Category Archives: Packaging and Testing

February 8, 2012 — The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing US semiconductor manufacturing and design, released the 2011 International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), a roadmap of near-term and long-term challenges and innovations for the semiconductor design and manufacturing industry through 2026.

Also read: ITRS 2010: What happened during this off-year?

The ITRS is sponsored by five regions of the world; Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States and is overseen by SIA. The 2011 ITRS was first presented at a public forum in Incheon, Korea on December 14, 2011. Through the cooperative efforts of the global chip manufacturers and equipment suppliers, research communities and consortia, the Roadmap teams identify critical challenges, technical needs and potential solutions.

2011 edition. Several key areas of advancement have been highlighted in the 2011 ITRS, specifically: DRAM and Flash memory, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) technology development will be accelerated, allowing for new higher-performance servers and sophisticated graphics for game consoles. Flash technology, used as memory in mobile computing devices such as digital cameras, tablet PCs and cell phones, will experience accelerated development over the next 2 years. The introduction of three-dimensional (3D) flash technology, beginning in 2016, will bring greater memory capabilities to a range of popular consumer electronics.

The 2011 ITRS also explores the newest possibilities for innovative interconnects, switches, devices, and materials to advance nanotechnology. While the continued scaling down to the nanometer level occurs, innovative designs and models for new applications and products have expanded research and development of MEMS, increasingly included in smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, and numerous other consumer electronic products. Researchers are also increasing attention on RF and analog mixed-signal technologies.

Also read: NIST collaborates on MEMS roadmaps: ITRS, iNEMI

One of the primary challenges that the industry has identified is how to decrease the size of semiconductors while increasing performance standards to meet consumer demands. In addition to addressing scale and performance challenges, the ITRS presents models for enhancing the highly complex manufacturing and measurement processes required to achieve smaller, higher performance and more energy efficient semiconductors. The ITRS also focuses on cost-effective manufacturing and resource conservation to meet the rapidly changing needs of semiconductor design innovations.

Also read: Packaging, assembly changes coming in next ITRS

Each ITRS working group coordinates with related teams across disciplines to write reports indicating the state of the current technology, technology challenges, critical needs, potential solutions, and areas of innovation. When incorporated into the ITRS, the reports provide guidelines for the global industry that are intended for technology assessment only, without regard to any commercial considerations. The roadmap can serve as a guide for corporate strategic plans and business unit programs; help to assess lead times for equipment development plans, process and materials; and assess key metrics for industry productivity/profitability such as progress on Moore’s law, productivity trends, industry cycles and economic models.

Access the ITRS at www.itrs.net. 

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February 8, 2012 – PRNewswire via COMTEX — Egypt-based integrated circuit (IC) and micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) maker Si-Ware Systems (SWS) launched a US subsidiary, Si-Ware Systems Inc. Scott Smyser, a new executive vice president for worldwide marketing and business development, will manage the US business.

SWS aims to deliver advanced devices to key markets, as it expands beyond design services and into standard products. The new US subsidiary falls in line with this business strategy. SWS operates in ASIC solutions, with configurable ASICs for MEMS-based components such as sensors and resonators; timing products, providing all-silicon clock oscillator products; and MEMS solutions, including the flagship SiMOST platform for single-chip optical systems.

Smyser has a experience in the semiconductor industry as an executive and strategy consultant for companies focused on timing devices, MEMS sensors and wireless technologies. He has led and advised various companies in the industry with an emphasis on marketing, technology, and product development. Most recently, Smyser was vice president & general manager for VTI Technologies, Inc. a leading supplier of MEMS sensors to the automotive, medical, and consumer markets. He also co-founded VTI’s timing device business. He spoke in the panel, "Connecting the Real World with the Digital World: Harnessing the Power of MEMS," at the International CES 2012 in Las Vegas this January.

"The continuing growth of ever-smaller ‘smart’ devices requires higher levels of integration and miniaturization," said Scott Smyser, executive vice president and general manager, Si-Ware Systems, Inc. "Si-Ware’s innovative design platforms and its expertise in integrating MEMS and ASICs make them an ideal provider for new cutting-edge solutions."

"Si-Ware has focused its design services efforts in growth areas – MEMS sensors are increasingly used across multiple industries, silicon timing devices are cost-effective alternatives to quartz, and there is a continued drive to miniaturize optical systems," said Hisham Haddara, Ph.D, CEO at Si-Ware Systems. "We have been able to leverage our design expertise to create highly integrated new products that can be easily incorporated into larger systems. Establishing a subsidiary in the U.S. and bringing Scott on to manage global business development is the next logical step in consolidating our growth plan for these strategic products."

Si-Ware Systems is an independent fabless semiconductor company providing a wide spectrum of product design and development solutions, custom ASIC development and supply as well as standard products. For more information, please visit www.si-ware.com.

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February 6, 2012 — Micro-scale thermal management device maker Nextreme Thermal Solutions announced that its thin-film thermoelectric technology has achieved a 60.1°C temperature difference between its cold and hot sides at an ambient temperature of 24.7°C, bringing it on par with the performance of bulk thermoelectric technology.

The 60°C temperature milestone, known as the ΔTmax, indicates the thermoelectric device’s ability to pump heat efficiently, improving cooling and lowering input power requirements for applications in electronics, photonics, automotive, avionics, and high-speed PCR applications.

The improved performance is the result of new materials development at Nextreme and the use of advanced, state-of-the-art interconnect and contact technology developed at the Center for Solid State Energetics at RTI International.

Nextreme will be introducing new products with this higher level of cooling performance in 2012.

Nextreme Thermal Solutions manufactures thin-film thermoelectric modules and subsystems. For more information, visit www.nextreme.com.

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February 3, 2012 – Marketwire — Silicon Frontline Technology Inc. (SFT), an EDA company in the post-layout verification market, announced that X-FAB Silicon Foundries, a More-than-Moore semiconductor foundry, has used SFT’s R3D (Resistive 3D) software for X-FAB’s 0.18

February 2, 2012 — Qualtré, silicon MEMS inertial sensors developer, appointed Dr. Ijaz Jafri as VP of engineering, responsible for all aspects of product development and commercialization. Jafri has 16+ years of experience in micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) and semiconductors, including inertial MEMS, optical MEMS, radio frequency MEMS, microfluidics, MEMS relays/switches and gas sensors.

Prior to joining Qualtré, Dr. Ijaz Jafri held key engineering leadership posts at Honeywell International (Sensing, Guidance and Navigation Center of Excellence), Corning Inc. (Electromechanical Design and Applications), and GT Equipment Technologies / GT Solar (Research and Development). Jafri has served as an investigator on US Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and National Institute of Standards and Technology funded programs.

Jafri is Six Sigma Black Belt certified with expertise in integrated product development, production transition, and production support. He received a Doctor of Philosophy and Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering from State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from New York Institute of Technology.

He has numerous peer-reviewed journal and conference publications and currently holds seventeen US patents.

Qualtré is a venture-backed company commercializing the next generation of solid-state silicon MEMS motion sensor solutions. Learn more at www.qualtre.com.

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February 2, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — 3M launched a high-capacitance Embedded Capacitance Material (ECM), targeting improved power integrity and reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI) for small form factor computer hardware, high-performance RF boards, microphones, integrated circuit (IC) packaging, and consumer electronics. The ECM material contributes to hi-fidelity signals, high-signal-to-noise ratio in radio frequencies, and higher speed digital signals.

Previous 3M ECM versions have a maximum capacitance density of approximately 10nF/inch2. The 3M ECM High-Capacitance Density products offer a 20-40nF/inch2 capacitance density range. The ECM material is halogen-free and RoHS compliant.

Also read: 3M, IBM to make 3D chip adhesives

The material matches the needs of increased fidelity and rapid miniaturization in electronic devices, said Abhay Joshi, global business development manager, 3M Electronic Solutions Division, Interconnect Business.

3M

January 31, 2012 – PRNewswire — Audio test tool supplier Audio Precision launched the PDM I/O option for its APx500 series audio analyzers, used to test digital micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) microphones.

Pulse density modulation (PDM) is a one-bit, high clock rate data stream used with digital MEMS microphones in smartphones. The APx PDM option allows APx500 series audio analyzers to connect directly to any device with a PDM input or output for comprehensive testing.

The APx PDM Interface provides standard audio measurements, as well as variable DC supply voltage, variable sample rate, and a power supply rejection (PSR) measurement to test the device’s full operating parameters. PDM (mono or stereo) can be selected for both the analyzer inputs and outputs simultaneously. A special PDM bitstream mode permits analysis of the entire spectrum prior to decimation stages.

Digital semiconductor MEMS designers can use the APx PDM option to generate modulated PDM bitstreams and sending them directly to decimation stages with no further conversion or hardware. Smartphone and tablet manufacturers working on new designs can interface directly with MEMS microphones and PDM decimation stages to tune and verify performance. A special suite of acoustic response measurements enables faster, efficienct MEMS transducer testing, even in non-anechoic environments.

APx analyzers are used for complete smartphone and tablet audio development, combining PDM with integrated Bluetooth wireless technology, low noise analog for testing headphone outputs, digital serial (I2S) for direct chip-level communication, and HDMI for devices with HD video capabilities.

The first units will ship early in the second quarter of 2012.

Also see: Apple buys most MEMS microphones in 2011

Audio Precision (AP) offers high-performance audio analyzer instruments and applications. For more information, visit http://ap.com/.

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January 25, 2012 — SCHOTT North America Inc. introduced MEMpax borosilicate glass for use in micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing, available in thicknesses from 1.1 to 0.1mm.

MEMpax glass is produced in the same way as the company’s AF32 and D 263, then finished with a fire-polished surface, for the needs of MEMS and related ultra-thin borosilicate glass applications. Fire polishing gives the glass a high-quality, pristine surface and can help reduce processing costs.

The new glass shares physical, thermal, and chemical properties with the company’s Borofloat 33. The material properties of MEMpax allow anodic bonding with silicon wafers: Under the influence of temperature and pressure, ions diffuse between silicon and glass, which results in a hermetic bond, protecting the silicon wafer elements or connecting various components. The glass boasts a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) corresponding to silicon’s CTE to avoid warpage in bonding.

The glass is a high-quality insulator with low alkali content. It maintains good dielectric properties up to 450°C.
 
SCHOTT North America can be found at www.us.schott.com.

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January 25, 2012 — 2E mechatronic GmbH & Co. KG designed a 3D molded interconnect device (MID) flow sensor that uses Ticona’s Vectra E840i LDS laser-activated liquid crystal polymer (LCP) for electronic circuits. The Vectra E840i forms circuits on 3D injection moldings produced with a Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) process.

The sensor is injection molded entirely from Vectra E840i LDS, specially developed for use with the LPKF Laser & Electronics AG LDS process. The tracks on the 12 x 10 x 6mm component are etched with LPKF laser equipment that selectively activates the laser-sensitive additive in the Ticona LCP. The circuit pattern is subsequently electrolysis plated.

Vectra E840i LDS MID specialty grade is 40% mineral filled with special LDS additive, reflow solderable, and more isotropic than typical glass-filled LCP. It has a high melt temperature and its heat deflection temperature (HDT) prevents softening during reflow. Its flow characteristics enable miniaturization, reducing component weight. It has a low humidity absorption, low warpage, no flash, and high dimensional stability. Other benefits include low coeffecient of thermal expansion (CTE) and inherent UL-94 V0 compliance without fire-retardant additives.

The process offers cost-efficient, low-volume packaging for sensor, microphone module, and ring contact designs, among others. Design changes to the conductor tracks are simply implemented by reprogramming the laser.

This sensor is used in air conditioning systems. 2E mechatronic worked on the chip-based sensor project with relay and switch specialist Gruner AG, research institute HSG Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft and micro-sensor developer MicroMountains Applications AG, all of Germany. Harting Mitronics has developed MIDs such as a camera module MID with a Vectra E840i LDS substrate for the Sick V300 Work Station camera. Other potential applications include a laser-structured MID-LED light component for dental lamps, automats, and house and street lighting.

Ticona will showcase its Vectra LCP specialty grades for electrical and electronic components at DesignCon 2012, Jan. 31 to Feb. 1 in Santa Clara, CA, Booth #218.

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of specialty materials and chemical products. Ticona, the engineering polymers business of Celanese Corporation, produces and markets a range of high performance products. For more information, please visit www.ticona.com or www.ticona.cn (Chinese language).

January 24, 2012 – PRWEB — Si-Ware Systems (SWS) debuted the Silicon integrated Micro Optical System (SiMOST) platform to fab and package single-chip optical systems with validated micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) components. Multiple optical MEMS (MOEMS) structures can be patterned and etched on silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). The structures are then wafer-level packaged and diced to create a one-chip optical system.

SiMOST eliminates alignment for optics by lithographically aligning optics on-chip. Si-Ware claims this method reduces costs and package size, and improves chip reliability under shock and vibration.

“For the first time an optical designer has the freedom to design very complex systems with as many components as necessary with no impact on cost of assembly and bill of materials,” said Bassam Saadany, Division Manager for MEMS at SWS. “With SiMOST, optical systems can achieve economies of scale that are similar to the micro-electronics industry in terms of size and cost, which opens up a range of applications and market opportunities.”

SWS has created a library of building blocks for its SiMOST platform that designers can use in creating their optical systems. Optical components include flat, cylindrical and spherical collimating mirrors; wide bandwidth beamsplitters; optical filters; and moving corner cube reflectors. MEMS components include long travel range micro-actuators and micro-motors.

SiMOST has been demonstrated, manufacturing a fully monolithic FT-IR spectrometer and a swept laser source.

The SiMOST platform is complemented by SWS’s ASIC solutions division, which provides interfacing and control circuits. These interface and control ASICs handle the MEMS control, current, voltage and capacitive sensing, data conversion via ADC/DAC, and data processing.

SWS is presenting more details on its SiMOST set of solutions at Photonics West 2012 in San Francisco bJanuary 24-26, Moscone Center, North Hall, Booth #4004. SWS will present on SiMOST technology, January 25 at 12:30PM in the North Hall.

Si-Ware Systems (SWS) is an independent fabless semiconductor company providing a wide spectrum of product design and development solutions, custom ASIC development and supply as well as standard products.

SWS leverages its highly talented teams in MEMS design and development as well as Analog/Mixed-Signal and Radio Frequency (RF) Integrated Circuits (ICs) to provide highly innovative solutions and products in different areas ranging from PLL based timing circuits, sensor interfaces, frequency synthesis, data converters, RF front-ends, and MEMS based sensor systems. For more information, please visit http://www.si-ware.com.

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