Category Archives: MEMS

Cohu, Inc. (NASDAQ:COHU) and Xcerra Corporation (NASDAQ:XCRA) today announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Cohu will acquire Xcerra for a combination of cash and stock. The acquisition is expected to make Cohu a global leader in semiconductor test, with combined sales for Cohu and Xcerra in excess of $800 million for the last twelve months.

Upon the closing of the transaction, Xcerra shareholders will be entitled to receive $9.00 in cash and 0.2109 of a share of Cohu common stock, subject to the terms of the definitive agreement. Based on the closing price of Cohu common stock as of May 7, 2018, the transaction values Xcerra at $13.92 per share, or approximately $796 million in equity value, with a total enterprise value of approximately $627 million, after excluding Xcerra’s cash and marketable securities net of the debt on its balance sheet as of January 31, 2018. The transaction value represents a premium of 8.4% to Xcerra’s closing price on May 7, 2018, and a premium of 15.4% to Xcerra’s 30-day average closing price.

“This proposed acquisition is a powerful combination of two complementary companies that will accelerate our strategy to diversify our product offerings and strengthen Cohu’s position as a global leader in back-end semiconductor equipment. The depth and breadth of the combined product portfolios, engineering and product development resources, as well as the global customer support platforms will enable us to deliver comprehensive semiconductor back-end solutions that better meet the future needs of our customers,” commented Luis Müller, Cohu’s President and CEO.

Mr. Müller continued, “The acquisition of Xcerra increases our addressable market to approximately $5 billion across handlers, contactors, test and inspection, further strengthening our ability to fully capitalize on the secular growth opportunities in the automotive, IoT, industrial and mobility markets. We are excited to welcome the Xcerra team to Cohu and look forward to an efficient completion of the transaction, with a focus on delivering long-term value to our customers, employees and shareholders.”

Commenting on the proposed acquisition, David Tacelli, Xcerra’s President and CEO, stated, “We are very pleased to be joining forces with Cohu to create a global leader in back-end semiconductor test. Together, we will be an even stronger and more competitive company with far reaching long-term benefits to our customers and employees. I am extremely proud of what the Xcerra team has accomplished over the past several years and look forward to the exciting possibilities we can achieve together with Cohu.”

The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share and generate over $20 million of annual run-rate cost synergies within 2 years of closing, excluding stock-based compensation and other charges.

 

By Heidi Hoffman, Sr. Director of FHE, MEMS and Sensors Marketing, SEMI

Peel-and-stick simplicity isn’t just for adhesive bandages any more. IoT and flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) are bound to change hardware business models. And flexible displays will breathe life into any surface.

These were among the insights foreshadowing the future of the FHE, electronic textiles, IoT, MEMS and sensors industries at the FLEX Japan and MEMS & Sensors Forum Japan 2018. At the April event, organized by SEMI-FlexTech-MSIG, nearly 200 attendees shared their observations and lessons learned in the development of processes, products and applications. Presentations and discussions revealed these five takeaways.

1. Expect the unexpected with FHE development

Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) continues to shrink the size and weight of products, enabling new markets and concepts. “FHE takes printed electronics and adds ICs for getting performance out of the PE structure,” said Wilfried Bair of NextFlex, adding that “peel- and-stick electronic products are one example of unexpected new markets enabled by FHE capabilities.” One potential application is large peel-and-stick safety sensors adhered to buildings to warn of structural dangers.

2018FLEX Japan

 

Another surprising turn: With new insights into OLED technology originally developed for flexible displays, Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) has devised an innovative medical diagnostic tool for markets such as biomedical and agricultural monitoring. The tool features an atmosphere-processable OLED component with a simplified OLED structure encapsulated in aluminum foil.

2. IoT and FHE devices should change hardware business models

This is the standard business model for many new FHE products: develop a product, manufacture it, find customers and sell. FHE and IOT device developers were encouraged by Jam Kahn of Gemalto to consider flipping the script: During FHE product development, explore building an after-market revenue stream by controlling and mining the data for trends it reveals. Because of its data harvesting potential, IoT is an excellent emerging technology for this strategy.

The “Experience Economy” could create 200 connectable items per person, generating strong revenue streams from the collection and analysis of massive amounts of sensor-generated data. The key is for the data to be actionable. That means hardware suppliers must extend their focus to software development. “A recent study of California investors found that by 2025, 60 percent of global business profits will be from data,“ noted Harri Koopla of VTT, who advised hardware producers to examine business models that produce continuous value by leveraging software. “With FHE, we are creating the path to digitization for non-digital industries, and these industries need complete solutions,” he said.

Xenoma smartshirt features

 

Hardware provider Xenoma, for example, sells an electronic shirt with sensors for measuring muscle movements, heart rate and other health-related data. Xenoma’s Ichiro Amimori said the company offers its open-source software development kit for free under one condition: The developer must share the collection data with Xenoma. The idea is that the more data collected, the greater Xenoma’s ability to improve human health over the long term and achieve its long-term vision of alleviating disease.

3. Roll-to-roll and sheet-to-sheet manufacturing will meet in the middle

One of the big advantages of flexible and printed electronics was its promise to enable the manufacturing of electronics on a roll-to-roll (R2R) process in atmospheric (or close) conditions, like newspaper, rather than one sheet at a time, as with displays or wafers. But as development of inks and interconnects progressed, along with the placement of discrete and thinned-die components and basic flexible substrates on a moving web, most research and development (R&D) and limited-production runs moved to sheet-fed systems to control material costs for experiments and low-volume production. R&D on printing electronics processes split into two camps: the simple printed components camp on R2R, and the camp backing more flexible hybrid electronics development on a sheet-by-sheet basis. But progress didn’t stop.

R2R functional testing

 

Harri Koopla of VTT highlighted new R2R inspection and test capabilities in the VTT pilot line in Finland. R2R processing advances incorporate ideas from biology, chemistry, optics, optoelectronics, advanced inspection and test capability, illustrating the multidisciplinary nature of FHE. While accurate, high-speed, pick and place of thinned, bare die remains the domain of sheet-to-sheet manufacturing, look for more improvements in accuracy and speed.

Another new manufacturing concept that turns business models on their heads – “minimal fabs” – focuses on creating limited-run equipment and processes that use 3D printing and do not require cleanrooms. With a relatively low cost of entry, the approach enables electronics to be produced affordably anywhere.

4. Powering the IoT is a grand challenge

The requirement for edge devices to function without intervention for long periods raises hard questions about how to power the devices. Using organic photovoltaics (OPV) in textiles to harvest energy from light could be one solution, according to Kasimaesttro Sugino of the Suminoe Textile Technical Center.  

ULVAC’s answer to the IoT power issue are requirements for edge device micro-batteries to be environmentally benign, safe, flexible and compatible with semiconductor processing less than .1 mm in height. The micro-batteries must also feature a long life and support continuous power output, high power density, low self-discharge (over 10 years) and mass production, said Shunsuke Sasaki of ULVAC. The batteries are being built on silicon, glass and stainless steel with dry, thin-film vacuum processing.

5. Flexible displays bring any surface to life

With their durability, flexibility, low-cost processing and programmability, flexible displays can transform any surface into a content-rich display with messages that make lives healthier, simpler and safer.

FlexEnable

 

One example is FlexEnable’s organic thin-film transistor (OTFT), a device made possible not only by recent advances such as the ability to build organic material transistors on plastic and the increasing clarity of new film materials but by continuous manufacturing process improvements. These advances are improving switching times and the color and video capabilities of thin-film transistors while retaining their flexibility, low power consumption and communication capabilities. Simon Jone of FlexEnable gave the examples of wrapping a display around the blind spots of automobiles or replacing side-view mirrors with interior monitors showing feeds from an external camera, approaches that would improve safety while reducing wind drag and increasing fuel efficiency.

E Ink’s reflective technology and flexible products are coming to market with a wider color spectrum. The company’s Michael McCreary said its designers are specifying the panels for innovative projects such as the exterior walls of the San Diego International Airport parking garage. Used to communicate with airport visitors, the installation is weather-proof, programmable and self-powered.

Originally published on the SEMI blog.

Spending on RF power semiconductors (for < 4GHz and > 3W) was still moving forward in 2017. The wireless infrastructure segment was flat but other markets – notably the military/defense – are moving forward, according to ABI Research, a market-foresight advisory firm providing strategic guidance on the most compelling transformative technologies. Additionally, Gallium Nitride (GaN) – long seen as the likely promising new “material of choice” for RF power semiconductors – is continuing its march to capture share.

“Gallium Nitride (GaN) has the promise of gaining market share in 2018 and is forecast to be a significant force over the next few years,” noted ABI Research Director Lance Wilson. “It bridges the gap between two older technologies, exhibiting the high-frequency performance of Gallium Arsenide combined with the power handling capabilities of Silicon LDMOS. It is now a mainstream technology which has now achieved measurable market share and in future will capture a significant part of the market.”

Wireless infrastructure while representing about two-thirds of total sales has been anemic recently. Growth for other segments outside of wireless infrastructure are showing mid-single digit CAGR over the forecast period of 2018 to 2023.

The vertical market showing the strongest uptick in the RF power semiconductor adoption business, outside of defense, is Commercial Avionics and Air Traffic Control, which Wilson describes as being now “a significant market.” While the producers of these devices are in the major industrialized countries, this sub-segment market is now so global that end equipment buyers can be from anywhere.

Analog Devices, Inc. awarded Bob Reay, Leonard Shtargot, Jesper Steensgaard, and Sam Zhang the title of Analog Devices Fellow, a distinguished technical position given to engineers who contribute significantly to the company’s success through exceptional innovation, leadership and an unparalleled ability to unite and mentor others.

“These Fellows exemplify Analog Devices’ unwavering commitment to technological innovation,” said Ray Stata, cofounder and chairman of the board, Analog Devices. “Bob and Leonard hold numerous patents and have mentored many budding innovators. Jesper has a diverse skill set that makes him not only an exceptional engineer, but a passionate teacher and leader. Sam, through his incredible work on inertial MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) sensors, has helped Analog Devices introduce groundbreaking sensors used in a wide range of applications and industries.”

Bob Reay
Bob is an innovator, technologist, teacher and historian who earned both his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. During his 30 years at Linear Technology Corp. (LTC), which is now part of Analog Devices, Bob was granted 22 patents. He is credited with helping to build LTC’s CMOS Interface business, opening the company’s first remote design center in Singapore, and serving as the first vice president and general manager of LTC’s Mixed-Signal business unit. Bob’s thoughtful and well-reasoned approach to problem solving has led people to seek his advice for technical and strategic challenges alike.

Leonard Shtargot
Leonard joined Linear Technology in 2001 as a design engineer with a B.S. EECS from the University of California at Berkeley. Leonard has contributed innovations in power conversion technology and designed several families of high-performance DC/DC switching regulators focusing on new circuits, high-voltage silicon process improvements, advanced flip-chip package designs, and test techniques. These products have been widely adopted by the automotive and industrial technology sectors. Leonard is also a hands-on teacher who mentors other engineers and often can be found in the lab or test floor helping his colleagues solve technical problems.

Jesper Steensgaard
Jesper is another alumnus of Linear Technology and earned his Ph.D. from the Technical University of Denmark in 1999. With 22 U.S. patents, Jesper has contributed to the release of 79 high-performance, successive-approximation-register A/D converters since 2007 and spearheaded the development of a new line of “intrinsically-linear” SAR A/D converters with performance levels that are now the best in the industry. He excels at both detailed circuit design and system-level concepts. Jesper was the founder of his own company, Esion LLC, and has held academic positions at Columbia University and Oregon State University.

Sam Zhang
Sam joined Analog Devices in 2001 after earning a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Tsinghua University and a M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the George Washington University. He has been awarded 21 U.S. patents with another five pending. For more than a decade, Sam has been the principal designer of ADI’s low-G inertial MEMS products, including the company’s first 3-axis accelerometer and MEMS microphone products. He also led the design of several generations of high-performance 3-axis accelerometer products and created a design methodology that accurately predicts inertial sensor offset. His latest groundbreaking contributions have been in the areas of ultra-low noise accelerometers and condition-based monitoring sensors that are re-shaping the way machine health is being addressed.

For years, manufacturers have offered computers with increasing amounts of memory packed into smaller devices. But semiconductor companies can’t reduce the size of memory components as quickly as they used to, and current designs are not energy-efficient. Conventional memory devices use transistors and rely on electric fields to store and read out information. An alternative approach being heavily investigated uses magnetic fields to store information. One promising version of magnetic device relies on the magnetoelectric effect which allows an electric field to switch the magnetic properties of the devices. Existing devices, however, tend to require large magnetic and electric fields that are difficult to produce and contain.

One potential solution for this problem is a new switching element made from chromia (Cr2O3), which, one day, may be used in computer memory and flash drives. “The device has better potential for scaling, so it could be made smaller, and would use less energy once it’s suitably refined,” said Randall Victora, a researcher at the University of Minnesota and an author on the paper. The researchers report their findings in Applied Physics Letters, from AIP Publishing.

Computer memory is composed of switching elements, tiny devices that can switch on and off to store bits of information as ones and zeros. Previous researchers discovered that chromia’s magnetoelectric properties means it can be “switched” with only an electric field, but switching requires the presence of a static magnetic field. Building on these elements, Victora and Rizvi Ahmed have created a design for a memory device with a heart of chromia that does not require any externally applied magnetic field to operate.

Their design surrounds the chromia with magnetic material. This provides an effective magnetic field through quantum mechanical coupling to Cr magnetic moments, while allowing devices to be arranged in a way that blocks stray magnetic fields from affecting nearby devices. An element to read out the state of the device, to determine if it’s in one or zero state, is placed on top of the device. This could potentially pack more memory into a smaller space because the interface between the chromia and the magnet is the key to the coupling that makes the device function. As the device shrinks, the greater surface area of the interface relative to its volume improves the operation. This property is an advantage over conventional semiconductors, where increases in surface area as size shrinks lead to greater charge leakage and heat loss.

Next, Victora and Ahmed aim to collaborate with colleagues who work with chromia to build and test the device. If successfully fabricated, then the new device could potentially replace dynamic random access memory in computers.

“DRAM is a huge market. It provides the fast memory inside the computer, but the problem is that it leaks a lot of charge, which makes it very energy-inefficient,” Victora said. DRAM is also volatile, so information disappears once the power source is interrupted, like when a computer crash erases an unsaved document. This device, as described in the paper, would be nonvolatile.

However, such a memory device will likely take years to perfect. One significant barrier is the device’s heat tolerance. Computers generate a lot of heat, and modeling predicts that the device would stop functioning around 30 degrees Celsius, the equivalent of a hot summer day. Optimizing the chromia, perhaps by doping it with other elements, may improve its functioning and make it more suitable to replace existing memory devices.

 

In a Nature Communications paper published this week (https://rdcu.be/MYO6), imec, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nano-electronics and digital technology, describes a new concept for direct identification of single DNA bases. The technique has the potential to detect, with an unprecedented spatial resolution and without any labeling, the genetic code, as well as epigenetic variations in DNA. The combination of nanopore fluidics and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy makes it a unique concept and a very promising tool for evolutionary biologists and for research on disease development.

Today, direct, real-time identification of nucleobases in DNA strands in nanopores is limited by the sensitivity and the spatial resolution of established ionic sensing strategies. In addition, established DNA sequencing techniques often use fluorescent labeling which is costly and time-consuming. In its Nature Communications paper, imec demonstrated a promising alternative based on optical spectroscopy, with no need for labeling and with the unique ability to identify nucleobases, individually, and incorporated in a DNA strand. The technique is based on nanofluidics to drive the DNA strand through an engineered plasmonic nanoslit, and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy to make a ‘fingerprint’ of the adsorbed nucleobases up to the level of molecular bonds. The spectroscopic signal is enhanced both by a gold coating on top of the nanoslit, and the engineered shape of the nanoslit.  “The result reported here is an important step towards a solution for fast and direct sequencing up to the epigenetic level,” stated and Chang Chen, senior researcher at imec.

The signal generated by Raman spectroscopy holds a lot of information about the molecules and the molecular bonds. Not only can the DNA code be ‘read’, but also base modifications such as methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNA modification, which carry more detailed information about epigenetic variations. Such variations are important for evolutionary studies as they influence gene expression in cells. Moreover, they have been shown to impact the origin and development of diseases such as cancer.

“We leverage our world-class expertise in chip design and 300 mm Si wafer manufacturing technology and bio-lab facilities to develop tailored solutions for the life sciences industry,” stated Pol Van Dorpe, principal member of technical staff. “The solution we describe here is only one example of the technologies we are working on. Our toolbox includes knowledge on nanopores, spectroscopy, photonics, single-molecule detection and nanofluidics which we use in developing next-generation solutions for our industry partners in genomics and diagnostics.

Leti, a research institute at CEA Tech, and Cellmic LLC, a company dedicated to improving patient healthcare with smartphones and biophotonics, today announced that they joined forces to accelerate the market adoption of lens-free imaging and sensing techniques by growing Leti’s patent portfolio with a core patent from Cellmic.

Pioneered by Aydogan Ozcan, UCLA’s chancellor’s professor, and his research group, this patented computational lens-free imaging approach reconstructs detailed images of specimens from their holographic shadows that contain unique 3D information of samples, such as tissue sections, blood smears and cell cultures. Cellmic LLC, a UCLA spin-off, holds some of the core patents of this important computational imaging technique.

Lens-free microscopy has emerged as a powerful imaging and sensing platform that replaces bulky and expensive optical components that are found in standard optical microscopy systems with dedicated algorithms. Leti developed a lens-free microscope in 2012. Today the technology offers an ultra-wide field-of-view, tracking more than 10,000 biological, microscopic objects at a time per image, providing lab techs with a cost-effective, highly compact and robust solution. The Cellmic patent complements Leti’s IP portfolio and accelerates its ongoing valorization of its lens-free technology for diagnostics, biomedical sensing and related applications.

“Lens-free, on-chip imaging offers a very unique opportunity to bring advanced microscopy and sensing tools into your pocket with a fraction of the cost of existing technologies,” said Ozcan, who is also a co-founder of Cellmic LLC. “We are proud to have made fundamental contributions to establish this technique, which has been benefiting researchers in both academia and industry at a global scale.”

“Our partnership with Leti will help this powerful imaging and sensing technology to reach different markets through Leti’s powerful collaborations with other companies in various industries,” added Neven Karlovac, the CEO and co-founder of Cellmic LLC.

“Ozcan’s research lab and Cellmic have done ground-breaking work in developing lens-free imaging techniques,” said Jean-Marc Dinten, Leti Imaging department manager and international expert. “This core patent complements our lens-free technology development, such as point-of-care diagnosis for spinal meningitis.”

By Emmy Yi, SEMI Taiwan Marketing

Emboldened by advances in self-driving and Internet of Vehicles (IoV) technologies, Taiwan’s microelectronics sector is investing heavily in manufacturing processes and equipment as engines of innovation and growth for autonomous driving, the world’s next market goldmine. But breaking into the self-driving vehicle industry can be an uphill struggle. Semiconductor players bent on securing their piece of the potentially massive market must know how to navigate the automotive industry’s unique ecosystem of suppliers, not to mention its lofty standards for safety and reliability.

To explore opportunities and challenges in the automotive semiconductor market, SEMI recently organized Mobility Tech Talk – a gathering of invited professionals from Strategy Analysis, Yole Développement, Renesas, X-FAB and IHS Markit to examine the evolution of sensors for autonomous cars, advanced driver-assisted system (ADAS) applications, and new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China. Nearly 200 participants exchanged in-depth, forward-looking insights and perspectives as the event successfully reinforced connections among different segments. Here are four key takeaways from the event.

Lidar: The hottest sensing technology for smart automotive

Lidar, mmWave radar, cameras and inertial measurement units (IMUs) are the most important sensing devices for autonomous cars. As sensor and high-speed computing technologies mature, 2018 may mark the beginning for an era of autonomous cars, with 350,000 self-driving vehicles expected to hit the road by 2027. But before a single car takes to the roadways, self-driving technology must become expert at monitoring a vehicle’s environment.

That’s where Lidar, the hottest of all sensing technologies and the key to the holy grail of safe self-driving, comes into the picture. Lidar’s versatility supports multiple essential functions such as mapping, object detection and object movement, but mass production is still impossible due to its high cost. What’s more, technical issues must still be sorted out with solid-state lidar, mechanical lidar and MEMS. Both startups and traditional tier-1 semiconductor players have aggressively invested in related research and development, all hoping to pre-position themselves for the new opportunity.

Smart automotive sets new quality and safety standards

As cars become smarter, so too must silicon. Chips must support vastly more data generated by in-vehicle connectivity, ADAS, electrification, autonomous driving and a multitude of other functions that rely on advanced automotive electronics components. Demand for smarter silicon is prompting Taiwan companies to directly tap the automotive chip market or serve as OEMs for major automakers.

With quality and safety top priorities for automotive applications, in-vehicle semiconductors must meet strict requirements across areas including vehicle control, robustness, liability, cost and quality management to conform to the automotive specifications necessary to securing certifications. Smart silicon must also pass all AEC-Q liability standards promoted by automakers in North America, and score “zero defect” for the ISO/TS 16949 Automotive Quality Management System.

China’s new energy vehicles to fuel semiconductor growth

To promote NEVs and thus reduce fuel consumption by cars with internal combustion engines (ICEs), late last year the Chinese government introduced the Measures for the Parallel Administration of the Average Fuel Consumption and New Energy Vehicle Credits of Passenger Vehicle Enterprises. With China the world’s largest market for NEVs, the policy is forcing automakers in Japan, the U.S. and Europe to accelerate moves towards NEVs that, in turn, will fuel growth in the semiconductor and automotive battery industries. NEVs in China are expected to number 2 million by 2020 before more than doubling to 4.9 million by 2025. Today, most cars still run on ICEs as environmentally friendly motor drives are still under development. In unit shipments, motor drives are expected to exceed ICEs by 2025.

Cross-field collaboration is the key

The rise of smarter, fully autonomous vehicles – a disruptive “Car 2.0” – is unlikely to happen overnight. The global automotive semiconductor market will continue rapid growth, with safety and powertrain applications driving the strongest chip demand. Meanwhile, automakers are focusing more on innovations from startups and non-traditional suppliers, and some have even started developing their own IP and solutions. These paradigm industry shifts are diversifying the automotive supply chain into a cross-domain collaborative network of suppliers, pushing the closed, one-way automotive supply chain into lesser relevance. In the near future, rivals and partners may become indistinguishable as traditional turf wars begin to wane.

As ADAS and autonomous cars evolve, and the era of electric cars nears, automotive semiconductors are rising as the engine of growth for the global semiconductor industry. The automotive semiconductor market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8 percent, reaching US$48.78 billion by 2022.

To help the semiconductor and automotive industries thrive in the era of self-driving vehicles, SEMI has established the Smart Automotive special interest group, a platform for better connecting elite professionals from the microelectronics and automotive sectors. Focusing on trends and innovation in the global autonomous semiconductor industry, the SEMI Smart Automotive SIG promotes industry development and cross-domain collaboration so members can create more business opportunities.

Originally published on the SEMI blog.

EV Group (EVG), a supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, today announced that it has started construction work for the next expansion phase of its corporate headquarters. The new building will house EVG’s “Manufacturing III” facility, which will more than double the floor space for the final assembly of EVG’s systems.

“With our innovative manufacturing solutions for the high-tech industry as well as new biomedical applications, we operate in very dynamic markets with great future prospects,” stated Dr. Werner Thallner, executive operations and financial director at EV Group. “In light of the high capacity utilization in all areas of our existing facilities, as well as the positive market outlook, we decided to implement our plans for building our Manufacturing III facility this year. This will support our long-term growth targets at our corporate headquarters in St. Florian am Inn.”

EVG Manufacturing III Photo 1

The new Manufacturing III building, adjacent to the new test room site that was opened just a few months ago, will be built next to the river Inn. The ultramodern building will provide approximately 4,800 square meters of additional space in total, which will benefit not only manufacturing but other departments as well. In addition to an expansion of warehouse space, a new delivery area with a dedicated packaging site designed for cleanroom equipment will be created, along with an airfreight security zone and new truck loading docks for the shipment of the completed systems to EVG’s worldwide customers.

The construction of the new Manufacturing III building is set to be completed in early 2019.

STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, and Jorjin Technologies Inc., a Taipei, Taiwan based company established in 1997 to design and supply modules worldwide, today announced the certification of the dual-radio modules that combine Sigfox wireless-network technology with Bluetooth low energy (BLE).

Jorjin’s WS211x Sigfox/BLE modules benefit from the market-leading performance and energy efficiency of ST’s BlueNRG-1 BLE System-on-Chip (SoC) and the S2-LP sub-1GHz RF transceiver. These advantages have enabled Jorjin’s modules to deliver cutting-edge connectivity and great battery lifetime, targeting coin-cell -operated or energy-harvesting IoT applications.

Fully programmable devices, Jorjin’s new Sigfox modules exploit the ultra-low power Arm® Cortex®-M0 technology embedded in ST’s BLE SoC to act as independent IoT connectivity nodes. The combination of BLE with Sigfox’ low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) provides key benefits to IoT systems, such as firmware update over-the-air, which is not possible with conventional ‘Sigfox-only’ modules. Other benefits of having an IoT device connected both remotely through the Sigfox network and locally through BLE include the possibility to modify device settings during installation or maintenance, or to trace assets, which often change their position inside an area covered with BLE beacon stations.

“We are excited to achieve certification for our first Sigfox-compatible modules,” said Jorjin Technologies chairman Tom Liang. “STMicroelectronics and Sigfox teams’ support has been very helpful and we are looking forward to keeping expanding our collaboration with both partners.”

“The successful certification marks a significant milestone in our cooperation with Jorjin, delivering high-performance, ultra-low-power dual-radio Sigfox modules,” said Maria Rosa Borghi, Low Power RF BU Senior Director, Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group, STMicroelectronics. “Designers now get a cutting-edge solution for building high-mobility products with versatile connectivity and low power budget across all IoT segments.”

“We are glad to welcome Jorjin to our ever-expanding ecosystem and to partner once again with ST for the acceleration of the adoption of the IoT among the different verticals. The certification of the Jorjin module will allow us to boost the production of Sigfox-enabled devices answering a growing demand from our clients,” said Raouti Chehih, Sigfox Chief Adoption Officer.

The evaluation board for the WS211x modules uses the Arduino interface to ease customer development and is compatible with ST’s Arduino shield boards featuring MEMS motion sensors, environmental sensors, or Time-of-Flight (ToF) ranging sensors. An SDK is available from Jorjin enabling customers to develop applications using WS211x modules with ST’s sensor shield boards, as well as an AT command list facilitating customers test of the modules’ BLE and Sigfox functions.