry grow more effectively and efficiently.

“SMIC’s R&D team has made a lot of achievements in developing new sensor technology platforms and introducing new customers. SMIC is willing to open our platforms to support commercialized production and the R&D of universities and research institutions,” said Dr. Tzu-Yin Chiu, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of SMIC. “SMIC and IMECAS have cooperated in numerous logic process development projects. This time we will expand our collaboration and promote the R&D of complete standardized MEMS sensor technologies to help integrate and improve the MEMS supply chain.”

Ye Tianchun, Director of IMECAS, visited SMIC’s middle-end production line of MEMS sensors and said, “Through the cooperation between SMIC and IMECAS, we can exploit our advantages and jointly build an open MEMS technology service platform and an electronic information integration platform for the MEMS supply chain. With the integration of design, manufacturing, packing, testing, public platform and venture investment, we can form a supply chain ecosystem and support the development of a global as well as domestic Chinese MEMS industry.”

The MEMS microphone market has enjoyed continuous growth since its debut. The “More than Moore” market research and strategy consulting company, Yole Développement (Yole) forecasts a 10% CAGR between 2015 and 2021. According to its analysts, this growth is due a strong demand coming from the smartphone and home appliance market segment. Today, MEMS microphones’ penetration rate in smartphones is already close to 100%.

Under this context, the reverse engineering and costing company, System Plus Consulting, proposes today a comprehensive technical analysis of the 4 microphones embedded in Apple iPhone 7 Plus. What are the technologies selected by Apple for its latest smartphone and proposed by the leading MEMS companies Goertek/Infineon Technologies, Knowles and STMicroelectronics? What is the added-value of each device? Are there strong differences?

Entitled “Apple iPhone 7 Plus: MEMS Microphones”, System Plus Consulting’s report includes a relevant physical analysis of the 4 MEMS microphones, a detailed description of the manufacturing process flow with the related cost analysis as well as a estimated selling price. Every day, System Plus Consulting’s team is analyzing and modeling production cost and selling price of semiconductors, electronic boards and systems. Discover today the reverse engineering & costing analysis of the MEMS microphones selected by Apple. What’s inside?

The Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus each are both featuring the following MEMS microphones:
• A front-facing top microphone,
• Two front-facing bottom microphones,
• And a rear-facing top microphone.
“In every iPhone 7 Plus we examined, we observed a Knowles design win for the rear-facing top microphone and an STMicroelectronics design win for the front-facing top microphone,” explains Sylvain Hallereau in charge of costing analyses for IC, Power and MEMS at System Plus Consulting.

From their side, the two front-facing bottom microphones were sourced by either Knowles or Goertek.

The competitive landscape of the MEMS microphones industry is showing a lot of companies including Knowles, AAC Technologies, Infineon Technologies, Goertek, STMicroelectronics, Gettop, InvenSense, Bosch Akustica, and Cirrus Logic. Knowles, AAC and Goertek are the top players of the consumer market field. Knowles also addresses, in a leading position, the medical application of hearing aids.

On the manufacturing process side, System Plus Consulting’s team is highlighting in the report, the full in-house manufacturing microphone developed by STMicroelectronics. “Indeed, for the 1st time, the leading company now makes the MEMS die internally without relying on the Japanese company, OMRON,” commented Sylvain Hallerau. “This strategic choice confirms a new manufacturing process developed by STMicroelectronics.” Under a different strategy, Goertek still relies on Infineon Technologies for die manufacturing. The company integrates the latest Infineon Technologies MEMS microphone process, which delivers a differential MEMS microphone using a dual backplate technology. The third manufacturer, Knowles, makes strategic technical choices internally which allows the company to propose the smallest MEMS die.

Each four microphones share the same Apple-specific package dimensions. However they present total different internal structures. System Plus Consulting’s engineers list for example: the number of substrate metal layers, the embedded capacitance and more.

“The 4 MEMS devices do present any significant technical innovations, like the dual backplane of Infineon Technologies used in the Goertek device,” commented Michel Allain, System Plus Consulting’s CEO. “In addition, the key change is probably located at the supply chain level. Indeed some players decided to manage internally the full manufacturing steps of their devices; some selected leading partners to provide them the relevant solutions. And these strategies are directly impacting the cost analysis and at the end the selling price of each MEMS component”. 

MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS) and STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM) today announced that they plan to work together to develop, sell, and market Laser Beam Scanning (LBS) technology.

The companies anticipate cooperating closely on market development efforts that will include joint sales and marketing activities for LBS solutions. In addition to the pico projection and heads-up display (HUD) markets that both companies are currently addressing with their LBS solutions, ST and MicroVision anticipate targeting emerging markets and applications including virtual and augmented reality (VR, AR), 3D sensing and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

In addition, MicroVision and ST anticipate exploring options to collaborate on future technology development including a joint LBS product roadmap. This cooperation would combine the process design and manufacturing expertise of ST with the LBS systems and solutions expertise of MicroVision.

“Working with MicroVision, our goal is to build on our matched skills, shared vision, and commitment to grow LBS-enabled markets to open up many opportunities for both companies,” said Benedetto Vigna, Executive Vice President of the Analog and MEMS Group of ST. “This relationship will position ST to pursue all of the growth opportunities for LBS and the complementary power, sensing, and control components.”

“Teaming up with ST, a world leader in its field, is important for MicroVision both for ST’s expertise in semiconductor technology and its global customer reach,” said Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision. “Combining ST’s expertise in the development and manufacture of key components for LBS scanning engines with MicroVision’s proprietary system, engine, and applications knowledge, and intellectual property can be highly advantageous for marketing LBS solutions to a wide array of companies for numerous applications.”

The companies have an existing working relationship on production of MicroVision components. ST manufactures MicroVision’s current-generation MEMS die based on MicroVision’s design. ST also manufactures one of the ASICs sold by MicroVision.

IC Insights will release the 2017 edition of its IC Market Drivers Report later this month.  The newly updated report reviews many of the end-use system applications that are presently impacting the IC market and are forecast to help propel it through 2020.

Total smartphone shipments are forecast to grow by 4% in 2016 to 1,490 million units after jumping by 13% to 1,430 million in 2015.  Moreover, smartphone shipments are forecast to grow by 5% in 2017, reaching 1,565 million units.  Overall, smartphone unit shipments are now forecast to grow at single-digit annual rates through 2020.

Smartphones accounted for over 50% of total quarterly cellphone shipments for the first time ever in 1Q13 (Figure 1).  Smartphone shipments fell to 340 million units in 1Q16 yet still represented 80% of total cellphones shipped that quarter, the same penetration as in 4Q15.  In 4Q16, it is expected that smartphone shipments will surge to a new record high of 437 million and represent 84% of all cellphones shipped that quarter.  On an annual basis, smartphones first surpassed the 50% penetration level in 2013 (54%) and are forecast to represent 97% of total cellphone shipments in 2020.

In contrast to smartphones, total cellphone handset shipments are forecast to decline by 2% in 2016 and are expected to drop by 1% in 2017 (Figure 2).  As shown, non-smartphone cellphone sales dropped by 30% in 2015 and are forecast to fall by another 22% this year.  Moreover, IC Insights expects the 2017 non-smartphone cellphone unit shipment decline to be steeper than 2016’s drop with a decline of 26%.

Figure 1

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 2

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) today introduced a breakthrough in switch technology that provides a long-sought replacement for electromechanical relay designs first adopted by the electronics industry more than 100 years ago. ADI’s new RF-MEMS switch technology is enabling faster, smaller, lower power, more reliable instrumentation equipment by resolving multiple performance limitations commonly attributed to relays, whose origins date to the earliest days of the electric telegraph. With the commercial release of products enabled by this technology, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can significantly improve the accuracy and versatility of automatic test equipment (ATE) and other instrumentation tools to help their customers reduce testing costs, power and time to market. Future products within the MEMS switch series will replace relays in aerospace and defense, healthcare, and communications infrastructure equipment, allowing OEMs in those markets to pass similar size, power and cost savings along to their customers.

The first in a new product series, ADI’s ADGM1304 and ADGM1004 RF MEMS switches are 95 percent smaller, 30 times faster, 10 times more reliable, and use 10 times less power than conventional electromechanical relays.

MEMS switch technology delivers 0-Hz (DC) to wideband RF performance

Unlike other switch alternatives such as solid-state relays, the ADGM1304 and ADGM1004 MEMS switches have superior precision and RF performance from 0 Hz (DC) to 14 GHz. ADI’s MEMS switch solution contains two die to maximize operational performance – an electrostatically actuated switch in a hermetically sealed silicon cap, and a low-voltage, low-current driver IC. The switching element has a highly conditioned, extremely reliable metal-to-metal contact that is actuated via an electrostatic force generated by the companion driver IC. The resultant co-packaged solution ensures best-in-class DC precision and RF performance, and makes the switch extremely easy to use.

Switch breakthrough extends ATE equipment Lifetime and Channel Densities

The highly reliable ADGM1304 and ADGM1004 increase cold-switching lifetime by a factor of 10 compared to electromechanical relays, extending ATE system operating life and reducing costly downtime caused by relay failures. Additionally, the extremely small height of the ADGM1304 and ADGM1004 MEMS switch packages allow designers to surface-mount the devices on both sides of their ATE test boards to boost channel densities at reduced cost and without expanding equipment footprint. An integrated charge pump removes the need for external drivers, further reducing ATE system size, while a multiplexer configuration simplifies the fan-out structure compared to DPDT relay designs.

At electronica, imec, Holst Centre (set up by imec and TNO), and TNO have introduced their next-generation health patch. The small form-factor comfortable to wear health patch has been optimized for low power consumption and is the first of its kind to track physical and cardiac activity, while monitoring bioelectrical impedance. A key building block in the pursuit of improved and more accurate mobile health solutions, the patch is available for licensing by partner companies ready to initiate their own medical applications.

health patch

“Since our entry in this space, we’ve advanced far beyond proof-of-concept to a patch that has attained a high level of technical maturity,” says Ruben de Francisco, Program Manager Wearable Health at imec and Holst Centre, “The underlying technologies have been fully validated, and the patch itself has been tested within a controlled environment. Today, it is ready for preclinical and usability studies. Looking ahead, we plan to build on our expertise in the domain of data science to lay the foundation for a powerful patient management solution that not only captures data, but that also turns data into meaningful information upon which people and health providers can act.”

With more people living longer than ever before and chronic disease on the rise, traditional healthcare systems are being pushed to their limits. It is generally acknowledged that the concept of digital health, and specifically mobile health, can help address that issue by enabling individuals to better track and manage their health and receive personalized and optimized treatments while reducing medical inefficiencies and costs.

The health industry has recognized the challenges and solutions, with analysts predicting that the value of the global mobile health market is expected to more than triple in the next few years, from $19.2 billion in 2016 to $58.8 billion by 2020).

However, for mobile health solutions to be successful beyond concept, easy-to-use and accurate building blocks are required; technology that is being developed by imec, Holst Centre and TNO as part of their Wearable Health program. Their R&D on mobile health drives innovation from an application perspective, at system level and in terms of individual components – such as read-out circuits, batteries, adhesives, etc.

The health patch from imec, Holst Centre and TNO features more functionalities than any other patch, and does so in a small form-factor. At its heart is a chip that has been optimized for low power consumption. This chip is combined with a highly comfortable to wear electrode patch that can stay on the body for long periods of time, including when showering. It is the first patch to combine a variety of sensing capabilities – ranging from an accelerometer (to track a person’s physical activity) to ECG tracking (measuring the heart’s electrical activity) and bioelectrical impedance monitoring (measuring body composition, respiratory activity and the distribution of body fluids).

“Many companies working in the digital health realm have great ideas for innovative solutions that could make it easier to remotely monitor people suffering from heart and respiratory diseases, to give an example. However, what is typically lacking, are the devices on which to run these solutions,” comments Chris Van Hoof, Program Director Wearable Health at imec and Holst Centre. “When collaborating with Holst Centre, we help these companies to take the next steps, from concept to device, and our health patch is one of the many vehicles available for licensing and customized product development,” adds Jeroen van de Brand, Director flexible electronics at Holst Centre/TNO.

The health patch integrates unique technologies and components from industrial partners, including Hitachi Maxell’s batteries optimized for wearables, Shinko Electric Industries’ System in Package (SiP) miniaturization technology and Henkel’s adhesive and ink technology.

IC Insights will release the 2017 edition of its IC Market Drivers Report later this month.  The newly updated report reviews many of the end-use system applications that are presently impacting and that are forecast to help propel the IC market through 2020. IC Market Drivers 2017 shows that the market for automotive electronic systems is expected to display the strongest cumulative average growth rate (CAGR) through 2020, at 4.9%, highest among the six main electronic system categories (Figure 1). Safety and convenience systems are essential features that consumers look for and want in their new car.  Automatic emergency braking, lane departure/blind spot detection systems, and backup cameras are among the most desired systems.  For semiconductor suppliers, this is good news as analog ICs, MCUs, and a great number of sensors will be required for these and other automotive systems throughout the forecast.

Figure 1

Figure 1

Other electronic system and IC market highlights from the 2017 IC Market Drivers Report include the following.

•    Although the automotive segment is forecast to be the fastest growing electronic system market through 2020, its share of the total IC market was only 7.9% in 2016 and is forecast to remain less than 10% throughout the forecast period.

•    Industrial/Medical/Other electronic systems are forecast to enjoy the second-fastest growth rate (4.3%) through 2020 as wearable health devices, home health diagnostics, robotics, and systems promoting the Internet of Things help drive growth in this segment.  Analog ICs are forecast to hold 49% of the industrial/medical/other IC market in 2016.

•    Communications became the largest end-use market for ICs in 2013, surpassing the computer IC market.  Asia-Pacific is forecast to represent 67% of the total communications IC market in 2016; 70% in 2020.

•    The consumer electronics system market is forecast to display 2.8% CAGR through 2020.  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 2.3% CAGR through this same time period.

•    The worldwide government/military IC market is forecast to be $2.5 billion in 2016, but represent only 0.8% of the total IC market ($290.0 billion).  The Americas region is the largest regional market for military ICs, accounting for 63% of the worldwide military IC market this year.

•    Hit by slowing demand for personal computing devices (desktops, notebooks, tablets), the market for computer systems is forecast to show the weakest growth through 2020.  The total computer IC market is forecast to decline 2% in 2016 following a 3% drop in 2015.  Asia-Pacific is forecast to hold a 66% share of the computer IC market in 2016 and a 71% share in 2020.

Today, SEMI announced that WORLD OF IOT, a show-within-a-show at SEMICON Japan 2016, will expand with the addition of 30 new exhibitors. Over 65,000 attendees are expected to convene at SEMICON Japan and WORLD OF IOT at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo on December 14-16. Registration for the exhibition and programs is now open.

WORLD OF IOT is a new technology showcase highlighting the companies, products, technologies, and applications enabling the Internet of Things (IOT) revolution. WORLD OF IOT brings together leading global electronics companies whose innovations are driving the expansion of mobile, cloud computing, consumer, and network-connected devices. As a show-within-a-show at SEMICON Japan, this showcase opens innovation opportunities by connecting IOT players to the electronics manufacturing supply chain for new business.

This year’s WORLD OF IOT will include 30 new exhibiting companies to expand its size from 120 booths in 2015 to 140 booths in 2016. New exhibitors represent key IOT application segments including: industrial IOT, automotive, mobile and sensors. Key exhibitors include:

Industrial IOT/Smart Manufacturing:

  • Fanuc (new)
  • Hitachi
  • Konica Minolta (new)
  • Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor
  • Panasonic (new)
  • SAP Japan (new)
  • Siemens

Automotive/Power:

  • NVIDIA (new)
  • Toyota Motors

Mobile/Network:

  • Cisco Systems
  • IBM Research – Tokyo

Sensors/MEMS

  • Analog Devices (new)
  • Murata Manufacturing (new)
  • Sony Semiconductor Solutions (new)

WORLD OF IOT this year also expands its coverage to include the flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) value chain. FHE is an enabling technology for many IOT devices, especially wearable applications. Thirteen companies and associations will participate in the area to showcase their new technologies and products, including SCREEN Holdings (printing equipment), Yuasa System (test equipment), NISSHA (sensor products) and Toyobo (materials for wearable products).

Register now for SEMICON Japan 2016 (December 14-16) in Tokyo.

Nowadays, the number of enforceable patents dedicated to miniaturized gas sensors is increasing worldwide, and several companies already stand out by their strong IP position. According Yole Développement’s analysts, the market size of gas sensors for consumer applications should grow from US$12 million in 2015 to more than US$95 million in 2021, with an upside of US$60 million if massive adoption of the innovative technologies is confirmed. With a 33% CAGR between 2014 and 2020, this segment is poised to experience the highest grow rate of the gas sensor market. All of these signs suggest the market start.

gas sensors

“In such emerging market, a strong IP position on miniaturized gas sensors is thus essential for companies to enter in this promising business,” comments Dr Fleur Thissandier, at KnowMade. KnowMade, a Yole Group’s company, has investigated the patent landscape of miniaturized gas sensors that could be used in consumer applications. The Technology Intelligence & IP Strategy consulting player identified more than 1,050 patented inventions worldwide up to August 2016 by more than 440 patent applicants.

KnowMade patent analysis entitled “Miniaturized Gas Sensors Patent Landscape Analysis” is now available and proposes an overview of the patent landscape, the IP profile of key players with a detailed ranking and an analysis of the relative strength of the top patent holders derived from their portfolio size, patent citation networks, countries of patent filings and current legal status of patents.

Today, mobile applications aggregate more and more sensors such as pressure sensors, inertial sensors…, and gas sensors could be the next sensors to be integrated in smart phones and/or wearables devices. Consumer applications are driving new gas sensors development to reduce cost, power consumption and size, especially with MEMS technologies. Such gas sensors are thus referred as “MEMS gas sensors”.

Technical and business requirements have so opened the door to innovation and added a new dimension to the global competition between gas sensor suppliers. Recent mergers and acquisitions reflect this thriving sector in structuration. For example, KnowMade’s analysts identified two main mergers:

•  AMS, Applied Sensors, NXP and Cambridge CMOS
•  TDK and Micronas

First patents on MEMS gas sensors was filed by Japanese companies in the early 1980’s by NEC. However patent activity really emerged between 1985 and 1994 with the apparition of European and American companies: Siemens, Fraunhofer, CEA, SRI, SPX.

Multiple start-ups have been created on the basis of CEA R&D results. A first wave of patent publications occurred between 1994 and 2003 induced by the emergence of IDMs (STMicroelectronics, Micronas, Honeywell, NGK, Bosch), American R&D labs (Caltech, University of Florida) and pure play gas sensor companies (CCMOS Sensors, Applied Sensor). Since then, patent publications have increased thanks to a high patent activity of Chinese universities and European players. The last 3 years newcomers started to file patents on MEMS gas sensors including AMS, Sensirion, APIX, NXP.

Currently, more than 760 patents are granted, mainly in China, Europe and USA, and more than 510 patent applications are pending, mainly in Europe, China and USA. KnowMade believes the significant ratio of patents in force and the high number of patent applications still in the pipeline worldwide is an indication of the technology maturity heralding a future ramp-up of the market of miniaturized gas sensors that could be used in consumer applications.

The most surprising result highlighted by KnowMade is probably the discrepancies between the market leaders including Honeywell, MSA, NGK and Figaro and the “patent” leaders such as Bosch, Siemens, Micronas and Cambridge CMOS. “The market is about to change”, says Dr Nicolas Baron, CEO & Founder at KnowMade. “New patents and related devices are targeting new application, which may disrupt the market.”