Category Archives: Packaging

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 61.7 million units in the first quarter of 2018, a 1.4 percent decline from the first quarter of 2017, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. The PC market experienced a 14th consecutive quarter of decline, dating back to the second quarter of 2012.

Asia/Pacific and the U.S. experienced declining shipments, while other regions saw some minimal growth, but it was not enough to drive overall growth for the PC industry. In the first quarter of 2018, PC shipments in Asia/Pacific declined 3.9 percent compared with the same period last year, while shipments in the U.S. decreased 2.9 percent.

“The major contributor to the decline came from China, where unit shipments declined 5.7 percent year over year,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. “This was driven by China’s business market, where some state-owned and large enterprises postponed new purchases or upgrades, awaiting new policies and officials’ reassignments after the session of the National People’s Congress in early March.

“In the first quarter of 2018, there was some inventory carryover from the fourth quarter of 2017,” Ms. Kitagawa said. “At the same time, vendors were cautious in overstocking due to the upcoming release of new models in the second quarter of 2018 with Intel’s new eighth-generation core processors.”

The top three vendors — HP, Lenovo and Dell — accounted for 56.9 percent of global PC shipments in the first quarter of 2018, compared with 54.5 percent of shipments in the first quarter of 2017 (see Table 1). Dell experienced the strongest growth rate among the top six vendors worldwide, as its shipments increased 6.5 percent.

Table 1
Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 1Q18 (Thousands of Units)

Company

1Q18 Shipments

1Q18 Market Share (%)

1Q17 Shipments

1Q17 Market Share (%)

1Q18-1Q17 Growth (%)

HP Inc.

12,856

20.8

12,505

20.0

2.8

Lenovo

12,346

20.0

12,305

19.7

0.3

Dell

9,883

16.0

9,277

14.8

6.5

Apple

4,264

6.9

4,199

6.7

1.5

Asus

3,900

6.3

4,458

7.1

-12.5

Acer Group

3,828

6.2

4,189

6.7

-8.6

Others

14,609

23.7

15,637

25.0

6.6

Total

61,686

100.0

62,569

100.0

-1.4

Notes: Data includes desk-based PCs, notebook PCs and ultramobile premiums (such as Microsoft Surface), but not Chromebooks or iPads. All data is estimated based on a preliminary study. Final estimates will be subject to change. The statistics are based on shipments selling into channels. Numbers may not add up to totals shown due to rounding.
Source: Gartner (April 2018)

HP Inc.’s worldwide PC shipments increased 2.8 percent in the first quarter of 2018 versus the same period last year. In EMEA, HP Inc. recorded double-digit growth in both desktop and mobile PCs. This was contrasted with a small decline in other regions. HP Inc. was adversely impacted by declining demand in the U.S., which generally accounts for one-third of its total shipments.

Lenovo’s global PC shipments remained flat in the first quarter of 2018. Lenovo achieved 6 percent growth in EMEA and double-digit shipment growth in Latin America. However, in Asia/Pacific (its largest market), PC shipments declined 4 percent.

After record holiday sales for consumer and gaming products in the fourth quarter of 2017, Dell continued to perform well in the first quarter of 2018. With double-digit shipment increases in EMEA, North America and Latin America, Dell grew in all regions except Asia/Pacific. Desktop and mobile PCs grew in equal measures, showing Dell’s strength in the business segment.

Rising ASPs

The average selling prices (ASPs) of PCs continue to rise. Acknowledging deceleration in the smartphone market, and uncertainty in PC replacement demand, component companies remain cautious about expanding their production capabilities. Therefore, persistent component shortages and a rising bill of materials continue to create an environment conductive to higher prices.

“In contrast to other DRAM-related price spikes, PC vendors are not reacting by reducing DRAM content. Rather they have passed the cost increase to consumers,” Ms. Kitagawa said. “With fewer people buying new machines, manufacturers need to get the highest profit margin from each sale. To do that, they are raising the selling points and focusing on customer experience or perception of value.”

Regional Overview

In the U.S., PC shipments totaled 11.8 million units in the first quarter of 2018, a 2.9 percent decrease from the first quarter of 2017. Dell moved into the No. 1 position in the U.S. based on shipments, as its market share increased to 29.1 percent. HP Inc. moved into the No. 2 position as its shipments declined 4.8 percent, and its market share totaled 28.4 percent in the first quarter of 2018 (see Table 2).

Table 2
Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 1Q18 (Thousands of Units)

Company

1Q18 Shipments

1Q18 Market Share (%)

1Q17 Shipments

1Q17 Market Share (%)

1Q18-1Q17 Growth (%)

Dell

3,440

29.1

3,198

26.2

7.6

HP Inc.

3,363

28.4

3,532

29.0

-4.8

Lenovo

1,632

13.8

1,714

14.1

-4.8

Apple

1,491

12.6

1,484

12.2

0.5

Acer Group

321

2.7

429

3.5

-25.1

Others

1,586

13.4

1,836

15.1

-13.6

Total

11,833

100.0

12,193

100.0

-2.9

Notes: Data includes desk-based PCs, notebook PCs and ultramobile premiums (such as Microsoft Surface), but not Chromebooks or iPads. All data is estimated based on a preliminary study. Final estimates will be subject to change. The statistics are based on shipments selling into channels. Numbers may not add up to totals shown due to rounding.
Source: Gartner (April 2018)

PC shipments in EMEA totaled 18.6 million units in the first quarter of 2018, a 1.7 percent increase year over year. Enterprise shipments increased as many Windows 10 projects that were put on hold in 2017 began to be implemented. The fast approach of the compliance deadline for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, as well as earlier reports of cybersecurity breaches, made security a strong priority in the hardware refresh cycle among enterprises. Eurasia continued to be a bright spot for EMEA, as several countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, saw strong demand in the first quarter of 2018.

PC shipments in Asia/Pacific totaled 21.9 million units in the first quarter of 2018, a 3.9 percent decline from the first quarter of 2017. As previously mentioned, the PC market in China drove the decline in Asia/Pacific. There is no significant sign of strong upgrading to the special version of Windows 10 from the Chinese government institutions. Consumer demand was weak as most buyers already took advantage of the aggressive promotions offered in the fourth quarter of 2017.

These results are preliminary. Final statistics will be available soon to clients of Gartner’s PC Quarterly Statistics Worldwide by Region program. This program offers a comprehensive and timely picture of the worldwide PC market, allowing product planning, distribution, marketing and sales organizations to keep abreast of key issues and their future implications around the globe.

 

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (“Toshiba”) has released two new MOSFETs “TPHR7904PB” and “TPH1R104PB” housed in the small low-resistance SOP Advance (WF) package, as new additions to the automotive 40V N-channel power MOSFET series. Mass production starts today.

Fabricated using the latest ninth generation trench U-MOS IX-H process and housed in a small low-resistance package, the new MOSFETs provide low on-resistance and thus help reduce conduction loss. The U-MOS IX-H design also lowers switching noise compared with Toshiba’s previous design (U-MOS IV), helping to reduce EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).

The SOP Advance (WF) package adopts a wettable flank terminal structure, which enables AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) after soldering.

Applications

  • Electric power steering (EPS)
  • Load switches
  • Electric pumps

Features

  • Provides a maximum on-resistance, RDS(ON)max, of 0.79 mΩ from the use of the U-MOS IX-H process and the SOP Advance(WF) package.
  • Low-noise characteristics reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI).
  • Available in a small low-resistance package with a wettable flank terminal structure.

Main Specifications

(Unless otherwise specified, @Ta=25°C)

Part Number

Drain-Source
voltage
VDSS
(V)

Drain
current
(DC)
ID
(A)

Drain-Source
on-resistance

RDS(ON) max.(mΩ)

Built-in
Zener Diode
between
Gate-Source

 Series

@VGS=6V

@VGS=10V
TPH1R104PB 40 120 1.96 1.14 No U-MOS IX
TPHR7904PB 150 1.3 0.79 No U-MOS IX

By Emir Demircan, Senior Manager Advocacy and Public Policy, SEMI Europe

With its leading research and development hubs, materials and equipment companies and chipmakers, the EU is in a strategic position in the global electronics value chain to support the growth of emerging applications such as autonomous driving, internet of things, artificial intelligence and deep learning. Underpinning the European electronics industry’s competitive muscle requires a new EU-wide strategy aimed at strengthening the value chain and connecting various players. Specializing and investing in key application segments, such as automotive where the EU enjoys a central place at global level, is crucial to help European electronics industry hold its ground.  In parallel, Europe’s production capabilities need bolstered, requiring effective use of Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI).

On research, development and innovation (RD&I), the upcoming Framework Programme 9 (FP9) must provide unprecedented collaboration and funding opportunities to Europe’s electronics players. Concerning small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups, it is vital that EU policies are aligned with global trends and small and young companies benefit from a business-friendly regulatory framework. And as an overarching action, building a younger, bigger and more diverse talent pipeline is paramount for Europe to innovate in the digital economy.

Laith Altimime, President at SEMI Europe, opening speech at ISS Europe 2018

Laith Altimime, President at SEMI Europe, opening speech at ISS Europe 2018

These were the clarion messages that emerged from the Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) Europe organized by SEMI in March, an event that brought together more than 100 industry, research and government representatives for in-depth discussions on strategies and innovations for Europe to compete globally. Here are the key takeaways:

1) Build a strong electronics value chain with a focus on emerging demands

In recent years the EU has focused on beefing up semiconductor production in Europe within the 2020-25 window, starting with the EU 10|100|20 Electronic Strategy of 2013. The strategy aims to secure about 20 percent of global semiconductor manufacturing by 2020 with the help of € 10 billion in public and private funding and € 100 billion investment from the industry. Today, Europe is not nearly on track to achieving this target. Supply-side policies have done little to help grow the EU semiconductor industry. Now is the time to change our thinking.

To nourish the electronics industry in Europe, we need to shift our focus to demand. Semiconductors are a key-enabling technology for autonomous driving, wearables, healthcare, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), artificial intelligence (AI) and all other internet of things (IoT) and big data applications. To become a world leader in the data economy and energize its semiconductor industry, Europe needs to start by better understanding the evolution of data technologies and their requirements from electronics players, then design and implement an EU-wide strategy focused on strengthening collaboration within the value chain.

2) Specialize and invest in Europe’s strengths that are enabled by electronics

Jens Knut Fabrowsky, Executive VP Automotive Electronics at Bosch

Jens Knut Fabrowsky, Executive VP Automotive Electronics at Bosch

Fueled by increasing demand for smaller, faster and more reliable products with greater power, the global electronics industry has developed a sophisticated global value chain. Europe brings to this ecosystem leading equipment and materials businesses, world-class R&D and education organizations, and key microelectronics hubs throughout Europe that are home to multinationals headquartered both in and outside of the EU. Nevertheless, global competition is growing ever fiercer in the sectors where the European microelectronics industry is most competitive: automotive, energy, healthcare and industrial automation. In the future, Europe is likely to be more challenged between the disruptive business models of North America and the manufacturing capacity of East Asia. The European electronics industry must re-evaluate its strengths and set a strategic direction.

Make no mistake: Europe is in a strong position to advance its microelectronics industry. The EU already boasts leading industries that rely on advances made by electronics design and manufacturing. Take the automotive industry – crucial to Europe’s prosperity. Accounting for 4 percent of the EU GDP and providing 12 million jobs in Europe, according to the European Commission, the EU automotive industry exerts an important multiplier effect in the economy. Automotive is essential to both upstream and downstream industries such as electronics – a level of importance not lost on the EU’s GEAR 2030 Group. Since the 1980s, automotive industry components have increasingly migrated from mechanical to electrochemical and electronics.

Today, electronic components represent close to a third of the cost of an automobile, a proportion that will grow to as high as 50 percent by 2030 with the rise of autonomous and connected vehicles. Automotive experts anticipate that over the next five to 10 years, new cars will feature at least some basic automated driving and data exchange capabilities as electronics deepen their penetration into the automotive value chain. Europe’s leadership position and competitive edge in automotive are under threat by competitors across the world as they invest heavily in information and communications technologies (ICT) and electronics for autonomous driving and connected vehicles. Investing in next-generation cars will help the European electronics industry retain its strong competitive position, as will investments in other key application areas such as healthcare, energy and industrial automation where Europe is a global power.

3) Make better use of Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI)

Microelectronics is capital-intensive, with a state-of-the-art fab easily costing billions of euros. That’s why countries around the world are making heavy government-backed investments to build domestic fabs. For instance, China’s “Made in China 2025” initiative, which establishes an Integrated Circuit Fund to support the development of the electronics industry, calls for 150 billion USD in funding to replace imported semiconductors with homegrown devices. In 2014, the European Commission adopted new rules to IPCEI, giving Member States a tool for financing large, strategically important transnational projects. IPCEI should help Member States fill funding gaps to overcome market failures and reinvigorate projects that otherwise would not have taken off. To fully benefit from the IPCEI, the industry requires Member States involved in a specific IPCEI to work in parallel and at the same pace and faster approvals of state-supported manufacturing projects.

4) Use FP9 to strengthen Europe’s RD&I capabilities

Panel Discussion on growing Europe in the global value chain. (L-R) Bryan Rice, GLOBALFOUNDRIES; James Robson, Applied Materials Europe; Joe De Boeck, imec; Leo Clancy, IDA Ireland; James O’Riordan, S3; Colette Maloney, European Commission; Moderator: Andreas Wild

Panel Discussion on growing Europe in the global value chain. (L-R) Bryan Rice, GLOBALFOUNDRIES; James Robson, Applied Materials Europe; Joe De Boeck, imec; Leo Clancy, IDA Ireland; James O’Riordan, S3; Colette Maloney, European Commission; Moderator: Andreas Wild

A top EU priority in recent years has been to enhance Europe’s position as a world leader in the digital economy. Fulfilling this mission requires an innovative electronics industry in Europe. To this end, FP9 should encourage greater collaboration between large and small companies to leverage their complementary strengths – the dynamism, agility and innovation of smaller companies and the ability of larger companies to mature and scale new product ideas on the strength of their extensive private funding instruments and testing and demonstration facilities. Also, future EU-funded research actions should prioritize electronics projects involving players across the value chain, starting with materials and equipment providers and spanning chipmakers, system integrators and players from emerging “smart” verticals such as automotive, medical technology and energy. FP9 should also play the pivotal role of setting clear objectives, increasing investments, and easing rules for funding. These measures would help expand the European electronics ecosystem, accelerate R&D results and defray the rising costs of developing cutting-edge solutions key to the growth of emerging industry verticals.

5) Support high-tech SMEs, entrepreneurship and startups to become globally competitive

European SMEs, the backbone of EU’s manufacturing, are already strong players in the global economy, making outsize contributions to Europe’s innovation. Yet more of Europe’s small and young businesses with limited resources are challenged in Europe’s regulatory labyrinth. Only by improving the European regulatory environment in a way that supports young and small businesses can Europe fulfill its vision of a dynamic electronics ecosystem and digital economy. Access to finance must also be easier, particularly as underinvested startups struggle under a European venture capital apparatus that is smaller and more fragmented than those in North America and Asia. Early-stage funding instruments such as bank loans are essential for young businesses but they often face barriers to finance due to the sophistication of their proposed business models that are difficult to be understood and supported by banks.

One answer is to better familiarize Europe’s financial sector with industrial SMEs and startups so they can co-develop financial tools that support the growth of small and young businesses. Also, the narrow European definition of SME with staff headcount limited to 250 block innovative companies from access to financial tools exclusively provided to SMEs. By contrast, the United States defines SMEs as businesses with as many as 500 employees, placing their EU counterparts at distinct funding disadvantage. EU should ensure that its SME policy is aligned with global trends and industry needs.

6) Create a bigger and more diverse talent pipeline with a hybrid skills set 

Europe’s world-class education and research capabilities help supply the electronics industry with skilled workforce. Yet the blistering pace of technology innovation calls for rapidly evolving skills sets, a trend that has led to worker shortages at electronics companies and left the sector fighting to diversify its workforce and strengthen its talent pipeline. The deepening penetration of electronics in AI, IoT, AR/VR, high-performance computing (HPC), cybersecurity and smart verticals is giving rise to a new set of skills that blend production technologies, software and data analytics. As more technologies converge, the gap between university education and business needs continues to widen.

One solution is work-based learning – allowing students to build job skills in a setting related to their career pathway. Encouraging higher female participation in STEM education programs at the high school and university levels is also a must to overcome the traditionally low number of females entering high technology. To build on its reputation as “a place to work” in the eyes of the international job seekers, Europe also needs a more flexible immigration framework to attract skilled labour to high-tech jobs.

Save the Date: Industry leaders, research and government representatives will meet again next year at the ISS Europe organized by SEMI on 28-30 April 2019 in Milan, Italy. More details regarding the event will be published soon on www.semi.org/eu.

ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ON) has introduced the industry’s first 1/1.7-inch 2.1 megapixel CMOS image sensor featuring ON Semiconductor’s newly developed 4.2μm Back Side Illuminated (BSI) pixels – the AR0221 delivers class-leading low light sensitivity for industrial applications.

The AR0221 offers exceptional 3-exposure line-interleaved High Dynamic Range (HDR) with a sensor resolution of 1936H x 1096V, supporting frame rates of 1080p at 30 fps and an outstanding Signal-Noise Ratio (SNR) across visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Its 16:9 ratio with vivid colors and high contrast make it ideal for demanding industrial applications.

Gianluca Colli, Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Solution Division of Image Sensor Group at ON Semiconductor, said: “The AR0221 represents the industry’s best CMOS image sensor in this class, thanks to its outstanding low light sensitivity and SNR performance. By including features like windowing, auto black level correction and an onboard temperature sensor, ON Semiconductor has produced an image sensor that will enable a new generation of security and surveillance cameras.”

The sensor offers dual data interfaces in the form of 4-lane MIPI CSI-2 and HiSPi SLVS. Designed to meet industrial-grade specifications, the AR0221 can operate in harsh outdoor environments where operating temperatures can range between -30°C and +85°C. Packaged in a durable, reliable and robust iBGA package with anti-reflection coating on its cover glass, the AR0221 is programmable through a simple two-wire serial interface.

The 2018 Symposia on VLSI Technology & Circuits will deliver a unique perspective into the technological ecosystem of converging industry trends – machine learning, IoT, artificial intelligence, wearable/implantable biomedical applications, big data, and cloud computing – the emerging technologies needed for ‘smart living.’ In a weeklong conference packed with technical presentations, a demonstration session, panel discussions, focus sessions, short courses, and a new “Friday Forum” on machine learning, the microelectronics industry’s premiere international conference covers technology, circuits, and systems with a range and scope unlike any other conference.

Built around the theme of “Technology, Circuits & Systems for Smart Living,” the Symposia programintegrates advanced technology developments, innovative circuit design, and the applications that they enable as part of our global society’s adoption of smart, connected devices and systems that change the way humans interact with each other.

Plenary Sessions (June 19):
The Symposia will open with two technology plenary sessions, including “Memory Technology: The Core to Enable Future Computing Systems” by Scott DeBoer, executive VP for technology development, Micron; and “Revolutionizing Cancer Genomic Medicine by Artificial Intelligence & Supercomputing with Big Data” by Satoru Miyano, director of the Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science at University of Tokyo.

The following Circuits plenary sessions include “Hardware-Enabled Artificial Intelligence” by Dr. Bill Dally, chief scientist & senior VP, Nvidia; and “Semiconductor Technologies Accelerate Our Future Vision: ‘ANSHIN Platform'” by Tsuneo Komatsuzaki, advisor, SECOM.

Focus Sessions (June 19, 20 & 21):
As part of the Symposia’s ongoing program integration, a series of joint focus sessions will be held to present contributed papers from the Technology and Circuits Symposia on June 20 and 21. Topics will include: “Heterogeneous System Integration,” “Power Devices & Circuits,” “New Devices & Systems for AI,” and “Design & Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO) in Advanced CMOS Technology.”

On June 19, the Technology focus sessions will include: “Back-End Compatible Devices & Advanced Thermal Management“ and “Sensors and Devices for IoT, Medicine, & Smart Living.” The Circuits focus sessions, held on June 21, include “Machine Learning Circuits & SoCs,” and “Advanced Wireline Techniques.”

Evening Panel Sessions (June 18 & 19):
A joint panel discussion, bringing together leading experts from Technology & Circuits programs will be held June 18 to answer the question, “Is the CPU Dying or Dead? Are Accelerators the Future of Computation?”

As Moore’s Law slows down and processor architecture innovations move away from single thread performance, the future of computing seems to be moving away from the general purpose CPU. Is the era of the CPU over? Will future CPUs simply coordinate activity among accelerators and other specialized processing units? The panel will examine future computing workloads as well as the innovative technology and circuit solutions that enable them, from moving computation closer to memory, and developing bio-inspired systems.

The Technology evening panel session panel discussion, held on June 19 will examine “Storage Class Memories: Who Cares? DRAM is Scaling Fine, NAND Stacking is Great.” Memory – DRAM and NAND scaling – though difficult, has persisted due to rapid innovations and continued engineering. Although there are new economic and fundamental challenges posed to continued memory scaling, a new class of memories – Storage Class memories, appears to bridge the latency gap that exists in the memory hierarchy and promises to improve system performance. Now the real question becomes – who really cares now? System architects, DRAM/NAND manufacturers? End users? The panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities of storage class memories in the environment where DRAM and NAND scaling continue.

The question to be addressed by the Circuits evening panel session, also held on June 19, is “What’s The Next Big Thing After Smartphones?” Although smartphones have driven the industry for more than a decade, the pace of innovation is slowing, and market saturation is occurring. What will be the next big thing? The Internet of Things? Automotive electronics? Virtual reality? Something else? A set of panelists with diverse expertise will discuss the possibilities.

Thursday Luncheon (June 21):
Continuing the Symposia’s tradition of thought-provoking presentations centered around the conference theme is the Thursday luncheon talk, entitled “The Hardware of The Mind, from Turing to Today,” by Grady Booch, chief scientist for software engineering at IBM Research. As scientists continue to the computing power of the human mind, they strive to bridge the gap between the physicality of silicon and the exquisite wonder of the brain. This presentation examines the journey of the hardware of the mind – from the Iliad, to da Vinci, to Edison, to Turing, to today – including an examination of how the growing understanding of the brain transforms the engineering of silicon, and how the laws of physics as well as the laws of humanity constrain that journey.

Full Day Short Courses (June 18):
The Technology Short Course – “Device & Integration Technologies for Sub-5nm CMOS & the Next Wave of Computing” will cover a range of topics, including CMOS technology beyond the 5nm node, MOL/BEOL interconnects, atomic-level analysis for FinFET & Nanowire design, 3D integration for image sensors, neuromorphic AI hardware, memory technologies for AI/machine learning, and sensors & analog devices for next generation computing.

The first Circuits Short Course – “Designing for the Next Wave of Cloud Computing” will address advanced computer architectures, GPU applications and FPGA acceleration, the evolution of memory and in-memory computation, and advanced packaging, power delivery and cooling for cloud computing, as well as the impact of quantum computing.

The second Circuits Short Course – “Bio-Sensors, Circuits & Systems for Wearable & Implantable Medical Devices” will cover circuits and systems for mobile healthcare, analog front-ends for bio-sensors, digital phenotyping using wearable sensors, bi-directional neural interfacing, body-area networking and body-coupled communications, ultrasound-on-a-chip, as well as a CMOS-based implantable retinal prosthesis.

Demonstration Session (June 18):
Following a successful launch last year in Kyoto, the popular demonstration session will again be part of the Symposia program, providing participants an opportunity for in-depth interaction with authors of selected papers from both Technology and Circuits sessions. These demonstrations will illustrate technological concepts and analyses through table-top presentations that show device characterization, chip operational results, and potential applications for circuit-level innovations.

Friday Forum (June 22):
New to the Symposia program this year will be the Friday Forum – a full-day series of presentations focusing on how technology and circuit designers engage in and drive the future of AI/machine learning systems, a subject area that continues to evolve as an impactful driver of the integrated systems that are part of the Symposia’s “Smart Living” theme. “Machine Learning Today & Tomorrow: A Technology, Circuits & Systems View” will provide the foundations and performance metrics for machine learning systems, an examination of advanced and emerging circuit architectures for next-generation systems, as well as highlighting tools and datasets for benchmarking and evaluating service-oriented architecture (SoA) machine learning systems.

The annual Symposium on VLSI Technology & Circuits will be held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu, Hawaii from June 18-22, 2018, with Short Courses held on June 18 and a special Friday Forum dedicated to machine learning/AI topics on June 22. The two conferences have been held together since 1987, providing an opportunity for the world’s top device technologists, circuit and system designers to exchange leading edge research on microelectronics technology, with alternating venues between Hawaii and Japan. A single registration enables participants to attend both Symposia.

POET Technologies Inc. (“POET”) (TSX Venture:PTK) (OTCQX:POETF), a designer, developer and manufacturer of optoelectronic devices, including light sources, passive wave guides and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC), today announced a master collaboration agreement with SilTerra, a Malaysia-based semiconductor wafer foundry, for the co-development of certain fabrication processes and the manufacturing of POET’s Optical Interposer Platform. The partnership is expected to accelerate the path to commercial production of the Optical Interposer, which will enable optical engines for single-mode transceiver modules and other high bandwidth devices.

Together, the companies will bring-up critical waveguide processes previously developed by POET for its Optical Interposer, and implement the process flows on newly purchased equipment at SilTerra’s world-class 8″ silicon foundry in Kulim, Malaysia. In support of this activity, SilTerra has agreed to assist financially with the purchase of specialized semiconductor fabrication and testing equipment, as well as to share certain costs associated with facilities enhancements and installation of equipment for manufacturing the Optical Interposer. Additionally, the collaboration includes a wafer purchase agreement for the manufacturing of prototype, initial production and volume production wafers.

POET’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Suresh Venkatesan, commented, “Following several months of preliminary collaborative work together, this agreement with SilTerra represents a significant milestone toward our goal of commercializing POET’s Optical Interposer Platform. The combined resources and investments of the two companies enables us to establish a unique manufacturing process as well as a reliable supply of wafers for our Optical Interposer. SilTerra offers POET a truly unique combination of advanced 90 nanometer lithography, cost-effective 8″ silicon processing copper metallization and MEMS capabilities, all of which are needed for our Optical Interposer. As a result of this partnership, POET has now secured a key element in the commercialization process allowing us to establish more engagements with prospective customers.”

Firdaus Abdullah, SilTerra’s Chief Executive Officer stated, “SilTerra is delighted to be working with POET in what we regard as a key strategic engagement to address the increasing need for cost-effective solutions for Data Center Interconnects through the innovative use of silicon in photonics.  POET’s Optical Interposer is a major advance over other approaches to optical interconnects and facilitates the co-packaging of electronics and photonics devices in a single Multi-Chip-Module (MCM). POET’s “Photonics-in-a-package” solution has the potential to address even larger markets in the future for the integration and co-optimization of ASIC’s and DSP’s with photonics at the interposer and chip level.  We at SilTerra look forward to a long and prosperous relationship between our two companies and our teams.”

The Master Collaboration Agreement between POET Technologies and SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd was signed on April 6, 2018 and includes provisions for multiple co-development projects, consignment by POET of newly purchased equipment to be installed in SilTerra’s Malaysian foundry, various support services to be provided by SilTerra and the purchase of wafers containing Optical Interposer devices from SilTerra over an initial three-year term.

By Jamie Girard, Sr. Director, Public Policy, SEMI

Although many months past due, Congress on March 23 finalized the federal spending for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2018, only hours before a what would have been the third government shutdown of the year. Congressional spending has been allocated in fits and starts since the end of FY 2017 last September, with patchwork deals keeping things running amid pervasive uncertainty. While this clearly isn’t an ideal way to fund the federal government, the end result will make many in the business of research and development pleased with the addition of more resources for science and innovation.

There was grave concern over the future of federal spending with the release of the president’s FY 2018 budget, which would have cut the National Science Foundation (NSF) budget by 11 percent and National Institutes of Standards & Technology (NIST) spending by 30 percent. Relief came with early drafts from Congress that whittled those cuts down to between 2-9 percent. But the real boost was a February bipartisan Congressional agreement that lifted self-imposed spending caps and introduced a generous dose of non-defense discretionary spending, increasing NSF spending 3.9 percent over the previous year and the NIST budget an astounding 25.9 percent over FY 2017 levels.

SEMI applauds this much-needed support for basic research and development (R&D) at these agencies after their budgets were cut or flat-funded for multiple cycles. It is well understood that federal R&D funding is critical to U.S. competitiveness and future economic prosperity. With the stakes that high, full funding of R&D programs at the NSF and NIST should be a bipartisan national priority backed by a strong and united community of stakeholders and advocates in the business, professional, research, and education communities.

With the work for FY 2018 completed, Congress will now turn to FY 2019 spending – already behind schedule due to the belated completion of the previous year’s budget. With 2018 an election year, Congress will likely begin work on the FY 2019 budget in short order, but probably won’t complete its work prior to the November elections.  SEMI will continue to work with lawmakers to support the R&D budgets at the agencies and their important basic science research. If you’d like to know how you can be more involved with SEMI’s public policy work, please contact Jamie Girard, Sr. Director, Public Policy at [email protected].

A further step has been taken along the road to manufacturing solar cells from lead-free perovskites. High quality films based on double perovskites, which show promising photovoltaic properties, have been developed in collaboration between Linköping University, Sweden, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

The lead-free double perovskite solar cells (yellow, in the front) compared with the lead-based device (dark, in the background). The next step is tune the color of the double perovskites into dark, so that they can absorb more light for efficient solar cells. Credit: Thor Balkhed

The lead-free double perovskite solar cells (yellow, in the front) compared with the lead-based device (dark, in the background). The next step is tune the color of the double perovskites into dark, so that they can absorb more light for efficient solar cells. Credit: Thor Balkhed

Research groups around the world have recognised the potential of perovskites as one of the most promising materials for the development of cheap, environmentally friendly and efficient solar cells. In just a few years, the power conversion efficiency has increased from a few percent to over 22%. The perovskites currently available for use in solar cells, however, contain lead, and Feng Gao, senior lecturer at LiU, was appointed in the autumn of 2017 as Wallenberg Academy Fellow to develop lead-free double perovskites, in which a monovalent metal and a trivalent metal replace the divalent lead.

In the laboratory at the Division of Biomolecular and Organic Electronics, LiU, postdoc researchers Weihua Ning and Feng Wang have successfully manufactured single-layer thin films of densely packed crystals of double perovskites. The films are of extremely high quality and can be used as the active layer in solar cells, in which sunlight is absorbed and charge carriers created.

“Our colleagues at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have shown that the charge carriers demonstrate long diffusion lengths in the material, which is necessary if the material is to be appropriate for application in solar cells,” says Feng Gao.

The power conversion efficiency of the solar cells is still low – only around 1% of the energy in sunlight is converted to electricity – but neither Feng Gao or Weihua Ning are worried.

“No, we have taken the first major step and developed a method to manufacture the active layer. We have several good ideas of how to proceed to increase the efficiency in the near future,” says Feng Gao.

Weihua Ning nods in agreement.

Researchers have calculated that over 4,000 different combinations of materials can form double perovskites. They will also use theoretical calculations to identify the combinations that are most suitable for use in solar cells.

This breakthrough for research in double perovskites is also a result of the joint PhD programme in Materials- and nanoscience/technology at Linköping University and Nanyang Technological University.

“This publication is a spin-off of the discussions in relation to the joint PhD programme between NTU-LiU. Two PhD students, one on each side, have been recruited to work on this project. This is an excellent start for the program.” says Professor Tze Chien Sum from NTU.

“We complement each other very well, the group led by Professor Sum in NTU are experts in photophysics and we are experts in materials science and device physics,” says Feng Gao.

Tre results is published in the prestigious scientific journal Advanced Materials.

Leti, a research institute of CEA Tech, today announced Leti’s silicon photonics process design kit (PDK) for photonic circuits is available in the Synopsys PhoeniX OptoDesigner suite.

Leti’s integrated silicon photonics platform has been developed for high-speed optical transceivers and highly-integrated optical interposer applications. The process design kit contains the design rules and building blocks for multi-project wafer and custom runs on Leti’s Si310 platform. It also includes a catalogue of components available at Leti, allowing Synopsys PhoeniX OptoDesigner customers to select the ones they need to build their circuits. Once the customers have a completed circuit design, Leti produces a proof of concept on a multi-project wafer run.

Used by more than 300 designers worldwide, OptoDesigner gives access to a complete set of passive components, such as grating couplers, silicon waveguides and transitions; and active components, such as high-speed Mach Zehnder modulators and high-speed germanium photodiodes based on Leti’s fab. It also includes physical verification tools checking whether the contributions meet the design rules defined by the fabrication constraints in Leti’s clean room.

“On the same mask, with this design kit, we are able to have photonic circuits performing various functions, according to the area of expertise of the different contributors,” said Andre Myko, responsible of MPW runs at Leti. “Fabless companies and academics therefore can realize substantial cost savings by ‘sharing’ production costs on multi-project wafer runs.”

Leti is a world leader in silicon photonics technology. Its photonic platform is France’s largest R&D center for the development, characterization and simulation of optoelectronic systems and components. Its activities range from component design through component fabrication, integration into systems and packaging.

“Leti’s process design kit available for Synopsys’ PhoeniX OptoDesigner is a licensed plug-in library of solutions that support multi-project wafers and custom runs provided by Leti,” said Niek Nijenhuis, global business development manager of Synopsys’ PhoeniX OptoDesigner products. “In addition to the photonic elements from the standard OptoDesigner library, Leti’s PDK contains technology-specific information like mask layer names, design rules, validated building blocks, die sizes and GDS file settings.”

Leti’s silicon photonics platform is also fully compatible with STMicroelectronics’ platform in Crolles, which enables fabless customers to take their new circuits to high-volume production.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a developer of memory products and technology solutions, today announced A1000 PCIe NVMe SSD. The M.2 drive is Kingston’s first entry-level consumer-grade PCIe NVMe SSD utilizing 3D NAND. A1000 delivers twice the performance of SATA at near SATA pricing.

The single-sided M.2 2280 (22mm x 80mm) form factor makes A1000 ideal for notebooks and systems with limited space. The PCIe NVMe drive features a Gen 3.0 x2 interface, 4-channel Phison 5008 controller, and 3D NAND Flash. It delivers 2x the performance of SATA SSDs with read/write speeds1 up to 1500MB/s and 1000MB/s giving it exceptional responsiveness and ultra-low latency.

“Kingston is excited to release its newest SSD for the entry-level PCIe NVMe market. Designed with 3D NAND Flash memory, A1000 is more reliable and durable than a hard drive, and doubles the performance of a SATA SSD. Now we can give consumers the benefit of PCIe performance at about the same price as SATA,” said Ariel Perez, SSD business manager, Kingston. “Consumers can replace a hard drive or slower SSD with A1000 and have the storage needed for applications, videos, photos and more.”

A1000 is available in 240GB, 480GB and 960GB2 capacities and is backed by a limited five-year warranty, free technical support and legendary Kingston reliability.