Category Archives: Materials and Equipment

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Silver nanowires hold promise for applications such as flexible displays and solar cells, but their susceptibility to damage from highly energetic UV radiation and harsh environmental conditions has limited their commercialization.

New research suggests wrapping the nanowires with an ultrathin layer of carbon called graphene protects the structures from damage and could represent a key to realizing their commercial potential.

“We show that even if you have only a one-atom-thickness material, it can protect from an enormous amount of UV radiation damage,” said Gary Cheng, an associate professor of industrial engineering at Purdue University.

The lower images depict how graphene sheathing protects nanowires even while being subjected to 2.5 megawatts of energy intensity per square centimeter from a high-energy laser, an intensity that vaporizes the unwrapped wires. The upper images depict how the unwrapped wires are damaged with an energy intensity as little as .8 megawatts per square centimeter. (Purdue University image)

The lower images depict how graphene sheathing protects nanowires even while being subjected to 2.5 megawatts of energy intensity per square centimeter from a high-energy laser, an intensity that vaporizes the unwrapped wires. The upper images depict how the unwrapped wires are damaged with an energy intensity as little as .8 megawatts per square centimeter. (Purdue University image)

Devices made from silver nanowires and graphene could find uses in solar cells, flexible displays for computers and consumer electronics, and future “optoelectronic” circuits for sensors and information processing. The material is flexible and transparent, yet electrically conductive, and is a potential replacement for indium tin oxide, or ITO. Industry is seeking alternatives to ITO because of drawbacks: It is relatively expensive due to limited abundance of indium, and it is inflexible and degrades over time, becoming brittle and hindering performance, said Suprem Das, a former Purdue doctoral student and now a postdoctoral researcher at Iowa State University and The Ames Laboratory.

However, a major factor limiting commercial applications for silver nanowires is their susceptibility to harsh environments and electromagnetic waves.

“Radiation damage is widespread,” said Das, who led the work with Purdue doctoral student Qiong Nian (pronounced Chung Nee-an). “The damage occurs in medical imaging, in space applications and just from long-term exposure to sunlight, but we are now seeing that if you wrap silver nanowires with graphene you can overcome this problem.”

Findings appeared in October in the journal ACS Nano, published by the American Chemical Society. The paper was authored by Das; Nian; graduate students Mojib Saei, Shengyu Jin and Doosan Back; previous postdoctoral research associate Prashant Kumar; David B. Janes, a professor of electrical and computer engineering; Muhammad A. Alam, the Jai N. Gupta Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Cheng.

Raman spectroscopy was performed by the Purdue Department of Physics and Astronomy. Findings showed the graphene sheathing protected the nanowires even while being subjected to 2.5 megawatts of energy intensity per square centimeter from a high-energy laser, which vaporizes the unwrapped wires. The unwrapped wires were damaged with an energy intensity as little as .8 megawatts per square centimeter. (The paper is available at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.5b04628.)

“It appears the graphene coating extracts and spreads thermal energy away from the nanowires,” Das said. The graphene also helps to prevent moisture damage.

The research is a continuation of previous findings published in 2013 and detailed in this paper: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.201300124/full. The work is ongoing and is supported by the National Science Foundation and a National Research Council Senior Research Associateship.

HILLSBORO, Ore. — October 27, 2015 — FEI Company and DCG Systems, Inc. today announced a definitive agreement under which FEI would acquire DCG for $160 million in an all cash transaction. DCG is a leading supplier of electrical fault characterization, localization and editing equipment, serving process development, yield ramp and failure analysis applications for a wide range of semiconductor and electronics manufacturers. Headquartered in Fremont, California, DCG is a profitable private company and was the recipient of Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 award in 2013 and 2014.

The deal combines FEI’s leading physical failure analysis capabilities for the semiconductor lab with DCG’s complementary portfolio of electrical failure analysis solutions.  DCG’s offerings expand FEI’s served available market through the addition of optical imaging, thermal imaging and nano-probing technologies.  The combined company’s solutions will offer a more complete workflow for customers as they deal with the increasing complexities from process development to advanced 3D packaging.

“The acquisition of DCG expands FEI’s presence and capability in the semiconductor lab and enhances our ability to provide a complete workflow solution,” commented Don Kania, president and CEO of FEI. “The combination brings together leaders in physical and electrical failure analysis and will enable our customers to better connect workflows to improve time to data and efficiency.”

“Together with FEI we have a tremendous opportunity to offer our customers an integrated defect analysis solution,” commented Israel Niv, CEO of DCG. “The DCG team is excited to join forces with FEI and tap into FEI’s strong global presence and significant R&D capabilities to drive further penetration of DCG’s leading electrical failure analysis solutions.  We look forward to working together with FEI to provide integrated solutions to help our customers successfully execute on their future technology roadmaps.”

DCG generated revenue of $76 million in its fiscal year ended January 31, 2015.  The transaction is expected to be slightly accretive to FEI’s 2016 GAAP EPS.  FEI intends to fund the acquisition with cash on hand.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2015 and is subject to certain regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Hillsboro, Ore. — November 2, 2015 — FEI today announced the new Helios™ G4 DualBeam series, which offers the highest throughput ultra-thin TEM lamella preparation for leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing and failure analysis applications. The new DualBeam series, which includes FX and HX models, takes a significant leap forward in both technological capability and ease-of-use.

The new Phoenix focused ion beam (FIB) makes finer cuts with higher precision and simplifies the creation of ultra-thin (sub 10nm) lamella for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. The FX is a flexible system that delivers dramatically improved STEM resolution – down to sub-three Ångströms – and significantly shortens the time to data for failure analysis. Images can now be obtained within minutes of completing the lamella, rather than the hours or days required previously to finalize the images on a stand-alone S/TEM system. The HX model is geared specifically for high-throughput TEM lamella production. It features an automated QuickFlip holder that reduces sample preparation times.

“FEI is the first to market with a TEM sample preparation solution capable of making 7nm thick lamella, addressing the needs of our customers who are developing next-generation devices,” states Rob Krueger, vice president and general manager of FEI’s semiconductor business. “In addition, by offering the ability to achieve sub-three Ångström image resolution in a DualBeam, failure analysis labs can now dramatically cut ‘time to data’ without compromising image quality. And, by combining high-resolution imaging and sample preparation on one system, we have reduced the amount of valuable lab real estate required.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Erfurt, Germany, Nov. 2, 2015 – X-FAB Silicon Foundries, a leading More-than-Moore foundry, today announced it will expand the capacity and capabilities of its Kuching-based foundry operation, X-FAB Sarawak Sdn. Bhd., to meet accelerating demand for its core technologies – the 0.18µm and 0.35µm process platforms. With revenue having grown 25 percent for each of the past two years, and similar growth expected for the next two years, X-FAB plans to invest a total of US-Dollar 114 million between 2015 and 2017. This includes capex spending amounting to US-Dollar 29 million in the current year.

X-FAB Group with its clear focus on automotive, industrial, and medical applications has transitioned X-FAB Sarawak from a manufacturing facility for commodity-type products into a high-value-add business for products with a long life cycle. Since it became part of the X-FAB Group in 2006, the site in Kuching has undergone a complete change in most of its technology portfolio, its application focus, its customer base, product life cycles and quality systems.

YB. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry said, ”We are very excited that X-FAB Sarawak, one of the two pure-play semiconductor wafer foundries in Malaysia, continues to be at the forefront of our local semiconductor manufacturing industry.  The decision made by X-FAB to expand its operation in Malaysia is testament to the country’s strong economic fundamentals and the capabilities of our local talent.”

“X-FAB’s operation in Sarawak has been driving the growth of local economy. They are employing more than 1,000 staff where more than 80 percent of them are considered to be high income earners. We believe that this expansion will act as a catalyst in attracting other high technology firms to establish their operations in Malaysia as they will be able to leverage on the wafer fabrication services provided by X-FAB,” he added.

“The State of Sarawak as a major shareholder is very satisfied with the recent development of both the X-FAB Group and, more specifically, the profitable growth of X-FAB Sarawak, said Dato’ Seri Tarmizi Hj. Sulaiman, Chairman of the Board of X-FAB Silicon Foundries SE. “We are pleased that X-FAB Sarawak developed from a small nucleus into a competitive industrial enterprise with the competence and help of X-FAB.”

Rudi De Winter, CEO of X-FAB Group said, “We are looking back at nine years of successful conversion and expansion of our Sarawak foundry operation. During this period, we changed the digital business into a more future-oriented business with our complex analog/mixed-signal technologies. These technologies primarily used for automotive, industrial and medical applications enabled us to build a stable and sustainable customer base. In 2016, we expect X-FAB Sarawak for the first time to represent more than 50 percent of X-FAB Group’s total revenue.”

Mike Young, CEO of X-FAB Sarawak, added, “I am very impressed by the site’s evolution over the past several years and the success we accomplished thanks to the dedication and commitment of all our employees here at X-FAB Sarawak. Our continuous efforts to excel have paid off, as confirmed by the two awards we received in 2015 for our outstanding HR achievements, namely ‘The Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Human Resources’ and ‘The 1Malaysia Employer Award for Big Companies.'”

Fremont, Calif., October 29, 2015 – Soraa, a leader in the development of advanced lighting products and gallium nitride on gallium nitride (GaN on GaN™) LED technology, announced today that it will open a new semiconductor fabrication plant in Syracuse, New York. In partnership with the State of New York, the company will construct a new state-of-the-art GaN on GaN LED fabrication facility that will employ hundreds of workers. Working in coordination with SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (SUNY Poly CNSE), the new facility is on pace for shell completion by the end of this year with production beginning in the second half of 2016. Soraa currently operates an LED fabrication plant in Fremont, California, one of only a few in the United States.

“Central New York’s economic growth is due in large part to high-tech companies like Soraa that recognize the region’s wealth of assets and resources,” Governor Cuomo said. “Today’s announcement not only means economic stability for the region, but it also strengthens Central New York as leader in the development of the clean technology that will help light and power the future.”

“Syracuse is an optimal location for the new fabrication facility for a number of reasons including the innovative high-tech vision and strategy of Governor Cuomo; the ability to attract some of the best and brightest scientists and engineers in the world; and the capacity to tightly control the product quality and intellectual property around our lighting products through our partnership with SUNY Poly CNSE,” commented Jeff Parker, CEO of Soraa. “Since we launched our first product in 2012, global market reception for our high quality of light LED products has been phenomenal and sales have soared. The new facility will significantly increase our manufacturing capacity to meet this growing demand.”

It was announced in late 2013 that Soraa would expand its manufacturing operations to the Riverbend Commerce Park in Buffalo, NY. The plans outlined sharing the space with solar module manufacturer, Silevo. However, following the acquisition of Silevo by SolarCity, the facilities at Riverbend could no longer accommodate both Soraa’s fabrication facility and the necessary square footage for SolarCity’s expanded operations. As a result, it was back to the drawing board.

“Following the change with the Riverbend space, we remained focused on finding an optimal solution that worked for the State, Soraa and the talented workers that call upstate New York home,” added Parker. “We’re back on track with a great location and are targeting to employ at least 300 people to support a revenue stream of over $1 billion once fully functional.”

“By taking Albany’s nanotechnology-based public-private economic development model across New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo has established an unmatched engine for long-term growth, and this latest announcement is a perfect example of how his jobs-focused strategy continues to pay dividends,” said Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, President and CEO of SUNY Poly. “SUNY Poly is thrilled to partner with Soraa to locate this advanced manufacturing facility and its resultant jobs, as well as the hands-on educational offerings that this will present for New York’s students, adjacent to the Film Hub in Syracuse, where the company’s cutting edge lighting technology can be adapted for production purposes. Each component of this collaboration is further proof that the Governor’s unique vision for crafting commercialization and manufacturing-based opportunities is a powerful recipe for a resurgent New York.”

In 2007, a team of pioneering professors from the worlds of engineering and semiconductors—Dr. Shuji Nakamura, Nobel Laureate and inventor of the blue laser and LED; Dr. Steven DenBaars, founder of Nitres; and Dr. James Speck of U.C. Santa Barbara’s College of Engineering—came together and made a bet on an LED technology platform completely different than current industry practice, a technology most industry experts at the time considered to be impossible to execute.

Soraa bet that GaN on GaN LEDs would produce more light per area of LED, be of higher quality, and be more cost-effective than technology based on other foreign substrates like sapphire or silicon carbide. This strategy ran against every trend in the LED industry. That bet paid off: today, the company’s LEDs emit more light per LED material than any other LED; handle more electric current per area than any other LED; and the company’s products produce best-in-class color quality with full spectrum light similar to sun-light, while also delivering the brightest beams.

One thing seems clear about the semiconductor market: consolidation is showing no signs of slowing down.

On the heels of two additional acquisitions in the space around semiconductors — LAM Research acquiring KLA-Tencor and Western Digital buying SanDisk — rumors have abounded this week that there is more to come.

First, Bloomberg reported that Texas Instruments, the world’s largest maker of analog chips, is in talks to buy Maxim Integrated. TI is said to have competition for Maxim from a competitor in the analog chip space, Analog Devices.

According to the Bloomberg report, Maxim may be holding out for a hefty premium, if it does, in fact, sell.

“When asked on an Oct. 22 conference call about a possible takeover by a larger company such as Texas Instruments, Maxim Chief Financial Officer Bruce Kiddoo said the company is big enough and profitable enough to survive on its own,” Bloomberg reported. “Maxim also has the resources to do its own acquisitions, he said.”

For Texas Instruments’ part, CFO Kevin March weighed in on potential acquisitions on October 21. Bloomberg quotes him as saying: “If we were to look at an acquisition, it would probably be a company that’s going to be broad in catalog, have a diverse customer base, have a large percentage of its revenue coming from industrial and automotive, probably have a very talented R&D team. So we really do focus on the numbers that that acquisition might lead us to.”

Following the Bloomberg story, the Chicago Tribune issued a report saying STMicroelectronics is considering a bid for Fairchild Semiconductor. STMicro is Europe’s biggest chipmaker, and would be looking to “increase growth and shore up its digital products business” with the purchase, according to the report.

For its part, Fairchild, which is one of the oldest chipmakers in the US, has hired Goldman Sachs to help it find a buyer. In recent months the company has conducted talks with ON Semicondor and Infineon Technologies about being purchased, according to the Tribune.

It is still uncertain whether anything will come of either report, but it seems clear that the merger madness in the semiconductor industry is far from over.

To help readers follow this constantly changing situation, Solid State Technology is keeping a running scorecard of all the significant transactions in the semiconductor market here: Historic era of consolidation for chipmakers.

 

SAN JOSE, Calif. — InvenSense, Inc., a leading provider of MEMS sensor platforms, today announced it has released for OEM review UltraPrint™, its ultrasonic fingerprint imaging solution, manufactured on the proprietary InvenSense CMOS-MEMS Platform (ICMP), offering ramp to production in calendar year 2017. As the world’s largest fabless MEMS SOC innovator and source for the eutectically bonded ICMP, InvenSense ships, on average, over twelve million motion or audio sensor SOCs each week to leading global mobile and IoT OEMs.

By adding aluminum nitride-based piezoelectric capacity to its platform, InvenSense is enabling, for the first time, mass manufacture of unique piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (pMUT) and transducer arrays, with each transducer element individually controllable through direct wafer-level interconnect to the CMOS ASIC.

This dramatic advancement in acoustic imaging technology will allow manufacturers to seamlessly integrate, on a platform proven capable of accommodating exceptionally high volumes, detailed fingerprint images from the epidermal to dermal layers, and to do so directly through glass or metal, even in the presence of oil, lotions, perspiration or other moisture, and other common contaminants that can easily undermine legacy capacitive solutions. These critical factors enhance live finger authentication and guard against spoofing, thereby increasing security.

Fari Assaderaghi, InvenSense’s Vice President Advanced Technology, commented: “Our proprietary UltraPrint technology is expected to enable, for the first time, deployment of ultrasonic fingerprint solutions under glass, as well as a myriad of other surfaces. This flexibility in sensor placement without cutting a hole in display glass, aluminum, steel or plastic case material is highly valued by mobile and other OEMs. Our innovative team is excited to work with equally motivated partners to quickly bring this new technology to market.”

Mo Maghsoudnia, InvenSense’s Vice President Worldwide Manufacturing, added: “As a leading innovator in MEMS and sensor technology globally, and the world’s only fabless MEMS SOC vendor selling hundreds of millions of motion and audio sensors each year, we have a proven track record of rapidly ramping up innovative new MEMS solutions into mass production. We’re excited to extend the InvenSense CMOS-MEMS Platform to pMUT devices and enable a breakthrough authentication solution for leading mobile and IoT products.”

East Providence, RI USA – October 28, 2015 – Nordson EFD, a Nordson company, a global precision fluid dispensing systems manufacturer, introduces a new series of pneumatic non-contact dispensing systems. The P-Jet and P-Dot valves and V100 controllers jet low- to high-viscosity fluids with great precision and repeatability. They are designed for use in many types of applications and multiple industries including automotive, electronics, aerospace, and medical.

NordsonThe launch of the P-Jet and P-Dot comes with EFD’s recent acquisition of Liquidyn, a Germany-based company that designs and manufactures non-contact micro dispensing valves. The company was founded in 2006 by two German engineers looking to provide manufacturers more efficient fluid dispensing options.

Benefits of the P-Jet include dispensing frequencies of up to 280Hz with dispensable volume starting at 3 nL. Both the P-Jet and P-Dot feature exchangeable nozzles and dispensing tappets to adapt to different kinds of applications. Both are easy to use and maintain featuring wetted parts that are separate from the actuator. They require low voltage of 24 V and maximum fluid pressure of 87 psi (6 bar) to operate, which are important when evaluating safety considerations. In addition, the valves can be easily integrated into production lines.

Pneumatic non-contact dispensing technology benefits include:

  • Time savings due to easier positioning of the part and high dispensing frequency and accuracy
  • Reduced part damage and contamination due to there being no contact with the part
  • Uniform fluid deposits independent of part topography and surface structure
  • Easy, safe adjustment of dispensing volumes
  • Process control

The P-Jet dispenses low- to medium-viscosity fluids such as solvents, oils, greases, silicones, paints, and fluxes in beads and lines. Common applications include filling, potting, sealing, and coating. The P-Dot dispenses higher viscosity fluids such as adhesives, lacquers, oils, greases, silicones, and fluxes in dots, beads, and lines. Attaching very small electronic components (SMD parts) onto printed circuit boards and substrates is a good application example.

“The P-Jet and P-Dot non-contact jet valves offer manufacturers a fast, simple way to generate precise, repeatable micro-deposits for even the most demanding dispensing processes,” said Peter Langer, Nordson EFD Business Unit Director – Valves. “These valves are designed to last a long time with extremely low maintenance.”

The new P-Jet and P-Dot are being featured along with other innovative EFD products recently released, including the PICO® Pµlse™ non-contact jet valve and PICO Toµch™ controller, xQR41 MicoDot™ needle valve, and Pro and EV series automated dispensing systems, at The Assembly Show (booth 823), Oct. 27-29, in Rosemont, Illinois USA.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — mCube, provider of MEMS motion sensors, today announced the industry’s first 3-axis accelerometer which is less than a cubic millimeter in total size (0.9mm3). The MC3571 is only 1.1×1.1×0.74mm in size making it 75% smaller than current 2x2mm accelerometers on the market today, enabling developers to design high-resolution 3-axis inertial solutions for products that require ultra-small sensor form factors.

mCube_MC3571_AccelerometerThe MC3571 features a Wafer Level Chip Scale Package (WLCSP), making it smaller than a grain of sand. This achievement marks a major innovation milestone in the MEMS sensor industry and opens up new design possibilities for the next generation of sleek new mobile phones, surgical devices, and consumer products.

“The new MC3571 truly represents mCube’s vision of delivering a high-performance motion sensor in less than a cubic millimeter size,” said Ben Lee, president and CEO, mCube. “This advancement demonstrates how our monolithic technology can unleash amazing possibilities for designers to create exciting new products that could never be possible with today’s standard 2x2mm sensors.”

“mCube is the first company we’ve seen with a 1.1×1.1mm integrated MEMS+CMOS accelerometer and stretches once again the limits of miniaturization establishing new standards for the industry,” said Guillaume Girardin, Technology & Market Analyst MEMS & Sensors at Yole Développement (Yole). And his colleague, Thibault Buisson, Technology & Market Analyst, Advanced Packaging added: “Clearly, there is a growing trend among consumer companies to transition to wafer-level CSP packaging designs and with the MC3571 inertial motion sensor, mCube is at the forefront of this market evolution and at Yole, we are curious to see how competition will react.”

The high-resolution 14-bit, 3-axis MC3571 accelerometer is built upon the company’s award-winning 3D monolithic single-chip MEMS technology platform, which is widely adopted in mobile handsets with over 100 million units shipped. With the mCube approach, the MEMS sensors are fabricated directly on top of IC electronics in a standard CMOS fabrication facility. Advantages of this monolithic approach include smaller size, higher performance, lower cost, and the ability to integrate multiple sensors onto a single chip.

About the MC3571 Accelerometer

MC3571 is a low-noise, integrated digital output 3-axis accelerometer, which features the following:

  • 8, 10, or 14-bit resolution;
  • Output Data Rates (ODR) up to 1024Hz;
  • Selectable interrupt modes via an I2C bus;
  • Requires only a single external passive component, compared to competitive offerings requiring 2 or more.

Samples of the world’s smallest 1.1×1.1mm WLCSP accelerometer are available to select lead customers now with volume production scheduled for the second quarter of 2016.

 

Brewer Science, Inc., and Arkema announced a partnership to produce high-quality directed self-assembly (DSA) materials for use in semiconductor manufacturing. DSA will be one of the key technologies that enable high-volume, cost-effective nanoscale manufacturing.

This partnership leverages Brewer Science’s strength based on more than 30 years of experience in advanced semiconductor materials and process solutions with Arkema’s experience of more than 20 years in block copolymer (BCP) technology and manufacturing. This combination of manufacturing and support expertise will accelerate the introduction of DSA material technology for next-generation lithography applications.

“We are excited to work with Arkema to bring this technology to market,” said Dr. Daniel Sullivan, Director of Brewer Science’s Semiconductor R&D. “Brewer Science has earned the reputation for bringing value to customers and moving the industry forward. Our goal is to provide a turnkey DSA process so customers can obtain all the materials and process knowledge needed to implement DSA quickly and cost-effectively. Combining each company’s expertise in materials and manufacturing will allow us to deliver a robust solution to the industry.”

“Arkema is committed to deliver high-quality DSA materials to the Semiconductor Market. This unique partnership will accelerate the introduction of a commercial solution in the market and provide a unique support to our future customers built on the strength of both companies,” said Ian Cayrefourcq, Scientific Director of Arkema.

Both companies plan to bring process stability to DSA by providing BCP in volume to support an entire node life with a single batch while also offering a wide range of process flexibility through a full suite of DSA materials and Arkema’s proven BCP blending process.