Category Archives: Displays

Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased 11 percent in 2014 when compared to 2013 area shipments according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its year-end analysis of the silicon wafer industry. However, worldwide silicon revenues increased by just 1 percent in 2014 compared to 2013.

Silicon wafer area shipments in 2014 totaled 10,098 million square inches (MSI), up from the 9,067 million square inches shipped during 2013. The previous market high for silicon area shipments was 9,370 MSI in 2010. Revenues totaled $7.6 billion slightly up from $7.5 billion posted in 2013, yet 2014 silicon revenues remain 37 percent below their peak set in 2007. “After three consecutive flat years, annual semiconductor silicon shipment levels achieved respectable growth last year to reach a market high,” said Hisashi Katahama, chairman of SEMI SMG and director, Technology of SUMCO Corporation. ”However, industry revenues did not experience the same magnitude of recovery.”

Annual Silicon* Industry Trends

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014
Area Shipments (MSI) 8,661 8,137 6,707 9,370 9,043 9,031 9,067 10,098
Revenues ($B) 12.1 11.4 6.7 9.7 9.9 8.7 7.5 7.6

 

*Shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications

Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for semiconductors, which in turn, are vital components of virtually all electronics goods, including computers, telecommunications products, and consumer electronics. The highly engineered thin round disks are produced in various diameters (from one inch to 12 inches) and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductor devices or “chips” are fabricated.

All data cited in this release is inclusive of polished silicon wafers, including virgin test wafers, epitaxial silicon wafers, and non-polished silicon wafers shipped by the wafer manufacturers to the end-users.

The Silicon Manufacturers Group acts as an independent special interest group within the SEMI structure and is open to SEMI members involved in manufacturing polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon or silicon wafers (e.g., as cut, polished, epi, etc.). The purpose of the group is to facilitate collective efforts on issues related to the silicon industry including the development of market information and statistics about the silicon industry and the semiconductor market.

By Jeff Dorsch, Contributing Editor

Applied Materials on Wednesday reported that its proposed merger with Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL) is still under way, without giving a deadline or expected date of conclusion.

President and CEO Gary Dickerson said the company is “making progress with regulators” and plans to “complete the merger as soon as possible.” He declined to elaborate on that point, on advice of its attorneys.

Applied and TEL teams are working together to fulfill “the strategic opportunity this merger creates,” Dickerson said.

For the fiscal first quarter ended January 25, Applied received orders of $2.27 billion, up 1 percent from the fourth fiscal quarter and down 1 percent from a year earlier. The company posted sales of $2.36 billion, an increase of 4 percent from Q4 and up 8 percent from a year ago. Net income was $338 million, up 21 percent from the previous year’s $279 million.

“Major technology inflections in semiconductor and display are creating new growth opportunities for Applied`s precision materials engineering products and services,” Dickerson said in a statement. “With focus and execution, we are gaining momentum toward our long-term strategic goals, and this progress will be accelerated by our planned merger with Tokyo Electron.”

Applied forecasts sales in the second fiscal quarter will be flat to up a couple of percentage points from Q1. Dickerson said memory chips will drive demand for equipment in the fiscal first half, and the second half will see growth from foundries placing orders for equipment to be used in producing devices with FinFETs.

Design features that contributed most to the improved performance include increased rotational speed, integrated rotor sleeves, and increased purge injection temperature.

BY MIKE BOGER, Edwards Vacuum, Tokyo, Japan

The use of high-k dielectric films deposited through atomic layer deposition, primarily in batch furnaces, has intensified, particularly in the manufacture of memory devices and high-k metal gates (HKMG) in logic devices. ALD uses a sequential purge and injection of the precursor gases to generate slow, but accurate growth of the films one atomic layer at a time. One of the precusors is typically a metal organic compound from a liquid source, commonly zirconium or hafnium-containing materials, followed by ozone to create the high-k film.

Wafers are usually processed in a furnace with batch sizes of 200 or more wafers. Reliability of the vacuum system is imperative to prevent contamination and consequent scrapping of the wafers. Unexpected failures can cause significant loss of work in process and process downtime. For example, if the vacuum pump seizes suddenly due to internal contamination by process by-products, the pressure in the pipe between the vacuum and furnaces rises, and there is a risk that powder deposited in the pipe will flow back into the furnace. This powder can not only contaminate wafers in the furnace, but also force a time-consuming clean-up that may remove the furnace from operation for a day or more.

The challenge

The mean-time-between-service (MTBS) for a vacuum pump used in semiconductor manufacturing varies greatly depending on the particular process it supports and the design of the pump. For the ALD processes considered here most failures caused process by-products can be grouped into four categories.

  • Corrosion – Attack on the metal components of the pump results in the opening of clearances leading to loss of base vacuum. Depending on the location of corrosion, the oxidation of the metal may actually generate powder that can cause seizure of rotating elements.
  • Plating – The deposition of metal compounds on the surface of internal components fouls internal mechanism clearances, causing the pump to seize.
  • Powder ingestion – Powder that enters the pump can jam rotating elements, leading to seizure.
  • Condensation – Compounds in the pumped gas stream transition from a gaseous to a solid phase within the pump, depositing on internal surfaces and eventually leading to loss of clearance and seizure.

Monitoring of pump operating conditions, such as input power, current, and running temperature, can provide an indication of the health of the pump. Events that lead to failure are generally gradual in nature. Advance notice periods can be measured in days. However, failures of vacuum pumps on high-k ALD processes often happen suddenly with little to no indication of distress prior to seizure.

A typical example of a vacuum pump used on a high-k ALD process is shown in FIGURE 1. This pump was used in a full production environment and consisted of a 1,800 m3h-1 mechanical booster mounted above a 160 m3h-1 dry pump. In this case, the pump exhibited a strong spike in running power, approximately 20 times normal, and was immediately removed for inspection. Significant deposition is evident in the booster (Fig. 1 left) and also in the last stage of the dry pump (Fig. 1 right). Evidence of the loss of clearance that caused the spike in input power is observed as a shiny area on the rotor lobe. In operation this pump was exposed to TEMAH (hafnium-containing liquid precursor), TMA (aluminum-containing liquid precursor), and ozone for producing HfO2 and TMA Al2O3. It was exchanged after 1,200 hours of use.

ALD 1-A ALD 1-B

 

FIGURE 1. A picture of a disassembled pump after 1,200 hours of use on a high-k ALD process showing the deposition in the booster (left) and loss of clearance in the last stage of the dry pump (right). 

FIGURE 2 provides another example of a pump that was removed due to detection of a spike in input current. In this case, the booster, second stage, and final stage of the pump are shown. Although the process was nominally the same (deposition of HfO2 and Al2O3), the deposition pattern is different. In this case, the booster and early stages of the dry pump show signs of a thin coating of a material that exhibits a green iridescent sheen. The final stage of the pump has a brown powder accumulation, but of a lighter color than that shown in Fig. 1.

FIGURE 2. Pictures of a disassembled pump that was removed for inspection after only 457 hours due to a large current spike detected during operation. In order, the pictures show the booster, second stage of the dry pump, and the final stage of the dry pump.

FIGURE 2. Pictures of a disassembled pump that was removed for inspection after only 457 hours due to a large current spike detected during operation. In order, the pictures show the booster, second stage of the dry pump, and the final stage of the dry pump.

In both of the examples shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the service interval of the pump was short and below the user’s expectations. In these cases, which are representative of all the pumps used on this process, the user was forced to exchange pumps frequently to minimize the risk of wafer loss. Other customers had similar experiences. TABLE 1 lists the films deposited and the preventative maintenance service intervals implemented by four customers. Analysis of serviced pumps suggested that processes depositing zirconium oxide were more challenging for the pump.

Screen Shot 2015-02-10 at 5.30.54 PM

Analysis

To better understand the reliability improvement challenge, a sample of the deposited material from a failed pump was analyzed. The results of the analysis, shown in FIGURE 3, revealed deposits rich in carbon and metal oxides, consistent with metal-organic precursors. The rate of oxide deposition appeared to be higher than that which would occur through pure ALD mechanisms, suggesting some chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or decomposition of the gases being pumped.

FIGURE 3. Analysis of the deposition within a failed pump showing hafnium, oxygen, and carbon components.

FIGURE 3. Analysis of the deposition within a failed pump showing hafnium, oxygen, and carbon components.

A survey of literature [1], [2], [3], [4] revealed that the typical reactants used in high-k ALD can react at high pressure and at low temperature without the need for external energetic activation. This suggests that even if there were no CVD or decomposition of gases within the pump, ALD-like films can still be deposited on the internal surfaces of the pump.

A simulation of the vapor pressure of TEMAH (one of the precursors used) within the pump was conducted, assuming a mass flow rate of 0.2 mg min−1 for TEMAH. The simulation results were compared to the measured vapor pressure of TEMAH to determine if there was any risk of TEMAH condensing within the vacuum pump. The results, shown in FIGURE 4, suggest that there are sufficient safety margins in the actual conditions. The TEMAH will stay in vapor form while it travels through the pump, even if the actual flow varied by an order of magnitude from that assumed. Moreover, the pump temperature could be reduced substantially without risk of condensing TEMAH within the pump.

FIGURE 4. Vapor pressure of TEMAH (0.2 mg/min with 14 slm of nitrogen) and simulated vapor pressure of TEMAH in the dry pump, inlet to outlet.

FIGURE 4. Vapor pressure of TEMAH (0.2 mg/min with 14 slm of nitrogen) and simulated vapor pressure of TEMAH in the dry pump, inlet to outlet.

A number of pumps were inspected, a large majority of which were pumps exchanged prior to seizure. Unfortunately, although powder was evident in the final stages of all pumps, not all pumps had powders of the same color. Moreover, as seen in the middle photograph of Fig. 2, some pumps and boosters were relatively clean exhibiting just a green sheen of deposition.

None of the observations, other than powder in the final stage of the dry pump, were consistently repeatable, suggesting that factors upstream of the pump were also contributing to short service intervals. Powder loading varied between pumps and within the pumps, although the heaviest deposition was always located in the final stages of the dry pump. It is normal for the most deposition to occur near the exhaust of the pump because of the generally increased temperature of the exhaust gas and the increase in vapor pressure of the materials being pumped.

A diagram of the dry pump stages from inlet to outlet is shown in FIGURE 5, where the sleeves are also shown. Consistently, the final stage shaft sleeve, which is located between the 4th and 5th stage of the pump, was the weakest link in the design. Deposition would collect on the sleeve’s surface. Resulting friction between the sleeve and the stator would cause the components to heat, expand, and finally seize the pump.

FIGURE 5. Schematic of the dry pump mechanism showing inlet (1st stage) to outlet (5th stage). Rotor sleeves are shown in green.

FIGURE 5. Schematic of the dry pump mechanism showing inlet (1st stage) to outlet (5th stage). Rotor sleeves are shown in green.

FIGURE 6 shows the sleeves from between three stages of a pump exchanged for service. Another example is shown in the right side picture of Fig. 1. The sleeves are steel with a PTFE coating, giving them a green color. Evidence of the deposition is clear in the shaft sleeves on the right side of the picture.

FIGURE 6. Picture of sleeves in an exchanged pump showing deposition on the outer surfaces.

FIGURE 6. Picture of sleeves in an exchanged pump showing deposition on the outer surfaces.

Extending pump service intervals

Inconsistencies in powder deposition that suggested variations in upstream conditions were ultimately traced to condensation in the gas lines to the process chamber. The amount of condensed liquid and the length of the flow step in the ALD cycle affected the amount of deposition. When the user took care to avoid condensation, a much more consistent pattern of deposition was observed within the pump.

For any particular dry pump, the two most convenient elements that can be adjusted are the nitrogen purge and the temperature of the pump. Adding purge, or changing the location of the purge, can affect the partial pressure of the gases being pumped. Purge can also affect the temperature of the gas being pumped. In this case the purge flow was already 76 slm and further increase could have affected the downstream gas abatement device.

Experiments to extend the MTBS focused on the pump running temperature. Temperature changes within the pump can dramatically affect the propensity of the pumped gases to condense on the internal surfaces of the pump as well as the rate of reactions of any gases being pumped. However, varying the pump temperature from 140°C to nearly 180°C made any appreciable change to the service interval.

Finally, two pumps with designs that differed significantly from the original pump were evaluated. Additionally, new pump A provided significantly greater capacity at higher inlet pressures than new pump B, at the expense of greater power consumption. The results are shown in TABLE 2.

Screen Shot 2015-02-10 at 5.32.47 PM

New Pump A was initially installed with a temperature set point of 130°C. It was removed after six months for inspection prior to failure. New Pump B was tested with a temperature set point of 110°C. It was removed after six months prior to failure. A comparison of the internal condition of the Original Pump and New Pump B is shown in FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 7. Pictures comparing the third stage of the original pump and New Pump B showing the different deposition patterns.

FIGURE 7. Pictures comparing the third stage of the original pump and New Pump B showing the different deposition patterns.

Four differences in the new pump design are believed to have contributed to improved reliability:

  • 180% increase in rotational speed (180%) resulting in less residence time of the pumped gases.
  • Reduced operating temperature. Although many semiconductor processes benefit from a hot pump, this ALD process does not.
  • No rotor sleeves. The rotor sleeve in the new pumps was integrated with the rotor element itself. This not only removed the necessity for a coating, but appeared to strengthen the mechanism.
  • Heated purge. The purge in the new pumps is warmed to within 95% of the stator temperature to prevent cooling effects and reduce the chance of spontaneous condensation of gases.

Subsequent experience with a large number of pumps and customers has confirmed the advantages provided by the new pump design. New pump B is the recommended pump for this application with fixed service intervals varying between 4 and 6 months depending on the specific characteristics of the process supported.

Conclusions

Deposition of high-k materials using ALD is a widely used technique for today’s transistor and memory structures. At early introduction of the process in high volume manufacturing, pump reliability became a key concern. Careful analysis and cooperation with customers resulted in extending the service interval of the pumps from one to up to six months, an achievement that significantly reduced operating expenses and production losses due to wafer contamination and equipment downtime caused by unexpected pump failures. Analysis of the pump condition and test results showed that, more than temperature or purge, a different pump design provided the greatest improvement in service intervals. Design features that contributed most to the improved performance include increased rotational speed, integrated rotor sleeves, and increased purge injection temperature.

References

1. J. M. et al., “Impact of Hf-precursor choice on scaling and performance of high-k gate dielectrics hf-based high-k materials,” ECSTrans., p. 59, 2007.
2. X. L. et al., “Ald of hafnium oxide thin films from tetrakis (ethylmethylamino) hafnium and ozone,” J. of ECS, vol. 152, 2005.
3. H. Furuya, “Formation of metal oxide film,” Sep 2008, patent application: US20080226820 A1.
4. Y. S. et al., “Atomic layer deposition of hafnium oxide and hafnium silicate thin films using liquid precursors and ozone,” J. Vac. Sci. Tech. A, vol. 22, 2004.

Rapidly growing North American quantum dot manufacturer Quantum Materials Corp today announced it has begun shipping Cadmium-free red and green quantum dots in evaluation and production quantities to select consumer electronics manufacturers. The company has increased the uniformity and enhanced stability of its Cadmium-free nanomaterials as a result of bringing previously-reported automated capital equipment, facility and personnel investments online. Quantum Materials is at the forefront of Cadmium-free quantum dot development and recently announced increasing production capacity to 2000Kg of quantum dots and nanoparticles per annum in Q2 2015.

Meetings with manufacturers at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) spurred requests for Cadmium-free red and green quantum dots with application-specific functionality. Quantum Materials has accelerated Cadmium-free quantum dot development because electronics manufacturers’ are seeking to stay ahead of environmental regulations governing dangerous materials in consumer electronic devices. Quantum dots are easily integrated into the industry-standard thin-film roll-to-roll inkjet and surface deposition technologies currently used in existing LCD display production lines, as illustrated in an informative video detailing Cadmium-free quantum dot uses and benefits.

“We were very encouraged with the results of our meetings at CES,” said Quantum Materials Corp CEO Stephen Squires. “I personally am even more pleased with the dedication, hard work and creativity of our team. Their discoveries have enabled us to meet the stringent demands and tight delivery deadlines necessary to rapidly integrate our materials into commercial products.”

The U.S. leads the world in nanotechnology innovation with over $30 billion invested in research to date. Quantum Materials is working with manufacturers toward integrating its advanced materials into commercial products that will create jobs, generate profits, and strengthen our economy and balance of payments.  The limited industrial availability of a reliable supply of Cadmium-free quantum dots has attracted the interest of the world’s largest display and solid-state lighting manufacturers in evaluating Quantum Materials mass-production capability.  Quantum Materials’ products are the foundation for technologically superior, energy efficient and environmentally sound LCD UHD displays, the next generation of solid-state lighting, solar photovoltaic power applications, advanced battery and energy storage solutions, biotech imaging, and biomedical theranostics.

The announcement by GTAT and Apple in late 2013 of a more than $1 billion combined investment to set up the largest sapphire crystal growth facility in the world had raised hopes that adoption of sapphire in smartphones would rapidly reach a massive scale, with Apple setting up the pace and forcing its competitor to follow suit. Various second tier cell phone OEM upped their efforts in sapphire-related developments and tried to beat Apple by announcing or introducing smartphone models with sapphire display covers ahead of the highly anticipated iPhone 6 announcement. This prompted various sapphire manufacturers in China to announce plans for significant capacity increases to serve this new market.

“After a 2014 year full of hopes, the sapphire industry is entering 2015 with a lots of uncertainties,” analyzes Dr Eric Virey, Senior, Technology & Market Analyst, Yole Développement (Yole). “Following a long period of depressed pricings and stagnating revenue, 2014 started with a welcome price recovery that lifted up the spirit of many industry players. But most of all, it was the prospect of a new killer application that had given reasons for optimism,” he adds.

But the news that the iPhone 6 would not use a sapphire display cover, shortly followed by GTAT bankruptcy sent shockwaves in the industry and raised many questions:

  • Is Apple still interested in sapphire and will the display cover glass opportunity ever materialize in a large scale?
  • Is the technology ready?
  • What will happen to the more than 2000 high capacity furnaces installed by GTAT and Apple?
  • Are other cell phone OEM still considering sapphire?
  • Can traditional applications such as LED or watch windows sustain more than 100 manufacturers?
  • Could other applications emerge soon? If not how will consolidation affect the industry?
  • Will China eventually dominate the sapphire industry?

GTAT and Apple

Yole analysts have been tracking the sapphire market for more than a decade. Their analysis is presented in the yearly technology & market analysis: Sapphire Applications & Market: from LED to Consumer Electronic and Sapphire Applications, Touch screens, displays, semiconductor, defense and consumer.

“The last 6 month events are shaking the sapphire industry,” comments Eric Virey from Yole. He adds: “Today, several points remain under questions: is the display cover application dead on arrival? What is Apple’s strategy regarding sapphire? Can the market absorb the more than 2000 high capacity GTAT furnaces now for sale.”

Under this context, Yole, the “More Than Moore” market research, technology and strategy consulting company, proposes to exchange and debate during the 1st International Forum on Sapphire Market & Technologies, on September 3rd, 2015. This Forum is hosted by CIOE. It will take place in Shenzhen, alongside the 17th China International Optoelectronic Expo 2015.

Both partners have set up a high added-value program including sessions on: sapphire market, technologies and supply chain – established and emerging sapphire applications – crystal growth – manufacturing technologies… The forum will wrap up with a round table with leading industry players and experts to discuss the future of sapphire technologies and markets.

“This 1st International Forum on Sapphire Market & Technologies is a must for all sapphire industry managers as well as for sapphire users in order to network and learn about all the latest industry trends,” comments Eric Virey.

The Yole & CIOE sapphire forum will bring together a world class panel of experts. It will allow participants to get valuable insights into the status and future of the sapphire industry. Moreover, the Forum will provide unprecedented opportunities for meetings with industry leaders.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and design, today announced that the global semiconductor industry posted record sales totaling $335.8 billion in 2014, an increase of 9.9 percent from the 2013 total of $305.6 billion. Global sales for the month of December 2014 reached $29.1 billion, marking the strongest December on record, while December 2014 sales in the Americas increased 16 percent compared to December 2013. Fourth quarter global sales of $87.4 billion were 9.3 percent higher than the total of $79.9 billion from the fourth quarter of 2013. Total sales for the year exceeded projections from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization’s industry forecast. All monthly sales numbers are compiled by WSTS and represent a three-month moving average.

“The global semiconductor industry posted its highest-ever sales in 2014, topping $335 billion for the first time thanks to broad and sustained growth across nearly all regions and product categories,” said John Neuffer, president and CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association. “The industry now has achieved record sales in two consecutive years and is well-positioned for continued growth in 2015 and beyond.”

Several semiconductor product segments stood out in 2014. Logic was the largest semiconductor category by sales, reaching $91.6 billion in 2014, a 6.6 percent increase compared to 2013. Memory ($79.2 billion) and micro-ICs ($62.1 billion) – a category that includes microprocessors – rounded out the top three segments in terms of sales revenue. Memory was the fastest growing segment, increasing 18.2 percent in 2014. Within memory, DRAM performed particularly well, increasing by 34.7 percent year-over-year. Other fast-growing product segments included power transistors, which reached $11.9 billion in sales for a 16.1 percent annual increase, discretes ($20.2 billion/10.8 percent increase), and analog ($44.4 billion/10.6 percent increase).

Annual sales increased in all four regional markets for the first time since 2010. The Americas market showed particular strength, with sales increasing by 12.7 percent in 2014. Sales were also up in Asia Pacific (11.4 percent), Europe (7.4 percent), and Japan (0.1 percent), marking the first time annual sales in Japan increased since 2010.

“The U.S. market demonstrated particular strength in 2014, posting double-digit growth to lead all regions,” continued Neuffer. “With the new Congress now underway, we urge policymakers to help foster continued growth by enacting policies that promote U.S. innovation and global competitiveness.”

December 2014
Billions
Month-to-Month Sales
Market Last Month Current Month % Change
Americas 6.53 6.73 3.1%
Europe 3.19 3.01 -5.8%
Japan 2.93 2.80 -4.6%
Asia Pacific 17.12 16.59 -3.1%
Total 29.77 29.13 -2.2%
Year-to-Year Sales
Market Last Year Current Month % Change
Americas 5.80 6.73 16.0%
Europe 2.96 3.01 1.6%
Japan 2.93 2.80 -4.4%
Asia Pacific 14.96 16.59 10.9%
Total 26.65 29.13 9.3%
Three-Month-Moving Average Sales
Market Jun/Jul/Aug Sep/Oct/Nov % Change
Americas 6.06 6.73 11.1%
Europe 3.21 3.01 -6.4%
Japan 3.03 2.80 -7.7%
Asia Pacific 16.93 16.59 -2.0%
Total 29.23 29.13 -0.4%

Once focused on unit growth, the entire global flat-panel display (FPD) industry is now shifting to focus on area-demand growth. According to IHS (NYSE: IHS), the leading global source of critical information and insight, display panel shipments for all FPD applications grew 9 percent, year over year, to reach 168.9 million square meters in 2014. Total FPD display area demand is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5 percent from 2012, reaching 223.6 million square meters in 2020.

“The trend toward bigger displays continued in the flat panel display industry in 2014,” said Yoshio Tamura, director of display research for IHS Technology, formerly with DisplaySearch. “There were four major driving forces leading to a strong upgrade of the average FPD display sizes: consumer demand for larger LCD TVs, soaring demand for 5-inch-and-larger smartphones, larger automotive display screens, and larger tablet PCs.”

The annual area growth demand rate for major FPD applications in 2015 is forecast to reach 5 percent, which is down from 9 percent in 2014. Slowing growth is mainly caused by the maturity of some FPD applications, and a slowdown in the trend toward larger size screens for LCD TVs and smart handheld devices.

“New TV sizes launched by LCD and OLED panel makers mean that consumers now have more chances to trade up to larger sizes,” Tamura said. “For smartphones, especially in the Chinese market and developing countries, bigger screens have been triggered by higher resolution requirements, longer battery life, and shifts in user behavior.”

Apple, HP, Lenovo, Acer, ASUS and other mobile PC brands have begun to launch products with larger screens. New operating systems and convertible form factors are leading to displays growing from 10 inches to 12.9 inches in 2015, which will also add to FPD area demand.

For each FPD product category, IHS noted several reasons for the increase in the total FPD area base, including the following:

  1. LCD TV – 4K, 8K, ultra-slim type, slim bezel, better picture quality by wider color gamut and dynamic contrast ratio, new sizes launched by the panel makers, new smart TV platform
  2. Smartphone – higher resolution, slim design, bezel-less design, abundant ecosystem, component integration
  3. Mobile PC – higher resolution, better screen performance with the introduction of OLED, entry into the commercial and educational market
  4. Automotive – better user interface and touch performance, growing numbers of hybrid energy and electronic cars equipped with a larger and better screens, full dashboard digitalization, demand for bigger central information displays (CIDs), and the introduction of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for smart cars

The Quarterly Worldwide FPD Shipment and Forecast Report covers worldwide shipments and forecasts for all major FPD applications, including details from more than 140 FPD producers, covering more than 10 countries.

Gov. Charlie Baker today announced a $4 million dollar grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (“MassTech”) to UMass Lowell to support development of a printed and flexible electronics industry cluster, an emerging field that has the potential to become a $76 billion global market in the next decade.

The new Printed Electronics Research Collaborative (PERC) at UMass Lowell intends to position Massachusetts employers, large and small, to capitalize on the burgeoning printed and flexible electronics field, whether through direct development of products or as a piece of the supply chain. The PERC will initially focus on supporting the state’s defense cluster in printed electronics, but long-term, these technologies are expected to also have a broad range of applications in fields including health care, telecommunications and renewable energy. Printable electronics is currently a $16 billion global market and is projected to quadruple in 10 years, according to a 2014 report by IDTechEx.

“It is a privilege to announce today’s grant as another positive step forward for UMass Lowell, students and businesses across the Commonwealth. We have already seen great success stem from this partnership to fund research, support education and make new strides in innovation,” said Gov. Baker. “By connecting the incredible resources in our universities with the business community, the Commonwealth will continue to stimulate economic growth and create more good-paying jobs.”

The four-year grant award will be matched by $12 million in industry support and is being made as part of the Collaborative Research and Development Matching Grant Program, a $50 million dollar capital fund formed to support large-scale, long-term research projects that have high potential to spur innovation, cluster development and job growth in the Commonwealth. The fund was created as part of the 2012 Jobs Bill and is managed by the Innovation Institute at MassTech. Proposals are reviewed by an Investment Advisory Committee composed of executives from academia, industry, and the venture capital communities.

UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan and MassTech CEO Pamela Goldberg joined Gov. Baker at UMass Lowell’s Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, an 84,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art research facility where PERC will connect businesses with the expertise of UMass Lowell researchers. The MassTech grant will outfit laboratories and other research space at the Saab Center, also home to the Raytheon-UMass Lowell Research Institute, which will be among the participants in PERC. Other companies that have signed on include MicroChem of Westborough, Rogers Corp. of Burlington, SI2 Technologies of Billerica and Triton Systems of Chelmsford and more are expected, according to UMass Lowell Vice Provost for Research Julie Chen.

“Our mission is to convene industry, academia and government to catalyze economic opportunity in regions and clusters around the Commonwealth,” said Pamela Goldberg, CEO of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. “This project hits the mark on several fronts, including the potential to drive the development of innovative products and business growth. We are excited to partner with UMass Lowell and regional industry partners like Raytheon to expand R&D capacity and help advance this exciting new industry cluster.”

“UMass Lowell has decades of experience in partnering with businesses, large and small, to advance technologies and economic development. Not only does bringing our researchers together with innovators in industry stimulate economic growth, it offers our students unparalleled opportunities for experiential education,” Meehan told attendees, including representatives of the business and technology communities, UMass Lowell and the Lowell legislative delegation. “We are grateful to the Commonwealth for its investment in what we believe will be a model for academic and industry collaboration.”

Highlighting the importance of both public and private investment in the University of Massachusetts, today’s event also included the announcement by UMass Lowell that two of its most successful and generous alumni are making another multimillion-dollar gift to the campus and students, bringing their total commitment to the campus to nearly $10 million.

Robert and Donna Manning, Methuen natives who earned degrees at UMass Lowell, will commit an additional $4 million to the university to be used specifically for strategic initiatives in UMass Lowell’s Robert J. Manning School of Business and the School of Nursing.

The gift, combined with the MassTech grant, will strengthen the university’s North Campus Innovation District, located on University Avenue in Lowell. Made up of the Saab Center, the Manning School, the Lydon Library and nearby academic and laboratory complex, the district brings together the expertise of UMass Lowell’s engineering, science and business programs to provide ease of access for students, entrepreneurs and industry partners.

The business school was named for Rob Manning in May 2011 in recognition of the couple’s earlier multimillion-dollar commitment to the university. Since the Mannings graduated from UMass Lowell in the 1980s, they have supported capital and other initiatives at the university, including establishing the Robert and Donna Manning Endowment Fund, which supports scholarships for students majoring in nursing and business. Rob Manning began his career at MFS Investment Management shortly after receiving his UMass Lowell degree in business administration. He worked his way up from research analyst to chairman, a role he has held since 2010, overseeing billions of dollars in assets and employees in 80 countries around the world.  Donna Manning – whose career as an oncology nurse at a Boston hospital spans three decades – earned degrees in nursing and business administration at UMass Lowell.

“Donna and I received a world-class education at UMass Lowell that allowed us to become successful in our careers and our passion is to give back to future generations so they can fulfill their hopes and dreams,” said Rob Manning.

The latest commitment to UMass Lowell by the Mannings will support strategic priorities in the university’s School of Nursing and the Manning School of Business. Those include providing resources for the new dean of the business school as its new home, the Pulichino Tong Business Building, is constructed and outfitted, as well as equipping the new nursing simulation laboratory in the Health and Social Sciences Building.

“Once again, UMass Lowell is grateful to Rob and Donna Manning for their generosity and their support for the future of business and nursing education on our campus. They understand firsthand how a UMass Lowell education positions students for success after graduation and thanks to their gift, our students will be even more prepared they enter the job market,” said Meehan.

Critical Manufacturing, a supplier of integrated manufacturing execution systems (MES), introduces cmNavigo 4.0, the industry’s first comprehensive MES software with embedded finite scheduling. By tightly unifying scheduling into critical MES functions in a modern, Microsoft-based operations management system, cmNavigo 4.0 software improves on-time delivery, shortens total cycle time, and makes better use of plant resources.

“As margins in global high-technology manufacturing shrink, many manufacturers are finding that their legacy MES systems don’t have the flexibility and functionality to meet the demands of today’s volatile markets. The new scheduling, quality control, warehouse management, and shift handoff capabilities we are announcing today reflect our commitment to provide the most modern and unified MES solution available,” said Francisco Almada-Lobo, CEO, Critical Manufacturing. “This new functionality will help manufacturers improve cost control, better manage inventory, and boost productivity of advanced, discrete production operations.”

New Scheduling Functionality Optimizes Production to Meet Customer Demand

cmNavigo 4.0 scheduling models plant floor resources and defines the role of each in fulfilling a mix of orders in an optimal near-term time frame, driven by customer demand. Schedules can be weighted around multiple production criteria and key performance indicators, such as minimizing delivery delays, maximizing machine loads, and reducing cycle times.

Built on Microsoft application development layers, the new scheduling application integrates with more than 30 extensible MES applications. These provide visibility and traceability, operational efficiency, quality management, factory integration, operations intelligence, and factory management.  The modern architecture empowers operations managers to configure and extend models and define workflows without the need for programming.

Integrating scheduling and other MES functionality so tightly avoids duplication of master data, allows real-time updates across different areas of the plant floor, and eliminates the need to maintain separate interfaces. Other new cmNavigo integrated applications announced today deliver the following capabilities:

  • Lot-based sampling enables automated calendar or time-based sampling of production.
  • Document management provides visualization, control, and approval of shop-floor, operations-related documents.
  • Warehouse management synchronizes exchange of information and material between the warehouse and the plant floor.
  • Durables-tracking  simplifies tracking of durable components such as boards, fixtures, tooling and masks, supporting recipe management, maintenance, exception handling, and data collection.
  • A shift logbook enhances both performance and safety by regulating exchange of critical information between shifts.

The new scheduling, sampling, factory management, tracking and logbook features of the software combine to address a wide range of MES needs in semiconductor manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, and medical device manufacturing and other manufacturing industries that might have both high mix and high volume lines. cmNavigo 4.0 software is available now for implementation throughout the world. Critical Manufacturing delivers its solutions through highly acclaimed service teams, skilled in extracting maximum value from complex operations. Expertise covers advanced information technology, business intelligence, migration from legacy MES systems, and greenfield installations.

There will also be a free webcast featuring a case history of an IC substrate manufacturer who is now implementing the new software. The webcast will take place on February 19th at 4:00 GMT (11:00 AM EST).  Register at http://www.criticalmanufacturing.com/en/webinar_201502 or at www.criticalmanufacturing.com.

At the heart of lasers, displays and other light-emitting devices lies the emission of photons. Electrically controlled modulation of this emission is of great importance in applications such as optical communication, sensors and displays. Moreover, electrical control of the light emission pathways opens up the possibility of novel types of nano-photonics devices, based on active plasmonics.

Scientists from ICFO, MIT, CNRS, CNISM and Graphenea have now demonstrated active, in-situ electrical control of the energy flow from erbium ions into photons and plasmons. The experiment was implemented by placing the erbium emitters a few tens of nanometers away from the graphene sheet, whose carrier density (Fermi energy) is electrically controlled. Partially funded by the EC Graphene Flagship, this study entitled “Electrical control of optical emitter relaxation pathways enabled by graphene”, has been published in Nature Physics.

Erbium ions are essentially used for optical amplifiers and emit light at a wavelength of 1.5 micrometers, the so called third telecom window. This is an important window for optical telecommunications because there is very little energy loss in this range, and thus highly efficient information transmission.

The study has shown that the energy flow from erbium into photons or plasmons can be controlled simply by applying a small electrical voltage. The plasmons in graphene are rather unique, as they are very strongly confined, with a plasmon wavelength that is two orders of magnitude smaller than the wavelength of the emitted photons. As the Fermi energy of the graphene sheet was gradually increased, the erbium emitters went from exciting electrons in the graphene sheet, to emitting photons or plasmons. The experiments revealed the long-sought-after graphene plasmons at near-infrared frequencies, relevant for these telecommunications applications. In addition, the strong concentration of optical energy offers new possibilities for data storage and manipulation through active plasmonic networks.

Frank Koppens commented: “This work shows that electrical control of light at the nanometer scale is possible and efficient, thanks to the optoelectronics properties of graphene.”