Category Archives: MEMS

According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 6 percent annually to reach 353 million units in Q1 2017. Samsung recaptured first position with 23 percent global smartphone marketshare, while Apple dipped to 14 percent share. OPPO surged 78 percent annually and was once again the star performer.

Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global smartphone shipments grew a steady 6 percent annually from 333.1 million units in Q1 2016 to 353.3 million in Q1 2017. The global smartphone market reached a bottom in the first quarter of 2016, when it fell 3 percent, but demand has picked back up and the growth outlook for this year is improving due to economic recovery and stronger consumer sentiment in major regions like China and Brazil.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Samsung shipped 80.2 million smartphones worldwide in Q1 2017, rising 2 percent annually from 79.0 million units in Q1 2016. Samsung recaptured first place this quarter, after losing top spot to Apple in the previous Q4 2016 holiday season. Samsung has done well to recover quickly from its recent Galaxy Note 7 battery fiasco, and we expect the new Galaxy S8 portfolio will help to maintain Samsung’s upward momentum through the middle of 2017. Apple fell 1 percent annually and shipped a lackluster 50.8 million smartphones for 14 percent marketshare worldwide in Q1 2017. Apple iPhone shipments have declined year-on-year in four of the past 5 quarters. Apple has been unable to capitalize on Samsung’s Note 7 missteps, and it is clear that Apple has to do something radical with its rumored upcoming iPhone 8 portfolio in the second half of this year to arrest the ongoing slowdown.”

Woody Oh, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Huawei maintained third position with 10 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q1 2017, up from 8 percent a year ago. Huawei’s smartphone growth rate has more than halved, to 22 percent annually in Q1 2017, compared with 64 percent annual growth in Q1 2016. Huawei is facing intense competition from OPPO, Vivo and other emerging Chinese rivals such as Gionee.”

Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “OPPO shipped a healthy 27.6 million smartphones and maintained fourth position with a record 8 percent global marketshare in Q1 2017. OPPO grew 78 percent annually in the quarter, outperforming all its major rivals. OPPO is now just two percentage points of marketshare behind Huawei and closing in fast. If current trends continue, OPPO could soon be battling Huawei for third position in the global smartphone market. Vivo held fifth place, capturing a record 6 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q1 2017, leaping from 4 percent a year ago. Vivo’s range of Android models, such as the V3 and X7, are proving wildly popular in China, taking share from rivals such as Xiaomi, Samsung and Apple. Meanwhile, LG returned to 6th place with 4 percent global smartphone share, as it performed well in North America and leapt ahead of ZTE, Xiaomi and others.”

Exhibit 1: Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments and Marketshare in Q1 2017 1

Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments (Millions of Units) Q1 ’16 Q1 ’17
Samsung 79.0 80.2
Apple 51.2 50.8
Huawei 28.3 34.5
OPPO 15.5 27.6
Vivo 13.5 22.1
LG 13.5 14.8
Others 132.1 123.3
Total 333.1 353.3
Global Smartphone Vendor Marketshare (%) Q1 ’16 Q1 ’17
Samsung 23.7% 22.7%
Apple 15.4% 14.4%
Huawei 8.5% 9.8%
OPPO 4.7% 7.8%
Vivo 4.1% 6.3%
LG 4.1% 4.2%
Others 39.7% 34.9%
Total 100.0% 100.0%
Total Growth: Year-over-Year (%) -3.4% 6.1%
Source: Strategy Analytics

The full report, Global Smartphone Shipments Hit 353 Million in Q1 2017, is published by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Smartphone Strategies (WSS) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/kzv9t4g.

Sigenics, Inc. has received a $1M award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop electronics technology that is key to a brain-based visual prosthesis system. The Sigenics award is part of an $11.8 million grant to Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) funded by the White House BRAIN Initiative (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies). The project’s goal is to test an artificial vision system that may provide visual perception to people with blindness.

The intracortical visual prosthesis (ICVP) system will translate images, captured by a glasses-mounted camera, into patterns of electrical stimulation and wirelessly deliver them to the visual cortex of the brain. A group of miniature 16-channel implantable stimulator modules, called wireless-floating-microelectrode-arrays (WFMA), that use Sigenics-designed wireless electronic chips will deliver the patterned electrical stimulation to the user’s brain through ultraminiature needle-like electrodes; about five of the electrode tips could be placed at the end of a human hair. Sigenics has also developed the non-implanted hardware that will process the camera image and prepare it for communication with the brain.

Mr. Glenn DeMichele and Dr. Douglas Kerns, Sigenics’ Director of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer respectively, have been working with IIT for over 20 years toward the clinical deployment of this technology.  Sigenics’ CEO, Dr. Philip Troyk, is a professor of biomedical engineering at IIT, and is principal investigator for the NIH project.

“This innovative project is the beginning of a bright future, where technology is applied in novel ways to treat disability and disease,” said DeMichele. “Our company is very excited and honored to be part of the exceptional team doing this pioneering work.”

The ICVP project is supported by the National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number UG3NS09555. The content here is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) announced today the appointment of Jean-Marc Chery as Deputy CEO, effective July 1, 2017. Chery currently serves as Chief Operating Officer and, in his new role, he will continue to report to Carlo Bozotti, ST’s President and CEO.

In this new role, Chery will hold overall responsibility for Technology and Manufacturing as well as for Sales and Marketing.

A new organization will be also put in place. Its goal is to continue to build on the success of ST’s strategy, focused on Smart Driving and Internet of Things, with a strong market-driven and innovation approach.

ST’s Executive Team members will be:

·         Orio Bellezza, President, Global Technology and Manufacturing
·         Marco Cassis, President, Global Sales and Marketing
·         Claude Dardanne, President, Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group
·         Carlo Ferro, Chief Financial Officer and President, Finance, Legal, Infrastructure and Services
·         Marco Monti, President, Automotive and Discrete Group
·         Georges Penalver, Chief Strategy Officer and President, Strategy, Communication, Human Resources and Quality
·         Benedetto Vigna, President, Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group.

These appointments and new organization are effective July 1st, 2017, upon shareholder approval of the reappointment of Carlo Bozotti as the sole member of the Managing Board and President and CEO of ST, at the Company’s next Annual General Meeting.

Chery began his career in the Quality organization of Matra, the French engineering group. In 1986, he joined Thomson Semiconducteurs, which subsequently became ST, and held various management positions in product planning and manufacturing, rising to lead ST’s wafer fabs in Tours, France, and later in Rousset, France. In 2005, Chery took charge of ST’s Front-End Manufacturing in Asia Pacific. In 2008, he was promoted Chief Technology Officer and assumed additional responsibilities for Manufacturing and Quality (2011) and the Digital Product Sector (2012). In 2014, he was promoted Chief Operating Officer.

Chery chairs the Board of STS, ST’s manufacturing joint venture in China, and holds board membership at the European microelectronics R&D program AENEAS.
Jean-Marc Chery was born in Orleans, France, in 1960, and graduated with a degree in Engineering from the ENSAM engineering school in Paris, France.

According to preliminary results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, phone companies shipped a total of 347.4 million smartphones worldwide in the first quarter of 2017 (1Q17). In light of what might seem like a slowing market, consumers continue to show demand for smartphones and OEM flagship hype seems strong as ever. Worldwide smartphone shipments grew 4.3% in 1Q17, which was slightly higher than IDC’s previous forecast of 3.6% growth.

“The first quarter smartphone results further prove that the smartphone industry is not dead and that growth still exists,” said Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers. “There is no question that 2016 was a pivotal year for the industry as growth dipped to low single digits for the first time. However, we believe the industry will show some rebound in 2017, and the strong first quarter results certainly support this argument. In addition to what shipped in 1Q17, big flagship announcements from Huawei with the P10 devices and Samsung with the Galaxy S8 devices show that innovation is still possible. And despite any formal announcements from Apple it is safe to say the industry is highly anticipating what comes from this year’s iPhone announcements.”

When breaking down precisely where the first quarter growth came from, IDC continues to see the largest catalysts being a handful of Chinese OEMs. The clear leaders are Huawei, OPPO, and vivo, which have all well outpaced market growth for over a year now. And as these companies gain share in new territories the potential to continue this trend is high.

“Although we have seen an abundance of premium redesigned flagships that just entered the market, moving forward, we still expect most of the growth to come from more affordable models in a variety of markets,” said Anthony Scarsella, research manager with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. “Despite all the popularity and media hype around premium devices, we continue to witness a shift in many companies’ portfolios geared towards affordable devices with premium-type styling compared to flagship models. Companies have started to implement a single premium design language that ultimately blurs the lines between the high-end and the low-end, allowing the average consumer to jump on the brand without a hefty upfront investment.”

Smartphone Company Highlights

Samsung regained control as the leader in the worldwide smartphone market despite a flat first quarter (0% year-over-year growth). Substantial discounts on the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge helped move last year’s flagships as they make way for the new S8 and S8+. Outside of the high end, the product mix continues to shift toward more affordable models. The J-Series and A-Series drove significant volumes in both emerging and developed markets thanks to flagship-like design at more affordable price points. A refreshed A7, A5, and A3 earlier this quarter, along with a recently updated J-Series, and new flagship S8/S8+ should give Samsung a well-balanced portfolio across all regions in the second quarter. An early positive response to the recently launched S8 and S8+ looks promising as it may have finally put Samsung’s Note 7 fiasco to bed.

Apple remained essentially flat with shipments reaching 51.6 million units in the first quarter, up slightly from the 51.2 million shipped last year. The strong holiday fourth quarter carried into the month of January as the larger iPhone 7 Plus returned to stock across most channels in numerous regions. Apple introduced a refreshed iPhone SE with more storage capacity (32GB and 128GB) that puts the mid-tier device in line with the rest of the iPhone portfolio. The Cupertino-based giant also refreshed its flagship smartphone by bringing (Product)Red over to the iPhone which paints both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in a new red finish. Finally, rumors of a special edition 10th anniversary iPhone continue to grow as a pending new design, screen size, and performance upgrades all look to be in the works for the fall.

Huawei sustained its dominance in China growing nearly 22% as shipments climbed from 28.1 million units last year, to 34.2 million units in the first quarter of 2017. Huawei once again demonstrated its stable position in the premium market with the P and Mate Series, and a strong presence in the affordable sector with its Y Series and Honor brand. Although Huawei announced earlier in the month that the Mate 9 has sold over 5 million units since it launched in November, here in the U.S. the device, as well as the brand, has failed to grab consumer’s attention. This U.S. attention is something they will need if they aspire to displace the two market leaders. The launch of the new P10 flagship and the new P10 Plus at the very end of the quarter presents consumers a valid third option (outside of Apple and Samsung) for the coming quarter thanks to both premium design and similar performance.

OPPO’s midrange, camera-focused R9s was a crucial model in China that helped it to see strong shipments in the market. OPPO’s growth has in fact been stronger outside of China with nearly a quarter of shipments from international markets. In the rest of Asia and to a smaller degree in the Middle East and Africa regions, its strong retail presence has helped it to grow further in its business. It has been aggressive in both above-the-line and below-the-line activities in India, and stepped up with its after-sales service efforts in several Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia by increasing its number of service centers.

vivo also relied on a key model with the x9 in China that continued to generate a lot of hype around its selfie camera features, targeted at the under-30 crowd. It stepped up with its marketing efforts in India and was as a sponsor of the Indian Premier League 2017, helping to increase vivo’s brand presence in the market, while also increasing the number of exclusive stores in India. In Southeast Asia, it continues to have its own promoters aggressively pushing its phones in the market. In Indonesia, it has also promised consumers single-day phone repairs as a differentiator to the competition.

Top Five Smartphone Vendors, Worldwide Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q1 2017 Preliminary Data(Shipments in Millions)
Vendor

1Q17
Shipment
Volume

1Q17 Market
Share

1Q16
Shipment
Volume

1Q16 Market
Share

Year-Over-
Year Change
1. Samsung 79.2 22.8 % 79.2 23.8 % 0.0 %
2. Apple 51.6 14.9 % 51.2 15.4 % 0.8 %
3. Huawei 34.2 9.8 % 28.1 8.4 % 21.7 %
4. OPPO 25.6 7.4 % 19.7 5.9 % 29.8 %
5. vivo 18.1 5.2 % 14.6 4.4 % 23.6 %
Others 138.7 39.9 % 140.0 42.1 % -1.0 %
Total 347.4 100.0 % 332.9 100.0 % 4.3 %
Source: IDC Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, April 27, 2017

Researchers at the University of Melbourne are the first in the world to image how electrons move in two-dimensional graphene, a boost to the development of next-generation electronics.

Capable of imaging the behaviour of moving electrons in structures only one atom in thickness, the new technique overcomes significant limitations with existing methods for understanding electric currents in devices based on ultra-thin materials.

“Next-generation electronic devices based on ultra-thin materials, including quantum computers, will be especially vulnerable to contain minute cracks and defects that disrupt current flow,” said Professor Lloyd Hollenberg, Deputy Director of the Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T) and Thomas Baker Chair at the University of Melbourne.

A team led by Hollenberg used a special quantum probe based on an atomic-sized ‘colour centre’ found only in diamonds to image the flow of electric currents in graphene. The technique could be used to understand electron behaviour in a variety of new technologies.

“The ability to see how electric currents are affected by these imperfections will allow researchers to improve the reliability and performance of existing and emerging technologies. We are very excited by this result, which enables us to reveal the microscopic behaviour of current in quantum computing devices, graphene and other 2D materials,” he said.

“Researchers at CQC2T have made great progress in atomic-scale fabrication of nanoelectronics in silicon for quantum computers. Like graphene sheets, these nanoelectronic structures are essentially one atom thick. The success of our new sensing technique means we have the potential to observe how electrons move in such structures and aid our future understanding of how quantum computers will operate.”

In addition to understanding nanoelectronics that control quantum computers, the technique could be used with 2D materials to develop next generation electronics, energy storage (batteries), flexible displays and bio-chemical sensors.

“Our technique is powerful yet relatively simple to implement, which means it could be adopted by researchers and engineers from a wide range of disciplines,” said lead author Dr Jean-Philippe Tetienne from CQC2T at the University of Melbourne.

“Using the magnetic field of moving electrons is an old idea in physics, but this is a novel implementation at the microscale with 21st Century applications.”

The work was a collaboration between diamond-based quantum sensing and graphene researchers. Their complementary expertise was crucial to overcoming technical issues with combining diamond and graphene.

“No one has been able to see what is happening with electric currents in graphene before,” said Nikolai Dontschuk, a graphene researcher at the University of Melbourne School of Physics.

“Building a device that combined graphene with the extremely sensitive nitrogen vacancy colour centre in diamond was challenging, but an important advantage of our approach is that it’s non-invasive and robust – we don’t disrupt the current by sensing it in this way,” he said.

Tetienne explained how the team was able to use diamond to successfully image the current.

“Our method is to shine a green laser on the diamond, and see red light arising from the colour centre’s response to an electron’s magnetic field,” he said.

“By analysing the intensity of the red light, we determine the magnetic field created by the electric current and are able to image it, and literally see the effect of material imperfections.”

Today, SEMI announced that SEMICON Southeast Asia 2017 (SEMICON SEA 2017) is reporting an increase of up to 30 percent in attendees this year. Over 7,500 visitors and exhibitors are expected from 25 to 27 April at the event, which is the region’s premier exposition for connecting the electronics manufacturing supply chain. SEMICON SEA was officially launched today by YBhg Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, minister of International Trade and Industry, together with YAB Lim Guan Eng, chief minister of Penang, at the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SPICE).  Guests-of-honour presiding at the opening ceremony included YBhg Dato’ Peter Halm, president of the Semiconductor Fabrication Association of Malaysia (SFAM) and Ajit Manocha, president and CEO of SEMI.

Key industry leaders will share their insights on technology innovation including the Internet of Things (IoT) that will bring significant transformation to the manufacturing sector, and examine the revolution of Disruptive Technology that has opened up new market opportunities. SEMICON SEA 2017 will showcase the trends, technologies and opportunities driving smart manufacturing in the electronics markets. In addition, SEMICON SEA 2017 will feature new activities:

  • Future Electronics Manufacturing Pavilion: featuring developments that can offer integration and add value to the manufacturing operations and supply chain
  • Failure Analysis Pavilion: showcasing solutions that can help companies maximise production while improving yield and reliability
  • World of IoT: Futura-X: featuring technologies and applications that are fuelling new markets for electronics and connecting the world

Ng Kai Fai, president of SEMI Southeast Asia, said the rise in participation this year demonstrates the importance that the manufacturing industry places on keeping well-informed of the advancements taking place. Ng expects Malaysia to have continued growth in 2017 following the strengthening global macroeconomics and growing demand for semiconductor technology in devices.  “Our industry participants see exceptional value in SEMICON Southeast Asia, learning about advances in the industry and how to automate and contribute to efficiency within their manufacturing processes. We are also seeing an increase in cross-border collaborations within this sector. The show facilitates these alliances by offering a complete platform for engaging customers, suppliers, engineers and decision-makers from across the industry, including buyers from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.”

Sponsors for SEMICON SEA 2017 include 3M, Advantest, Air Products, AMEC, Applied Materials, ASE Group, Edwards, Evatec Process Systems, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Hermes Epitek, Kulicke & Soffa, KLA-Tencor, Lam Research, Merck, Mentor Graphics, NTT Data, Rudolph Technologies, SAS, Screen, SPTS, TEL, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Tibco, Toray, Xcerra, and Zeiss. Partners for the exposition include AEIS, INTI College Penang, investPenang, Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau, MATRADE, Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, MIDA, Malaysia Truly Asia, Penang Tourism, Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Samenta, Touch Display Research, VLSI Consultancy, and Yole Développement.

For more information on SEMICON Southeast Asia, please visit www.semiconsea.org

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) today announced two high frequency, low noise MEMS accelerometers designed specifically for industrial condition monitoring applications. The ADXL1001 and ADXL1002 MEMS accelerometers deliver the high resolution vibration measurements necessary for early detection of bearing faults and other common causes of machine failure. Historically, inadequate noise performance of available high frequency MEMS accelerometers compared with legacy technology held back adoption, failing to take advantage of MEMS reliability, quality and repeatability. Today, the ADXL1001 and ADXL1002 noise performance over high frequencies is on par with available PZT technology, and make ADI MEMS accelerometers a compelling option for new condition monitoring products. The ADXL1001 and ADXL1002 are the latest examples of high performance precision sensing technology from Analog Devices, providing high quality and accurate data for Smart Factory Internet of Things applications, and enabling intelligent sensing from the edge of the network.

The ADXL1001 and ADXL1002 MEMS accelerometers deliver ultra-low noise density over an extended bandwidth with high-g range. The accelerometers are available in two models with full-scale ranges of ±100g (ADXL1001) and ±50g(ADXL1002). Typical noise density for the ADXL1002 is 25 μg/√Hz, with a sensitivity of 40mV/g, and 30 μg/√Hz for ADXL1001 with sensitivity 20mV/g. Both accelerometers operate on single voltage supply from 3.0V to 5.25V, and offer useful features such as complete, electrostatic self-test and over range indicator. The ADXL1001 and ADXL1002 are rated for operation over a -40°C to +125°C temperature range.

Product Pricing and Availability Product Pricing and Availability
Product

Output
Interface

Full-scale 
Range

Product
Availability

Price Each
per 1,000

 Packaging
ADXL1001 Analog ±100 g Now $29.61

32 lead 5×5 mm
LFCSP
ADXL1002 Analog ±50 g Now $29.61

32 lead 5×5 mm
LFCSP

A technique that revolutionised scientists’ ability to manipulate and study materials at the nano-scale may have dramatic unintended consequences, new Oxford University research reveals.

Felix Hofmann and Edmund Tarleton, both authors of the paper, at the FIB instrument at the Department of Materials, University of Oxford, UK. Credit: Oxford University

Felix Hofmann and Edmund Tarleton, both authors of the paper, at the FIB instrument at the Department of Materials, University of Oxford, UK. Credit: Oxford University

Focused Ion Beam Milling (FIB) uses a tiny beam of highly energetic particles to cut and analyse materials smaller than one thousandth of a stand of human hair.

This remarkable capability transformed scientific fields ranging from materials science and engineering to biology and earth sciences. FIB is now an essential tool for a number of applications including; researching high performance alloys for aerospace engineering, nuclear and automotive applications and for prototyping in micro-electronics and micro-fluidics.

FIB was previously understood to cause structural damage within a thin surface layer (tens of atoms thick) of the material being cut. Until now it was assumed that the effects of FIB would not extend beyond this thin damaged layer. Ground-breaking new results from the University of Oxford demonstrate that this is not the case, and that FIB can in fact dramatically alter the material’s structural identity. This work was carried out in collaboration with colleagues from Argonne National Laboratory, USA, LaTrobe University, Australia, and the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, UK.

In research newly published in the journal Scientific Reports, the team studied the damage caused by FIB using a technique called coherent synchrotron X-ray diffraction. This relies on ultra-bright high energy X-rays, available only at central facilities such as the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Lab, USA. These X-rays can probe the 3D structure of materials at the nano-scale. The results show that even very low FIB doses, previously thought negligible, have a dramatic effect.

Felix Hofmann, Associate Professor in Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science and lead author on the study, said, “Our research shows that FIB beams have much further-reaching consequences than first thought, and that the structural damage caused is considerable. It affects the entire sample, fundamentally changing the material. Given the role FIB has come to play in science and technology, there is an urgent need to develop new strategies to properly understand the effects of FIB damage and how it might be controlled.”

Prior to the development of FIB, sample preparation techniques were limited, only allowing sections to be prepared from the material bulk, but not from specific features. FIB transformed this field by making it possible to cut out tiny coupons from specific sites in a material. This progression enabled scientists to examine specific material feature using high-resolution electron microscopes. Furthermore it has made mechanical testing of tiny material specimens possible, a necessity for the study of dangerous or extremely precious materials.

Although keen for his peers to heed the serious consequence of FIB, Professor Hofmann said, “The scientific community has been aware of this issue for a while now, but no one (myself included) realised the scale of the problem. There is no way we could have known that FIB had such invasive side effects. The technique is integral to our work and has transformed our approach to prototyping and microscopy, completely changing the way we do science. It has become a central part of modern life.”

Moving forward, the team is keen to develop awareness of FIB damage. Furthermore, they will build on their current work to gain a better understanding of the damage formed and how it might be removed. Professor Hofmann said, “We’re learning how to get better. We have gone from using the technique blindly, to working out how we can actually see the distortions caused by FIB. Next we can consider approaches to mitigate FIB damage. Importantly the new X-ray techniques that we have developed will allow us to assess how effective these approaches are. From this information we can then start to formulate strategies for actively managing FIB damage.”

North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $2.03 billion in billings worldwide in March 2017 (three-month average basis), according to the March Equipment Market Data Subscription (EMDS) Billings Report published today by SEMI.

SEMI reports that the three-month average of worldwide billings of North American equipment manufacturers in March 2017 was $2.03 billion. The billings figure is 2.6 percent higher than the final February 2017 level of $1.97 billion, and is 69.2 percent higher than the March 2016 billings level of $1.20 billion.

“March billings reached robust levels not seen since March 2001,” said Dan Tracy, senior director, Industry Research and Statistics, SEMI. “The equipment industry is clearly benefiting from the latest semiconductor investment cycle.”

The SEMI Billings report uses three-month moving averages of worldwide billings for North American-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers. Billings figures are in millions of U.S. dollars.

Billings
(3-mo. avg)

Year-Over-Year
 October 2016

$1,630.4

20.0%
 November 2016

$1,613.3

25.2%
 December 2016

$1,869.8

38.5%
 January 2017

$1,859.4

52.3%
 February 2017 (final)

$1,974.0

63.9%
 March 2017 (prelim)

$2,026.2

69.2%

Source: SEMI (www.semi.org), April 2017

SEMI ceased publishing the monthly North America Book-to-Bill report in January 2017. SEMI will continue publish a monthly North American Billings report and issue the Worldwide Semiconductor Equipment Market Statistics (WWSEMS) report in collaboration with the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ). The WWSEMS report currently reports billings by 24 equipment segments and by seven end market regions.

BY PETE SINGER, Editor-in-Chief

The ConFab — an executive conference now in its 13th year — brings together influential executives from all parts of the semiconductor supply chain for three days of thought-provoking talks and panel discussions, networking events and select, pre-arranged breakout business meetings.

Why the time is now: Electronics are an essential part of everyday life the world over. Smartphones, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, digital television, autonomous cars, advances in healthcare and so much more are possible only because of the advances in semiconductor technology over the last 50 years.

Although some say the industry is maturing, but the reality is that the industry will see explosive growth from a variety of applications, including the IoT, 5G telecommunication, autonomous driving, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence/deep learning. IoT alone is expected to drive not only a huge demand for sensors, but a far more sophisticated cloud computing infrastructure that will employ the most advanced logic and memory chips available, including 7 and 5nm logic devices and 3D NAND.

These new and varied applications, including healthcare, are creating new demands for semiconductor technology. Devices will require more innovative packaging solutions, including heterogeneous integration of diverse components. New advances in MEMS and sensors, will be required as well as new wireless capabilities, thin film batteries and energy harvesting devices, flexible electronics, power electronics, analog, and silicon photonics.

What can you expect in 2017? The ConFab 2017 conference program is designed to identify new opportunities in these fast-growing markets, showcase critical technology trends and discuss what challenges still need to be overcome. On Monday, we’ll hear where mainstream semiconductor technology is today through the keynote talk and the morning session. We will soon be announcing who these speakers will be, but past speakers include Brian Krzanich of Intel, Tom Caulfield of GlobalFoundries, Yoon Woon Lee of Samsung, Bill Chen of Nvidia, Roawen Chen of Qualcomm, Ali Sebt of Renesas and Wally Rhines of Mentor Graphics. Also on Monday, we’ll have a sure-to-be interesting panel session focused on heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging, starting with a talk from Jan Vardaman of TechSearch. Siemen’s Sia Langrudi is also slated to speak on Smart Manufacturing in the semiconductor industry, which will encompass the Industry 4.0 initiative, also known as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

On Tuesday, we’ll kick things off with a look at the growth opportunities in the automotive market, particularly the autonomous, self-driving car. We’ll follow that up with talks on MEMS and sensors by Kevin Shaw of Algorithmic Intuition and J.C. Eloy of Yole Developpement, and then a panel session that looks at the coming opportunities and changes in a range of diverse markets, including MEMS & Sensors, power electronics, biomedical, LEDs, displays and more. Panelists will include Laura Rothman Mauer of Veeco, David Butler of SPTS and Mike Rosa of Applied Materials.

On Wednesday, we’ll hear from Alissa Fitzgerald (A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates), followed by a talk on flexible electronics by Jason March, the director of technology at NextFlex. We’ll conclude with a market overview from Bill McClean of IC Insights, who is sure to give us an idea of what coming years will bring, the impact of industry consoli- dation and new growth opportunities.

The ConFab also includes well-attended evening recep- tions plus breakfasts, lunches and refreshment breaks. These offer exceptional networking opportunities for people to meet in a relaxed environment conducive to making lasting connections.

What is clear is that the need for real collaboration has never been greater. That’s why The ConFab 2017 is invaluable. In 2017, we are extending personal invitations to even more VIPs, and we expect heightened interest and involvement as industry leaders gather to tackle tough questions, take a look at the new growth opportunities and challenges, network in a unique environment and collaborate on the future. Check out our website at www. theconfab.com to see how you can participate.