Category Archives: Semiconductors

Visionary keynote speakers and industry luminaries will share insights on Smart technologies that are shaping the future at SEMICON Japan 2018, the largest and most influential exhibition in Japan for electronics manufacturing. Registration for SEMICON Japan, at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo on December 12-14, is now open for the exhibition and programs.

Themed “Dreams Start Here,” SEMICON Japan 2018 reflects the promise of AI (artificial intelligence), Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart technologies.

SEMICON Japan 2018 is the gathering place to connect the people, technologies and business across the electronics manufacturing supply chain, from semiconductor manufacturing to autonomous cars, robotics and other Smart applications.

Representing segments across the supply chain, the industry visionaries will present at SEMICON Japan’s SuperTHEATER in seven keynote forums, all with simultaneous English-Japanese translation.

Opening Keynotes – Alternative Future Envisioned by New Leaders 

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Motoi Ishibashi

CTO of Rhizomatiks, a leading media art company in Japan that staged the Rio Olympic Games closing ceremony. It will orchestrate the opening performance at SEMICON Japan 2018.

 
 

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Toru Nishikawa

President & CEO of Preferred Networks, a deep-learning research startup conducting collaborative research with technology giants including Toyota, Fanuc, NVIDA, Intel and Microsoft.
 

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Semiconductor Executive Forum – Views by Top Three in the Era of Smart World 

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Dr. Yasuo Naruke

President and CEO of Toshiba Memoryrepresenting memory sector

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Thomas Morgenstern

Senior VP and GM of GLOBALFOUNDRIESrepresenting foundry sector

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Junko Sunaga

President of Qualcomm Japan representing fabless sector

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SMART Transportation Summit – The Future Created by SMART Innovation 

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Takashi Imai

President and CEO of Toyota Info Technology Center

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Kazuyuki Iwata

Operating officer, Energy & Mobility Management System Executive LPL,

at Honda R&D

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Hajime Kumabe

Executive director, Engineering Research

and Development Center, at Denso
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Klaus Meder

President and representative director of Bosch
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Additional SEMICON Japan 2018 highlights include:

  • SEMI Market Forum on the growing China and global semiconductor ecosystem with speakers from IHS Markit and SEMI.
  • SMART Technology Forum on the front line of AI with speakers from the University of Tokyo, Microsoft Japan, Amazon Web Services and DefinedCrowd.
  • Manufacturing Innovation Forum on EUV lithography with speakers from ASML and Xilinx.
  • Mirai (future) Vision Forum on how advanced science and technology could transform the human body with speakers from Leave a Nest and more.

SEMICON Japan Sponsors

  • Platinum sponsors include Disco Corporation, Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Screen Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd., and Tokyo Electron Limited.
  • Gold sponsors include Advantest, Applied Materials, Ebara, Fasford Technology, Hitachi Chemical, JSR, Kokusai Electric, Lam Research, Nikon, and Tokyo Seimitsu.

For more information and to register for SEMICON Japan, click here.

Recognizing the importance of obsolescence mitigation in embedded and industrial systems, two of the biggest names in advanced storage, memory and semiconductor technologies have teamed up to ensure the continuous supply of legacy DDR2 memory modules in the market. ATP, a leading manufacturer of high-performance industrial memory and storage solutions, will collaborate with global semiconductor leader Micron Technology, Inc. to continue manufacturing Micron DDR2 SO-DIMMs, UDIMMs and RDIMMs after Micron announced end-of-life (EOL) notices for these modules.

According to the collaboration agreement, ATP will produce DDR2 DRAM modules for customers that cannot upgrade to newer-generation platforms and still maintain the use of platforms supporting these memory types. With DDR2 still widely deployed in the US, Japan and Europe, ATP and Micron expect these markets to benefit significantly from the consistent supply of DDR2 memory for industrial/embedded systems installed in high-reliability and mission-critical environments. All modules will be manufactured, tested and validated by ATP, according to the equivalent specifications and testing/validation processes of the respective Micron part number.

“Micron is dedicated to maximizing customers’ infrastructure investments by ensuring prolonged support for legacy systems and applications. Our proven partnership with ATP gives our customers the benefit of receiving similar Micron products and services to support their current platforms while ATP ensures the stability of their operations well into the future,” said Kris Baxter, vice president, Micron Technology, Inc.

“A long product cycle is vital to the sustainability of industrial business operations,” said Marco Mezger, vice president, ATP Electronics, Inc. “The DDR2 Continuity Program demonstrates ATP’s enduring partnership with Micron as well as our shared commitment to extend supply stability, not only of the latest-generation products, but also of legacy memory modules to continue supporting the memory requirements of customers that are not yet able to make the transition. Through this collaboration, customers will be assured of steady supply to support their operations.”

The DDR2 Continuity Program will be implemented on a staggered basis within three manufacturing phases. DDR2 DRAM modules from ATP will be available in select form factors and densities starting Q4 2018. Please check with your ATP contact for specific module configurations with ATP longevity extension or send an email to [email protected].

Silicon carbide (SiC), a material known for its toughness with applications from abrasives to car brakes, to high-temperature power electronics, has enjoyed renewed interest for its potential in quantum technology. Its ability to house optically excitable defects, called color centers, has made it a strong candidate material to become the building block of quantum computing.

Now, a group of researchers has created a list of “recipes” physicists can use to create specific types of defects with desired optical properties in SiC. In one of the first attempts to systematically explore color centers, the group used proton irradiation techniques to create the color centers in silicon carbide. They adjusted proton dose and temperature to find the right conditions that reliably produce the desired type of color center. The team reports their findings in Applied Physics Letters, from AIP Publishing.

Atomic defects in the lattice of SiC crystals create color centers that can emit photons with unique spectral signatures. While some materials considered for quantum computing require cryogenically low temperatures, color centers in SiC can emit at room temperature. As the push to create increasingly smaller devices continues into atom-scale sensors and single-photon emitters, the ability to take advantage of existing SiC integrated circuit technology makes the material a standout candidate.

To create the defects, Michael Krieger and his colleagues bombarded SiC samples with protons. The team then let the SiC go through a heating phase called annealing. “We’re doing a lot of damage to these crystals,” Krieger said. “However, during annealing, the crystal structure recovers, but defects are also formed — some of them are the desired color centers.”

To ensure that their recipes are compatible with usual semiconductor technology, the group opted to use proton irradiation. Moreover, this approach doesn’t require electron accelerators or nuclear reactors like other techniques used to create color centers.

The data from using different doses and annealing temperatures showed that producing defects in SiC follows a pattern. Initially protons generate predominantly silicon vacancies in the crystal, then those vacancies sequentially transform into other defect complexes.

Studying the defects’ low-temperature photoluminescence spectra led the team to discover three previously unreported signatures. The three temperature-stable (TS) lines were shown to correlate with proton dose and annealing temperature.

Krieger said these TS lines have exciting properties and further research is already going on as the group hopes to utilize and control those defects for use in SiC-based quantum technology devices.

By Jaegwan Shim

Korea is on track to top all other regions in fab investment, spending $63 billion between 2017 and 2020, with powerhouses Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix leading the way, according to latest World Fab Forecast Report by SEMI. Samsung Electronics increased fab investments $770 million to $12 billion this year, and SK Hynix upped its spending a significant $2.8 billion to $7.25 billion in 2018.

Korea’s investment companies anticipate continued growth for both companies in the second half of 2018.

Under this halo of extraordinary investment, nearly 380 SEMI Korea members and industry analysts gathered for 2018 SEMI Korea Members Day on September 22 to share insights on semiconductor market trends and new technologies that could help members bolster their competitiveness. Following are key takeaways from the event.

Korea semiconductor market to grow 16% in 2018

That’s according to IDC Korea VP Kim Soo-kyung, who noted that data center, memory and Internet of Things (IoT) are becoming key growth drivers for the semiconductor industry. He encouraged semiconductor companies to closely track development of automotive technology and the industry semiconductor market, both key growth areas.

SEMI Korea president H.D. Cho opens SEMI Korea Members Day 2018

Continuing fab investment will lead to oversupply, but display will shine

Market entry by Chinese companies will also spur the oversupply, said Jeong Won-Seok, an analyst at HI Investment Corp. He noted that the oversupply will force Korea into stiffer competition with other regions. However, with OLED used for a wide variety of devices and the display industry seeing rapid growth, the sector will remain ripe for growth among Korean companies.

Interconnecting various applications is a big semiconductor industry trend

The need for these interconnections will stand out in the mobility and high-performance computing (HPC) markets, said Kim Jin-Young, director at Amkor Technology Korea, who addressed trends in packaging technology. He also emphasized interconnection cost efficiency as key to maximizing competitiveness.

Smart Manufacturing is driving mass customization

As semiconductor industry growth continues, production methods are shifting from ‘mass production’ to ‘mass customization,’ increasing the importance of Smart Manufacturing in driving greater production efficiency, noted BISTel VP Jeon Kyeong-Sik. Building a Smart Manufacturing platform to support large-scale production of specialized database and artificial intelligence (AI) chips will boost production efficiency, reduce costs and improve risk management. Virtual simulation will be a key enabling technology.

SEMI analyst Clark Tseng presenting at SEMI Korea Members Day 2018

Surge in data volume and technology advances to drive long-term semiconductor industry growth

These key industry drivers will continue to power fab investment growth, with spending focused on 3D NAND, DRAM, and foundry, said Clark Tseng, a SEMI analyst. China alone will see eye-watering growth with the region’s investments in domestic companies surging 46% from 2018 to 2019 and fab investment by Chinese domestic companies outpacing spending by foreign companies in China, Tseng predicted.

SEMI membership rises with industry growth

Culminating the event, SEMI Korea president H.D. Cho said, “With the growth of the semiconductor market, the number of SEMI members is gradually increasing, and we will help member companies grow with various activities such as Korea Members Day.”

Jaegwan Shim is a marketing specialist at SEMI Korea. 

Originally published on the SEMI blog.

Molex Electronic Technologies, LLC, a global manufacturer of electronic solutions, announced today that the company has agreed to acquire the Connected Vehicle Solutions (“CVS”) division of Laird Limited, owned by funds managed by Advent International.

Laird CVS specializes in the design, development and delivery of vehicle antenna systems, smart device integration and vehicle connectivity devices.

These solutions will enhance Molex’s capabilities and support the development of agile connected vehicle technology ecosystems featuring the innovative 10Gbps Ethernet backbone for automotive OEMs building next-generation, intelligent vehicles.

“There is tremendous demand for seamless end-to-end network integration across hardware, software and services in the automotive industry,” said Tim Ruff, senior vice president, Molex Business Development. “Laird CVS expands our geographic reach and strengthens our ability to support automotive OEMs seeking to introduce future-ready vehicles with critical functionality while still containing costs. It aligns with our strategy to provide groundbreaking solutions for a growth market.”

Laird’s world-class expertise and custom-engineered solutions enable customers to transform vehicle connectivity across the globe, making the company a trusted partner to the world’s leading automotive OEMs.

“Our team is excited about the opportunities this transaction creates to combine our technology expertise and experience with that of Molex to help automotive OEMs anticipate and meet the complex challenges of keeping vehicles connected on the move, especially as we continue to move closer to a future where autonomous vehicles are commonplace,” said Steven Brown, president, Laird Connected Vehicle Solutions.

Jones Day acted as Molex’s legal advisor and Evercore served as financial advisor. For Advent, Weil Gotschal acted as legal advisor and Goldman Sachs and Citibank as financial advisors. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory clearances.

Imagination Technologies and GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) announced today at its annual GTC 2018 conference, a joint collaboration to provide ultra-low-power baseband and radio frequency (RF) solutions for Bluetooth Low Energy® (BLE) and IEEE 802.15.4 technology, using Imagination’s Ensigma connectivity IP on GF’s 22nm FD-SOI (22FDX®) platform. In addition, Imagination has joined GF’s FDXcelerator™ Partner Program.

The combination of 22FDX technology and Imagination’s Ensigma IP provides a power and cost efficient solution that customers can easily integrate into their System on Chip (SoC) designs. The collaboration will enable mutual customers to create innovative and differentiated connected devices for the Internet of Things (IoT) using Imagination’s silicon-proven, ultra-low power Ensigma connectivity engines in GF’s ultra-efficient 22FDX process.

David McBrien, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Imagination, says: “By working with partners such as GF, we continuously enhance our IP for the latest processes. 22FDX is an appealing option for customers designing cost-sensitive devices. The collaboration has made our Ensigma connectivity IP even more power and area efficient. The availability of silicon-proven baseband and RF enables customers to rapidly introduce single-chip wireless devices requiring only a single external antenna.”

“Imagination’s IP and BLE solutions complement GF’s 22FDX FD-SOI capabilities, enabling clients to leverage low-power, low-cost designs for IoT and connected applications,” said Mark Ireland, vice president of ecosystem partnerships at GF. “We are pleased to welcome Imagination as a partner in our FDXcelerator program to further broaden IP and design service choices and flexibility that will best match client requirements.”

Ensigma IP for 22FDX provides a complete IP solution comprising analogue RF/AFE as a hard macro complete with a fully synthesizable baseband IP for applications such as wearable computing, health care, and home control. The solution for ultra-low power Bluetooth Low Energy and IEEE 802.15.4 is currently in development with lead customers, with silicon available in early Q4 2018.

As a part of GF’s FDXcelerator Program, Imagination will join the rapidly-growing number of industry leaders committed to provide a broad set of resources, including EDA tools, IP, silicon platforms, reference designs, design services and packaging and test solutions specific to 22FDX technology. The program’s open framework enables members to minimize development time and cost while simultaneously leveraging the inherent power and performance advantages of FDX technology.

Nanostructures can increase the sensitivity of optical sensors enormously – provided that the geometry meets certain conditions and matches the wavelength of the incident light. This is because the electromagnetic field of light can be greatly amplified or reduced by the local nanostructure. The HZB Young Investigator Group “Nano-SIPPE” headed by Prof. Christiane Becker is working to develop these kinds of nanostructures. Computer simulations are an important tool for this. Dr. Carlo Barth from the Nano-SIPPE team has now identified the most important patterns of field distribution in a nanostructure using machine learning, and has thereby explained the experimental findings very well for the first time.

The computer simulation shows how the electromagnetic field is distributed in the silicon layer with hole pattern after excitation with a laser. Here, stripes with local field maxima are formed, so that quantum dots shine particularly strongly. Credit: Carlo Barth/HZB

Quantum dots on nanostructures

The photonic nanostructures examined in this paper consist of a silicon layer with a regular hole pattern coated with what are referred to as quantum dots made of lead sulphide. Excited with a laser, the quantum dots close to local field amplifications emit much more light than on an unordered surface. This makes it possible to empirically demonstrate how the laser light interacts with the nanostructure.

Ten different patterns discovered by machine learning

In order to systematically record what happens when individual parameters of the nanostructure change, Barth calculates the three-dimensional electric field distribution for each parameter set using software developed at the Zuse Institute Berlin. Barth then had these enormous amounts of data analyzed by other computer programs based on machine learning. “The computer has searched through the approximately 45,000 data records and grouped them into about ten different patterns”, he explains. Finally, Barth and Becker succeeded in identifying three basic patterns among them in which the fields are amplified in various specific areas of the nanoholes.

Outlook: Detection of single molecules, e.g. cancer markers

This allows photonic crystal membranes based on excitation amplification to be optimised for virtually any application. This is because some biomolecules accumulate preferentially along the hole edges, for example, while others prefer the plateaus between the holes, depending on the application. With the correct geometry and the right excitation by light, the maximum electric field amplification can be generated exactly at the attachment sites of the desired molecules. This would increase the sensitivity of optical sensors for cancer markers to the level of individual molecules, for example.

STATS ChipPAC Pte. Ltd. (“STATS ChipPAC” or the “Company”), a provider of advanced semiconductor packaging and test services, announced Friday that the Board of Directors of its holding company, Jiangsu Changjiang Electronics Technology Co., Ltd (‘JCET’) has appointed Dr. Lee Choon Heung as Chief Executive Officer (‘CEO’) for JCET Group, as well as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman for STATS ChipPAC.

Dr. Lee brings to JCET a wealth of expertise and veteran leadership with 20 years of extensive semiconductor packaging and test experience. Dr. Lee served in several senior management positions at Amkor Technology Inc. including head of their R&D centre, head of global procurement, group vice president, senior vice president and Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Lee, holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical Solid State Physics from Case Western Reserve University, currently holds 59 industry patents, and has published 19 academic papers around the world.

“We are excited about the opportunity to bring on board an industry leader of the calibre of Dr. Lee Choon Heung as our new JCET Group CEO,” stated JCET Chairman, Mr. Wang Xinchao. “We are confident in his ability to lead JCET as we continue our growth in both technology and scale moving forward,” continued Mr. Wang. Mr. Wang will continue in his role as Chairman of JCET Group.

The JCET Board of Directors and the management team also expressed their utmost gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Han Byung Joon and Mr. Lai Chih-Ming for their outstanding leadership and valuable contributions during their tenure at STATS ChipPAC. Dr. Han is resigning as chairman of the board of STATS ChipPAC. Mr. Lai will now serve in a new role as executive vice president of JCET Group.

Mini diaphragm gauges offer a new alternative to Bourdon tubes.

BY BRIAN SULLIVAN, Valin Corporation, San Jose, CA

Fabs and OEMs in the semiconductor industry face a number of difficult challenges today, specifically in the etch and deposition/thin film processes. These incredibly specialized processes require extremely clean gases and vaporized chemical sources. The fabs and their process tools utilize gas delivery systems to provide these ultra-pure materials from their bulk sources to their process tools and systems. The increased use of highly aggressive and reactive gases in these processes has caused one very specific problem. These aggressive gases are picking up moisture (through leaks, flawed component installations, improper purging, poor PM practices, etc.) and then attacking and corroding the bourdon tubes located within the pressure gauges in the impacted lines. In a few instances, leaks have been created through these stressed system components.

Millions of dollars are spent inside the fabs and by OEMs to have a highly electropolished finish on the internal wetted surfaces of the many components that comprise their gas delivery systems. The gauges themselves have not been found to be the originating source of the leaks. Instead, the leaks form elsewhere, and the moisture laden and now highly corrosive gas immediately attacks the least corrosion resistant components found within the delivery line. Unfortunately, the bourdon tubes found in most “ultra-high purity (UHP) gauges” today are a principal target. When this type of event occurs, it doesn’t take long for the exposed gauges to fail.

The root of this problem lies in the fact that a standard pressure gauge’s main functioning component is typically an un-passivated, or only marginally passivated, bourdon tube. This tube is open to pressure on one end and welded closed at the other, a design invented by Eugene Bourdon more than 165 years ago. This is the principal weakness and ultimately leaves these gauges subject to corrosion.

As pressure enters this thin, hollow, C-shaped bourdon tube, it causes the tube to flex outward from its relaxed, round shape, stretching it up and away from its original form and position. The tip of the bourdon tube is connected to linkage that moves a pointer around the internal dial (or face) of the gauge, indicating the pressure the gauge is currently measuring. Of course, flexing components made of stainless steel – particularly if they aren’t fully electropolished like the tubing, fittings, valves, regulators, and other components in the delivery system’s line – become vulnerable to chemical attack through the micro fissures formed by the flexures they experience. Each time a bourdon tube flexes, it can suffer the creation of micro fissures. Over time these can then grow into macro fissures, and then ultimately create internal cracks or complete breaks in the bourdon tube’s integrity. Throughout the life of a typical pressure/vacuum gauge in a dynamic system, going through gas source changes, pressure spikes, cycle purge sequences, and other events, the flexing bourdon tube will be subjected to the formation of countless micro fissures. If they are then exposed to a corrosive gas that has become aggressive through the introduction of moisture, it should be no surprise that the bourdon tubes will be aggressively assailed and damaged in the process.

It is well known throughout the industry that aggressive corrosive gases transported through the gas lines increase the likelihood of both internal particle generation and outbound leaks from any vulnerable component. Of course, the presence of any entrained moisture compounds the probability greatly. Any time a minimal quantity of atmospheric moisture makes its way into these corrosive gas lines, it will convert the corrosive gasses into corrosive acids. The bourdon tube acts as a dead leg in the system and is an ideal place for the corrosive gas to enter but does not allow it to get back out. Once the gas forms an acid, the acid will corrode any susceptible surface and generate an exit path by eating its way through the material. Many of the most vulnerable areas for this activity in a gas delivery system are the micro fissures found inside of bourdon tubes.

Although the process connection of a pressure gauge (typically a face seal fitting for semiconductor applications) will be fully passivated and electropolished and is clearly identified in the literature as such. The surface finish and Ra Max or Ra Average values of the bourdon tube itself is usually not provided. Gauge manufacturers measure their gauge connection’s wetted surfaces, but when they are asked about the bourdon tube, there is usually not a clear answer. The surface finish and passivation level of the bourdon tube inside the gauge is not disclosed in most cases. The reason for this is simple. Gauge manufacturers do not make a bourdon tube of electropolished and fully passivated stainless steel because the electropolishing process would damage the bourdon tube due to its thin, spring-like design. A bourdon tube must be able to flex to properly function and to do that it has to be made from thin metal.

Originally the industry used these “standard” bourdon tube gauges in non-critical applications because, compared to their more expensive transducer cousins, they were inexpensive, simple to use, and easy to obtain. However, as the industry has continued to evolve, and the processes used in the OEMs systems have required more aggressive and reactive gases, the use of these gauges has continued. Today, if decision makers want the best running and safest fabs their money can buy, they have to make a change.

The solution: mini diaphragm gauges

Engineers have been searching for a solution to the burden this issue presents to the fabs, and fortunately, a solution has been found and has proven itself to be both long lasting and resilient.

Mini diaphragm gauges for both pressure and compound applications are now available that eliminate the bourdon tube completely. These mini diaphragm gauges employ a diaphragm made of Inconel®, which is highly flexible and extremely corrosion resistant. In an accelerated corrosion study, it exceeded the lifespan of a standard “UHP gauge” using a bourdon tube by a factor of twenty. This means that a gauge that would have lasted only six months in a corrosive application can now last up to ten years.

This Inconel® diaphragm will not suffer the effects of corrosion that its weaker, stainless steel bourdon tube counterpart does. It also removes the dead leg of the bourdon tube itself within the gauge. And all the wetted surfaces of these mini diaphragm pressure gauges are made of either fully electropolished 316L Stainless Steel (Ra <0.25 μm) or Inconel® 718. They also comply with SEMATECH and SEMI Standards.

In the mini diaphragm gauge, the Inconel® diaphragm is welded directly to the solid, stainless steel body which is machined out of a piece of 316L SS bar stock. This seals the wetted surfaces away from the atmosphere and the linkage used to actuate the gauge’s pointer.

Standard (bourdon tube) gauges are made with two separate assemblies. The outer case that holds the dial and outer face is usually made from a very thin sheet of stainless steel and formed into a cylindrical cup-like shape. Its whole function is to hold and protect the dial, the window, the gauge’s bourdon tube assembly and the associated linkage inside of it. The bourdon tube assembly is made of the process connection socket, welded to the bourdon tube, and welded to a tube end-piece. Those are then connected to the linkage and movement pieces that connect to the pointer. Additionally, there are usually a pair of screws that hold the housing onto the gauge’s internal assembly and a couple more that fix the gauge’s dial in place.

The mini diaphragm gauges are made in a manner similar to that of a UHP valve or regulator where the process connection and the case (body) are machined from one solid piece of 316L stainless steel. The Inconel® diaphragm is then welded in place, sealing the wetted surfaces away from the atmosphere, the linkage used to actuate the gauge’s pointer, the face of the gauge, and its outer window. Additionally, the linkage inside the mini diaphragm gauge is not the simplistic linkage of a regular gauge. It is more like a swiss watch in its complexity.

The mini diaphragm gauges are currently only available in 1” and 1.3” dial sizes (hence the “mini” in the name) with ¼” face seal connections. As aggressive gases in gas delivery systems are typically run in ¼” inch lines, there is not a need for larger gauges for these applications, meaning a mini diaphragm gauge should suffice. Another benefit is these can also be used in surface mount applications common to the industry today. If there is a need for a gauge to be installed into a 1.125” or 1.5” surface mount application, this is a perfect fit.

Moving away from using a flexible un-passivated stainless steel internal component to a highly corrosion resistant diaphragm is the exact same technology path taken years ago when diaphragm valves overtook bellows valves for use in reactive and corrosive process gas applications and in nearly all UHP systems. It is a simple, fully-established, and well-proven solution for safer and cleaner gas delivery systems.

Having gauges follow this technology path is one that many OEMs and fabs are just beginning to move toward. This is especially true in the applications and processes where a costlier pressure transducer is not required.

BRIAN SULLIVAN is the Director of Sales – Technology for Valin Corporation, San Jose, CA.

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) (Nasdaq: AOSL), a designer, developer and global supplier of a broad range of power semiconductors and power ICs, today introduced the TO-Leadless (TOLL) package in combination with 40V Shield-Gate Technology (SGT) to provide the highest current capability in its voltage class. The TOLL package has the highest current capacity because of AOS’ innovative technology which utilizes a clip to achieve the 400A DC at 25°C capability. The TOLL packaging technology offers very low package resistance and inductance due to the clip technology in comparison to other TO-Leadless packages using standard wire-bonding technology which enables improved EMI performance.

The AOTL66401 (40V) has a 30% smaller footprint compared to a TO-263 (D2PAK) package, including having higher current carry capability that enables the designer to reduce the number of devices in parallel. This new device offers a higher power density in comparison to existing solutions, and is ideally suited for industrial BLDC motor applications and battery management to reduce the number of MOSFETs. The AOTL66401 has a 0.7mOhm max rating at 10Vgs with a maximum drain current of 400A at 25°C and 350A at 100°C case temperature. The pulsed current is rated at 1600A, which is limited by the maximum junction temperature of 175°C.

“With the significant performance improvement, the TOLL with clip technology is a robust package which enables low package parasitics reducing EMI. The AOTL66401 simplifies new designs with the higher current density to enable savings in overall system cost due to a reduced number of devices in parallel. AOS’ TOLL package is best suited for high power applications,” said Peter H. Wilson.