Category Archives: Displays

Following the successful inaugural event in 2013, the 2nd annual SEMI Vietnam Semiconductor Strategy Summit will be held September 16-17, 2014 at the InterContinental Asiana Saigon Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.  This executive event brings together key decision-makers shaping the future of the industry in Vietnam, and international participants from major companies in the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. The connections and relationships forged during the Summit will drive further growth over the next decade and beyond.

Executives from the world’s leading microelectronics companies will meet with delegates representing Vietnamese government, academia, research, and industry to explore and discuss the key strategies and opportunities in the growing Vietnam semiconductor industry at the 2nd Vietnam Semiconductor Strategy Summit.

“Vietnam remains committed to entering the global microelectronics world, moving beyond backend and breaking ground on its first 200mm semiconductor front-end fab in the Saigon Hi-Tech Park,” said Kai Fai Ng, president of SEMI Southeast Asia.  “While the first Summit provided a platform to discuss the requirements for a sustainable local supply chain, workforce development and R&D collaboration, many challenges still remain as the fab project nears the approval stage. From infrastructure and process technology to device design and IP creation and protection, this year’s Vietnam Semiconductor Strategy Summit will provide a platform to advance these critically important discussions.”

Global stakeholders with an interest in Vietnam’s semiconductor market — from the equipment, materials, and device and R&D communities — are invited to share their vision, insights and outlook with Vietnam’s local business, technology and educational communities.

The 2nd annual SEMI Vietnam Semiconductor Strategy Summit is organized by SEMI (www.semi.org) and co-organized by the Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) and the Ho Chi Minh City Semiconductor Industry Association (HSIA). Participation in the SEMI Vietnam Semiconductor Strategy Summit is available through sponsorships and individual registrations.

For additional information on corporate sponsorships and to inquire about an invitation, please contact [email protected] or visit www.semi.org/vietnam.

After the successful premier of a program to connect early-stage companies with strategic investors and venture capitalists (VCs) in the U.S., SEMI is expanding the program to Europe as part of SEMICON Europa 2014 in Grenoble, France (October 7-9). The new expanded program, called Innovation Village, will extend the original scope of SEMICON West’s Silicon Innovation Forum (SIF) with a conference and three-day start-up and innovation partner exhibition, held in a dedicated area at SEMICON Europa (www.semiconeuropa.org).

Located at the heart of SEMICON Europa, Innovation Village will bring together up to 50 of the most innovative European start-ups with top investors from the semiconductor industry. The goal of Innovation Village is to encourage exchanges between early-stage technology companies and investors interested in identifying investment opportunities. Participating start-ups will have the opportunity to exhibit for three days at individual kiosks in the Innovation Village exhibition hall and actively participate in the SIF, presenting their innovations in a series of short pitches and, for selected companies, performing a product demonstration. The Innovation Village exhibition hall will also host several key companies and investors in exclusive VIP booths fully equipped with private meeting space.

“Grenoble has gained a reputation for being one of Europe’s leading cities in innovative research and has successfully hosted a high number of start-ups,” says Heinz Kundert, president of SEMI Europe. “With SEMICON Europa coming to Grenoble for the first time, it is an excellent occasion to demonstrate the region’s capabilities in innovation and commercialization of new technologies.”

Innovation Village will represent the most viable new technology in Europe. Interested start-ups are invited to fill out a Request for Participation (RFP) form online at the SEMICON Europa website (www.semiconeuropa.org/Segments/InnovationVillage). Start-ups are encouraged to apply as early as possible. RFPs will be judged by the SEMICON Europa SIF Committee, experts in venture capitalism and new technology investment: Lisa Müller, 3M New Ventures; Jean-Marc Girard, Air Liquide Electronics; Eileen Tanghal, Applied Ventures; Claus Schmidt, Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH; Jong Sang Choi, Samsung Venture; Loic Lietar, STMicroelectronics; and Jim Traynor, TEL Venture Capital.

To encourage visibility for both investors and start-ups, Innovation Village conferences and the exhibition will be free-of-charge for all SEMICON Europa visitors. Speakers will attract diverse visitors, including large companies, SMEs, and start-ups to the Innovation Village area. Dedicated innovation lounge areas set amidst the exhibition kiosks will allow visitors, investors and start-ups to interact with each other. For more information on Innovation Village and the Silicon Innovation Forum Europe (www.semiconeuropa.org) contact Anne-Marie Dutron, SEMI Europe-Grenoble, at [email protected]

2013: A year in review


April 4, 2014

By Lara Chamness, senior market analyst manager, SEMI

Semiconductor Market Trends

2013 was a record year in terms of semiconductor device revenues; the industry finally exceeded the long elusive $300 billion mark, registering almost 5 percent growth according to the SIA. While 2013 was a growth year for the chip industry, it was the second consecutive year of declining revenues for both semiconductor equipment and materials; the 2013 semiconductor equipment and materials markets contracted 14 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Materials-chart-1

Source: SIA, SEMI, SEMI/SEAJ

When looking at revenue trends, it is important to consider the impact of the weakened Yen on total revenues. The Table shows the impact of the weakened Yen on Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan’s (SEAJ) book-to-bill data. If the data were kept in Yen, the 2013 market for Japan-based suppliers would be down 14 percent. However, when the Yen are converted to dollars the 2013 equipment market for Japan-based suppliers declined almost 30 percent. Since Japan-headquartered suppliers represent a significant portion of the equipment market, this has the effect of dragging down the global equipment market. Given the importance of Japanese suppliers to the materials market, the weakened Yen also contributed significantly to the decline of semiconductor materials revenues in 2013. For a more detailed discussion of the impact on the semiconductor equipment and materials market please refer to Dan Tracy’s article in the March SEMI Global Update.

Weakening Yen Impact on Japan Supplier Annual Billings

Materials-chart2

Semiconductor Equipment

Worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment totaled $31.6 billion in 2013, representing a year-over-year decrease of 14 percent and spending on par with 2005 levels. Looking at equipment sales by major equipment category, 2013 saw contractions in all major categories, Wafer Processing equipment contracted 11 percent, while Assembly and Packaging and Test equipment contracted 26 and 24 percent, respectively. The Other Front-end segment (Other Front End includes Wafer Manufacturing, Mask/Reticle, and Fab Facilities equipment) contracted 34 percent.

TSMC continued with its aggressive investments in 2013, resulting in the Taiwan market increasing 11 percent to maintain the top spot ($10.6 billion) in equipment spending. The only other region to experience year-over-year growth was China spurred by investments by SK Hynix, Samsung, and SMIC, with an increase of 30 percent. North America surpassed South Korea to claim the second spot, device makers reduced their spending in Korea last year. Japan remained in the fourth top spot, just above China, with $3.4 billion in equipment sales. Equipment sales to Europe decreased 25 percent in 2013. Investments in the Rest of World region remained relatively flat when compared to 2012.  Rest of World region aggregates Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, other areas of Southeast Asia and smaller global markets.

Materials-chart3

Semiconductor Materials

The global semiconductor materials market, which includes both fab and packaging materials, contracted 3 percent in 2013 totaling $43.5 billion. Even with the decrease, the semiconductor materials market has been larger than the equipment for the past six years.

Taiwan maintained the top spot for the fourth year in a row, followed by Japan, South Korea, Rest of World, and China. Driving the materials market in Taiwan are advanced packaging operations and foundries. While Japan still claims the largest installed fab capacity globally and has a tradition in domestic-based packaging, many companies in Japan have rapidly adopted a fab lite strategy and have consolidated their fab and packaging plants. South Korea passed Rest of World (primarily SE Asia) as the third largest market for semiconductor materials given the dramatic increase in advanced fab capacity in the region in recent years. Looking at the materials market by wafer fab and packaging materials, both segments contracted 3 percent.

Materials-chart4

Outlook

Most analysts predict mid- to high single-digit growth for the semiconductor device market for the year. Initial monthly data for silicon shipments and semiconductor equipment are proving to be encouraging. Given growth expectations for the device market, it is projected that the semiconductor materials market will increase 2 percent this year. Given two consecutive years of double-digit decline, the outlook for semiconductor equipment is much more optimistic with current expectations positive with spending potentially growing 20 percent or more

2013 was another disappointing year for equipment and materials suppliers as device manufacturers finally exceed revenues of $300 billion. Anemic sales, downward price pressure, combined with a weakened Yen proved to be a significant challenge on the semiconductor supply chain. 2014 is promising to be better for the entire market with device, materials and equipment markets are all anticipated to increase for the year.

By Karen Savala, president, SEMI Americas

Companies in the microelectronics manufacturing supply loop see “sustainability” as an important objective in their operations as well as their business strategy.   This trend has progressed far beyond the niche players that traditionally positioned themselves as “green,” and, in our industry, now includes virtually every significant IC manufacturer as well as a broad base of their suppliers. While sometimes seen as a social, legal and regulatory obligation, sustainability is increasingly considered a differentiating factor in global competitiveness relative to the technologies and products being provided.

Sustainable manufacturing is the creation of manufactured products through economically-sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. Sustainable manufacturing also enhances employee, community, and product safety.  A large and growing number of manufacturers are realizing substantial financial and environmental benefits from sustainable business practices and are driving requirements through the supply chain.

One example cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pertains to two of Freescale Semiconductor’s major energy-using systems that were assessed for energy efficiency. Following the assessment, the company implemented projects which included adjustments to water pumping and compressed air systems. As a result, the company’s Oak Hill Fabrication plant in Austin, Texas reduced its annual energy consumption by 28 million kWh of electricity and 26,000 million Btu of natural gas over a three year period, with more than $2 million in annual savings.

Now, key industry trends that influence facilities purchasing decisions pertain to issues such as energy efficiency, pollution control, water conservation, environmental impact, climate protection, conflict minerals in supply chains, as well as the ongoing attention to safety and ergonomics.

Intel Corporation says that technological advancement and environmental sustainability should go hand in hand.   The company incorporates environmental performance goals throughout their operations, seeking continuous improvement in energy efficiency, emissions reduction, resource conservation, and other areas. As delineated on the company’s web site, Intel strives to minimize the environmental impact of its products—from design through disposal—and seeks innovative ways that technology can help address long-term sustainability challenges.  According to their environmental reporting, TSMC requires equipment vendors to consider water, power, and material conservation when designing new generations of equipment, and also requires a long-term blueprint for carbon reduction and future environmental strategy. TSMC also verifies that the energy performance of each tool meets or exceeds conditions set in the procurement contract after tool installation is completed. GLOBALFOUNDRIES also states that environmental sustainability is at the core of high-volume silicon manufacturing.

Recently, SEMI presented its Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) leadership award to Dr. Tzu-Yin (TY) Chiu, CEO of SMIC for minimizing its environmental impact by using resources efficiently, reducing pollution substantially, disposing of hazardous materials responsibly, and upgrading facilities regularly (article: www.semi.org/en/node/49356).

Accordingly, SEMI members see an increasing amount and complexity of EHS performance and reporting requirements from both customers and regulators.  Throughout the electronics supply chain there is increased scrutiny of environmental performance and SEMI has long maintained an EHS program that encompasses the industry’s broadest network of EHS and purchasing professionals dedicated to collaborating on regulatory, manufacturing and fab facilities issues related to environmental impact.

Now we are extending the spotlight on this important area.  In conjunction with SEMICON West and INTERSOLAR North America, SEMI is organizing a four-day Sustainable Manufacturing Forum to share information about the latest technologies, products, and management approaches that promote sustainable manufacturing. The Forum will feature twenty hours of seminars / workshops / roundtable discussions in twelve distinct Sessions as well as many structured opportunities for professional networking.

A special exhibit pavilion will be associated with the Sustainable Manufacturing Forum to showcase companies and new technologies from around the world that address sustainable manufacturing needs for micro-electronics, nano-electronics, photovoltaics, solid state lighting, electronic displays, and other high-tech products. The SEMICON West Sustainable Manufacturing Pavilion will provide direct opportunities for companies to market their value to a wide variety of customers and their supply chains involved in high tech manufacturing.

Further complementing the focus on products that improve sustainable manufacturing, the Sustainable Technologies Award will recognize SEMICON West exhibitors who provide equipment, materials, or services that contribute to the sustainable improvement of the environment.

Together, the Sustainable Forum, Pavilion and Award will support the industry’s imperative for greater environmental, energy, and facilities performance.

I sincerely hope that you will participate and join the new focus on sustainable manufacturing at SEMICON West.

By Sara Ver-Bruggen, contributing editor

Flexible displays is a technological field that has been in R&D and pre-commercial development for several years, but what needs to happen to make volume production a reality, in areas including substrates, materials and production processes? Semiconductor Manufacturing & Design discussed the issues with Max McDaniel, Director and Chief Marketing Officer, Display Business Group, Applied Materials, Michael Ciesinski, MD of the Flextech Alliance, and Keri Goodwin, Principal Scientist from the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), in the UK.

SemiMD: Taking a step back and looking at the timeline for flexible display R&D and achievements so far, where is the industry in terms of entering volume production – how close is the industry to resolving those outstanding challenges to volume production, such as cost-effective barrier technologies, for example?

McDaniel: Curved displays are here as evidenced by several curved smartphones and TVs showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2014. People are ready for flexible displays, but production volume will take some more time. As the smartphone market matures, brands are embattled in a ‘resolution arms race’. The key challenge for the brand makers is to come up with the next big thing that will differentiate their products and spur new demand from consumers. The display plays a key role in defining the device, and a new form factor – like flexible displays – can bring new opportunities to the market, but the technology is not ready for the mass market because of cost and technology challenges.

Ciesinski: FlexTech initiated its R&D program into flexible displays in 1998 with substantial project funding beginning in 2002 and continuing today. We’ve worked with companies and R&D organizations in the areas of substrates, encapsulation, barrier coating, roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing and other key areas. Generally, the supply chain for flexible electronics is adequate but not yet robust, which will occur once large volume production is achieved. In building flat panel displays (FPDs) that industry could build on IC manufacturing strengths and simply scale the equipment. For volume manufacturing on a flexible substrate, many new tools and processes have to be developed from scratch, such as metrology, as experts must build a system to account for a substrate that can shrink or expand depending on temperature, and move in multiple directions. As for barriers, several solutions are available and ready for production. The extreme requirements for OLED thin film barriers have been achieved in production and the main focus now is on cost reduction. The materials industry is quite competitive and ready for volume. In order to obtain better utilization of these materials in production new printing equipment is being developed.

Goodwin: There are still significant challenges to overcome in flexible display volume production. A cost-effective flexible barrier with a very low water transmission vapor rate (WVTR) is still to be developed, this will be required if OLED frontplanes are to be used. Typically these barriers are still multilayer structures with a mix of inorganic and organic coatings to minimize defect levels. While this can be achieved R2R, perhaps via a combination of sputter deposition and solution processing such as slot die, the cost will ultimately be set by the number of multiple coatings required.

An alternative method may be to use R2R atomic layer deposition (ALD), which should yield a significantly lower level of defects, thereby improving the barrier capability of a single layer and reducing, or removing, the need for multiple coatings. However, process scale up is required. CPI envisages that R2R ALD will play important roles in various aspects of flexible printable electronics, where highly conformal nanoscale thin films are required. CPI has been evaluating ALD technology for several years and recently signed an agreement with Beneq to deliver an ALD system to CPI for pilot scale production.

Layer-to-layer registration is another major challenge to overcome in volume production with flexible substrates typically distorting during processing. This issue can be overcome in several ways such as development of lower temperature processes or development of lamination materials to allow sheet-to-sheet (S2S) production without distortion.

And, in terms of commercialization for flexible (as opposed to curved) displays what time frame are we talking?

McDaniel: The approach for early adopters of flexible displays has been a production process that adheres the flexible substrate onto glass, running it through what’s mostly the normal rigid OLED processing, and then delaminating that flexible substrate from the rigid one at the end of processing. What remains is a flexible substrate that has all the transistor structures built onto it. However, this is still a complex process, and due to the cost and complexity involved in manufacturing on a high-volume scale, it is still a ways off from full mass production.

Goodwin: Overall, there are multiple approaches to volume production of flexible displays but all require scale up towards a commercialization solution, therefore it would be expected that the timeline for a product is still five years away. What is important in the short term is to demonstrate controlled processes that can yield products with good lifetime and performance, which then can be scaled up for commercialization.

Ciesinski: Displays in a conformable format have been produced and exhibited; a truly flexible and foldable display is much more than that and there are many approaches to achieving this result in the next few years.

Various flexible display R&D has focused on different substrates, different thin film transistor (TFT) materials and so on. Is there likely to be one approach that will make it to volume production?

Ciesinski: Multiple approaches are currently being considered by the market. For example, plastic substrate films from DuPont Teijin and other suppliers have a strong a presence. Corning’s introduction of flexible glass provides a competitive choice. As for the display technology, LCDs, OLEDs and electrophoretic displays have all been built in a flexible format. Materials will continue to improve and there will be multiple TFT materials for the next few years.

McDaniel: Materials have a key role to play in the R&D efforts for enabling flexible displays. OLED is promising as the rigid glass encapsulation required to protect the organic material from moisture and air can be replaced by thin film. You can make flexible LCD displays but maintaining the required cell gap between the color filter and backplane is very difficult to do. Both OLED and LCD require a TFT backplane. A major challenge for the industry is how to move away from rigid glass while not compromising the operation of the TFT when flexed, folded, or bent.

We have discussed the backplane and encapsulation; but for OLED to get to mass production (especially in large sizes); the industry also has to address challenges in EL evaporation such as lifetime of organic materials, low deposition efficiency, low yield from defects and scalability of evaporation technology which affect the cost of volume production but are not necessarily related to the issues around flexibility. All display technologies, including OLED displays, require very high levels of precision in film uniformity and particle control to maintain yield. There is the potential for OLED display production to become less expensive, and Applied Materials is leveraging its expertise in precision materials engineering to help solve these technology hurdles to reduce the cost and complexity.

Goodwin: It is likely that there will be multiple options for volume production. This will depend on final product requirements, such as limits of flexibility, level of resolution of display and cost of display. For example, metal oxide-based TFT displays already demonstrate high performance in terms of the TFT, and therefore can achieve high resolution displays, but ultimately will be very limited in the flexibility.

Organic electronics show excellent flexibility, but historically have tended to have a lower performance for OLED display backplanes and therefore may not achieve the same level of display resolution as metal oxide in the short term. More recently this gap in performance has been closed substantially making organic TFT backplanes a good candidate for a wide variety of display formats and resolutions. In addition OTFT backplanes may ultimately be a lower cost of production. Overall, it is likely that the different TFT technologies will independently develop the substrate types suitable for their processes, for example metal oxide on high temperature substrates and for organics the substrates are likely to be more flexible and suitable for lower temperature processes.

SemiMD: In terms of production equipment and tool advances, which technologies are most promising for enabling volume production of flexible displays?

Goodwin: Metal oxide is currently deposited via industrially used techniques/tools in the display industry, such as sputter deposition. This makes it a likely candidate for early adoption in the display industry, with moderate investment required to enable scale-up. However, solution-processing of organic based materials is likely to provide a lower cost of manufacture via the route of additive printing and R2R manufacture. CPI is working with a number of SMEs in building scale up capability across a range of printed and plastic electronics technology areas such as OLED, OTFT and barrier encapsulation, to help take forward new research ideas into technology prototypes and then into manufacturing demonstrators.

McDaniel: Flexible and other future bendable form factors in display will require precision engineered materials including thin film technologies that deliver performance with stringent uniformity and defect requirements at lower cost and less power. Advances in CVD and PVD systems for LTPS and metal oxide will play an important role in achieving high resolution but even these processes will require materials modification to support the full promise of flexible displays. One example of a required modification is indium tin oxide (ITO), a mainstay process step in TFT-LCD but as a material may prove to be too brittle in the production of more flexible displays.

Applied is also looking to help display makers mass produce larger scale, more efficient manufacturing processes and advanced materials as a means of gaining economies of scale at the factory.

Ciesinksi: FlexTech has funded and successfully completed projects for key steps in flex display manufacturing, such as lithography and deposition. Clearly various printing technologies and RTR additive manufacturing processes are capable of achieving major advances in flexible display production which will be seen over the next few years.

SemiMD: New display technologies that commercialise successfully have done so because they have enabled new products. The mass volume production of LCDs has helped to initiate smart phones, tablet devices, for example, while e-paper (E-Ink) display technology is largely responsible for e-reader devices such as the ubiquitous Kindle. So what potential new class of consumer/portable electronic device might flexible display technology enable? On the other hand, will the technology, in the nearer term, be more beneficial for enabling rugged/unbreakable display-based electronic devices?

McDaniel: There is a lot of potential. Think about what our phones looked like six or seven years ago. Now we’re seeing HD-quality screens on a device we can slip into our pockets. We could see flexible displays enabling devices that can be rolled up or folded into more compact shapes. Some studies have said that for a tablet, people prefer semi-rigid displays to something that is flopping around, to provide structure while they’re reading it. In the public environment flexible could bring the possibility of more immersive or interactive displays at airports or on billboards, or even on the sides of buildings. There are a lot of possibilities.

Goodwin: Rugged displays are likely to have military applications and so may attract funding support from this sector and therefore this may be a route to the first marketable products. However, the learning from the production of those rugged displays can likely be used within new mainstream product development. Many major display manufacturers are already trying to patent areas of interest such as smart watches and early products may focus on these smaller displays. Ultimately, if volume production is possible and large area displays can be produced then there is a vast range of products that can be envisaged from clothing applications, rollable/foldable phones, large scale advertising hoarding or even replacement of aircraft windows with lightweight displays.

Ciesinski: Technology adopters fall into several categories. For example, early adopters are those with the first cellular phone, the first tablet, etc. These users are willing to sacrifice elegance or product maturity for functionality. Other adopters waited until smart phones became fully functional before consolidating to a primary device from a combination of a PC, cell phone, and pager. Wearable electronics, as a class, represents a game-changing technology. A wearable device – even with limited functionality – is attractive, for example, to competitive athletes if it can help improve performance even modestly. Once wearable technology matures, it can explode into other markets to monitor the chronically ill, aged/infirm, or paediatric patients. Then, it jumps to the packaging or automotive or aerospace markets in the form of sensors.

Once flexible display technologies reach volume production, how fast might the technology establish itself – evolve from niche to mainstream?

Ciesinski: Successful technologies ramp quickly and displace incumbent technologies ruthlessly. Just consider the displacement of CRTs by FPDs or CCFL backlights by LED backlights. FlexTech believes that flexible electronics – of which flexible displays is a subset – will grow rapidly in multiple markets, led by disposable and wearable electronics. Our recent user survey indicated substantial purchases of flexible electronics by key end users within three years; adoption by large contract manufacturers is already taking place due to their customer demands.

Goodwin: This is likely to be dependent on the product uptake. For example the rise of tablets and smart phones drove the development of OLED frontplane and materials development. The same is likely to happen with flexible displays. Early products may have limited flexibility, for example the already available curved display products from LG and Samsung, but later products will need to show the truly flexible nature of these advanced displays. Once market pull is established a range of products are likely to be developed that will aid the flexible display to become a mainstream product. CPI can play a vital role in the move from niche to mainstream by providing the infrastructure and environment for companies to de-risk and scale up their innovative ideas from concept to market.

McDaniel: Five years ago, when display manufacturers wanted to start bending and curving the design, they faced a new set of struggles. Applied Materials had insights on where the market was heading and was already working on technologies to address the challenges. We have seen similar waves of technology with laptops and smartphones, and the acceleration of flexible or curved display devices or other form factors could take off in a similar manner. Display analyst firms are anticipating strong growth for the flexible and curved displays market over the next several years. For instance, Touch Display Research has forecast flexible and curved displays to achieve 16% of the global display revenue market by 2023 compared with 1% in 2013.

This article originally appeared on SemiMD, part of the Solid State Technology network

SEMICON Singapore will focus on the advanced technology developments to enable mobility for the Internet of Things (IoT).  SEMICON Singapore 2014 (www.semiconsingapore.org) runs 23-25 April, at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Center.

At SEMICON Singapore 2014, the exhibits, programs and workshops will examine how emerging technologies impact the manufacturing landscapes and how device makers will position themselves for the upward trends of mobility and IoT.  The three-day event will feature exhibitors showcasing the latest processes, materials, tools, and technologies used in the manufacture of today’s most advanced electronic products.  For the first time, the event features the enabling technologies that translate the advancements in semiconductor technology towards IoT applications. From driverless cars to smart home automation to wireless charging and touch displays, the microelectronics ecosystem is an enabler of the “magic behind the gadgets.”

SEMICON Singapore will feature programs and forums to highlight the industry’s major technology trends, and investment and expansion opportunities in manufacturing, including:

  • Market Trend Forum will feature leading executives Yole Développement, UBS, GfK Southeast Asia, Merrill Lynch, SurplusGlobal, and SEMI, who will provide their insights to the key trends driving microelectronics growth worldwide and the challenges ahead for the Southeast Asia supply chain
  • Fabless/IDM Technology Challenges Track will feature perspectives from Broadcom, Intel, Silicon Laboratories and Xilinx on the emerging industry dynamics paving way for growth in the mobility and IoT space with emphasis on Singapore’s semiconductor landscape.
  • Additional forums and programmes include:  Advanced Packaging Technology; 2.5D/3D IC; LED; MEMS; Product Test; and Emerging Growth Company Enterprise Summit.
  • The SEMI International Standards Program will also present a workshop on “Packaging & Test SEMI Standards (WLP/3D IC).”

The SEMICON Singapore agenda will also address the significant issues of workforce development and will provide programs to nurture Southeast Asia’s skilled workforce to drive the future growth of the industry.

“SEMI Southeast Asia works closely with local government agencies and the tertiary institutions to embrace the development of young talent and working professionals into future leaders of the industry,” said Kai Fai, Ng, president of SEMI Southeast Asia.  “I am particularly pleased that this year at SEMICON Singapore, we are continuing our commitment to cultivate the best talent in Southeast Asia for our member companies and industry by presenting SEMICON University and the Job Fair for the second consecutive year — plus new this year, an online job portal will help companies connect with the best talent available.”

The development of a highly skilled workforce is one of the greatest challenges to advancing growth of high-technology industries, in particular semiconductors and related microelectronics. Worldwide, these advanced products require thousands of engineers and technologists capable of designing intricate microelectronics as well as the complex manufacturing equipment, new materials, and precise processes needed to manufacture them.

Singapore’s semiconductor industry has grown remarkably over the last forty years to become one of the most advanced hubs in the region.  Today the semiconductor industry constitutes much of Singapore’s economic growth, contributing over 5 percent of the city-state’s GDP and 37 percent of all R&D spending by the manufacturing industry. The industry employs approximately 42,000 people.

Mega Fluid Systems Inc., a supplier of chemical and slurry delivery equipment, and Entrepix Inc., a provider of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment and process services, today announced a partnership agreement. The combined expertise of both teams has already led to the development of a complete CMP solution for a 200mm fab upgrade project. Mega Fluid Systems designed and built the slurry delivery systems, while Entrepix remanufactured the CMP polish and clean equipment and developed the CMP processes to meet the customer’s requirements.

“Leveraging the unique capabilities and expertise of each of our organizations allowed us to provide the customer a truly customized solution,” said Delton Hyatt, President of Mega Fluid Systems. “This approach will simplify and reduce the technology transfer time, which is essential for optimizing manufacturing operations and reducing cost of ownership.”

The equipment set was designed to efficiently enable a new technology transfer process for the customer. By developing and shipping the slurry blend/delivery, CMP polishing, and post-CMP cleaning equipment set along with proven process recipes optimized for the customer’s devices, the companies were able to deliver a highly flexible and reliable solution that will shorten the time to qualify the new process flow. This also ensures that the customer will benefit immediately from many years of established expertise with no “learning curve” delays.

“It’s not commonplace for semiconductor supplier companies to work together at such an in-depth level, taking the lead to define and provide a complete solution,” said Tim Tobin, CEO of Entrepix. “However, our companies have known each other for many years and as such are able to act as a single entity that provides the customer both CMP delivery systems and equipment.”

The two companies are also expanding local operations, adding additional service and engineering staff to support system installation, maintenance and operation as well as ongoing process support. This solution has proven highly desirable to the market and other similar agreements are underway.

Following a successful inaugural at SEMICON West last year, the Silicon Innovation Forum (SIF) is set to return to San Francisco this July in conjunction with SEMICON West 2014 (July 8-10 at Moscone Center) and expand to SEMICON Europa 2014, to be held this October for the first time in Grenoble, France (October 7-9, at Alpexpo).

Coordinated by SEMI, the Silicon Innovation Forum is organized by leading strategic investment groups in the global semiconductor industry including: Applied Ventures, Dow Ventures, Intel Capital, Micron Ventures, TEL Venture Capital, BASF Ventures, and Samsung Ventures.

Discussing the needs of and requirements for next-generation microelectronics, and gaining insight to strategies regarding technology, capital, partnership, and collaboration are critical for industry growth. The goal of the Silicon Innovation Forum (www.semiconwest.org/sif) is to connect early-stage technology companies and prospective investors from industry and the investment and venture capital community, providing a platform for companies to demonstrate their technologies and business plans, for investors to identify new business opportunities, and for both communities to explore the technology and business challenges shaping the future of microelectronics.
Companies and investors well-received the first Silicon Innovation Forum, held last year at SEMICON West 2013.

“SEMICON West and the Silicon Innovation Forum gave us entre to the key decision-makers we needed to reach,” said Bob Lloyd, CEO of Bright Spec,  “As a result of the discussions, we now have the right contacts within semiconductor makers in Asia, Europe, and the U.S.” Dadi Gudmundsson, president and CEO of Sensor Analytics, added “We were impressed with the caliber of both the companies selected and the industry/investor attendees. In addition to renewing contacts, we made contact with new investors and industry players that focus on and understand the semiconductor industry. We also successfully used the publicity from our SIF participation to secure business from companies attending SEMICON West.”

Based on the success of the SEMICON West program, SEMI will expand the Silicon Innovation Forum this year, hosting an additional event in conjunction with SEMICON Europa 2014 in Grenoble. The SIF Europe will be included as part of the new “Innovation Village” exhibition and presentation area on the SEMICON Europa show floor, showcasing start-ups and other early-stage technology companies from across Europe.

“Innovation and new ideas need investment, but traditional venture capital and private funding of advanced semiconductor technology development has significantly declined in recent years, threatening the future of microelectronics innovation and the industry as a whole,” said Denny McGuirk, president and CEO of SEMI. “We are excited to renew and expand the Silicon Innovation Forum concept in the United States and Europe and focus on restoring investment in technology innovation and growing business through dynamic engagement with the investment community.”

For more information on the Silicon Innovation Forum held at SEMICON West, contact Ray Morgan, SEMI Americas at [email protected] or visit www.semiconwest.org/sif. For more information on the Silicon Innovation Forum Europe (www.semiconeuropa.org/Segments/InnovationVillage), contact Anne-Marie Dutron, SEMI Europe-Grenoble, at [email protected].

On May 13-15, the key industry players, science institutes and innovation business representatives will gather in Moscow at SEMICON Russia — the premier Russian semiconductor exhibition and conference. The Microelectronics Market Conference (May 13) associated with SEMICON Russia will be held at Technopolis, Moscow, while the Exhibition (May 14-15) will be held at the Moscow Expocentre. Topics include: Advanced Packaging and MEMS, as well as exhibitor presentations in the TechARENA on the show floor.

Over 2,000 attendees are expected from more than 30 countries. Semiconductor and related industries enjoy a high level of support by the government, and SEMICON Russia offers market information, technical knowledge and networking opportunities. Investment opportunities exist in Russia for semiconductor and related technologies — Russia is set to invest into R&D and industrialization of local semiconductor manufacturing.

With economic growth, expanding university/state funding programs, and foreign investments, the Russian technology industry is progressing. With the race for innovation and new programs for electronics development for 2015-2025, Russia offers new opportunities for the market players — including public-private partnership project development. In Russia, there is a sense of urgency about removing trade barriers and other bureaucracy, especially for high-tech products. Russian companies are looking for technical alliances to catch up with Western companies as quickly as possible.

The Microelectronics Market Conference on May 13 will provide a very effective platform for learning about the regional and global market, identifying promising areas for investment, establishing new contacts and developing mutually beneficial cooperation between Russian and foreign companies. The year’s edition will focus on “Shaping up the Russian Microelectronics Industry.” Launched in 2000, the Conference has established a reputation as an important event for microelectronics and related industries specialists.

Heinz Kundert, president of SEMI Europe, will open the Conference with a SEMI Market Update. The opening keynote will be provided by Alexey Kommissarov, director of the Department of Science, Industrial Policy and Entrepreneurship, Moscow City Government. In addition, Frost & Sullivan will present new data based on their recent market research on the electronic and semiconductor segment in Russia. Other speakers featured at the Microelectronics Conference include representatives from: CNII Electronica, Concern Vega, ETU “LETI” SPb, El-Tech SPb, CrocusNano Electronics, Russian MEMS Association, and STMicroelectronics.

The TechAREA is free for all registered visitors and offer sessions on MEMS, Advanced Packaging, and Exhibitor presentations.

This year the event is sponsored by SVCS. Supporters include: Moscow City Government, Department of RadioElectronics of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Special Economic Zone Zelenograd and the Cluster of Zelenograd.

Opportunities to exhibit are still available at SEMICON Russia. For more information on exhibiting or attending SEMICON Russia 2014, visit: www.semiconrussia.org.

Specialty touch screen and display enhancement manufacturer, Touch International confirmed today the release of a new touch sensing technology that overcomes the limitations of current projected capacitive (p-cap) offerings. PCAP Plus technology features multi-touch with gestures and works with fingers, heavy gloves, or any other input device. Additionally, the sensor is designed with a unique construction that performs in compliance with military, aerospace, and medical EMI/RFI requirements.

“Our experience in the high reliability markets has shown a clear missing link between the features and limitations of resistive and projected capacitive touch technology,” says Michael Woolstrum, CEO. “With PCAP Plus, we’ve not only bridged the gap, but have also provided the added bonus of EMI/RFI performance. From the battlefield and the cockpit to the operating room, this changes everything.”

Touch International’s team of engineers at the Austin, Texas R&D center started with their latest projected capacitive sensor designs and ultra-thin controllers. Using an extensive library of proven components and advanced tuning of the controller, they developed a conductive upper displacement plate. The plate gives the sensor multi-input properties and EMI performance without compromising optical clarity or multi-touch abilities. The company also ensured the sensor can be built using the myriad of substrates and transparent conductors the market has to offer.

PCAP Plus is immune to on-screen contaminants, extreme temperatures, and works when submerged in water. While the company has developed traditional projected capacitive sensors with immunity to water mist, traditional projected capacitive remains unable to maintain full functionality with pooling water or completely submerged. Easy to use, PCAP Plus requires only light pressure to activate and is precise and highly responsive. PCAP Plus doesn’t require recalibration and is maintenance free.

One of the most common problems implementing projected capacitive technology is the electromagnetic interference or susceptibility. Independent lab tests on TI’s PCAP Plus show all sensors tested pass EMI/RFI compliance for MIL-STD-461F, DO-160E, and CISPR25. This enables military, aerospace, transportation, and medical designers or manufacturers to tackle EMI/RFI compliance and regulation issues easily at the component level.

“Since projected capacitive exploded on the market in 2007 with the iPhone, you haven’t really seen a ‘next big thing’ in touch,” says Shaun Detmer, Marketing Director. “The mission critical markets have been, in many applications, stuck with outdated resistive technology. Those days are over.”

All PCAP Plus touch sensors work with Windows 7/8 as well as other operating systems, but must be customized for customer specific enclosures and displays. Sensors are available with I2C or plug-n-play USB connectivity. Current designs can be scaled up to 12 inches and will be available up to 24 inches in Q2 2014. Demo kits are available built to order and can feature add-ons such as sunlight readable displays and optical bonding.