Category Archives: MEMS

Leti, a research institute of CEA Tech, today announced it has developed a μLED fabrication process to create high-resolution arrays at 10-micron pitch. That pixelization and the 873 x 500 resolution that are enabled by the new process exceed technology.

Designed for micro-display applications such as augmented-reality or virtual-reality tools and wearable devices, the blue or green GaN/InGaN µLED arrays use Leti’s proprietary self-aligned technology. That process is key to achieving such a small pixel pitch. A combination of several damascene metallization steps used to create a common cathode is also expected to provide good thermal dissipation and prevent voltage drops within the micro-LED matrix. Electro-optical measurements showcase record efficiency and brightness exceeding requirements for device integration.

The results were presented Feb. 2 at SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco in a paper: “Processing and Characterization of High-Resolution GaN/InGaN LED Arrays at 10-Micron Pitch for Micro-Display Applications”.

“Leti’s self-aligned process allows the creation of high-resolution µLED matrices with a reduced pixel pitch of 10µm and paves the way towards even smaller pitches for next-generation devices,” said Ludovic Dupré, one of the paper’s authors. “In addition, the use of the damascene metallization process of the cathode, which also is a new process developed at Leti, is a breakthrough compared to previous demonstrations of micro-LED matrices. The common cathode indeed fills the whole volume between the micro-LEDs and provides metallic spreading of electrical current between them, as well as thermal dissipation. These results are promising for integrating a micro-LED matrix in micro-display devices by hybridization on CMOS active matrices, and first prototypes are currently being tested.”

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a group of carbon-based chemicals with low evaporation or vaporization points. Some VOCs are harmful to animal or environmental health so sensing these gasses is important for maintaining health and safety. VOCs also occur in nature and can be useful in medical diagnostics, which require highly sensitive sensors to be effective.

In an effort to improve VOC detection, a collaboration of Japanese researchers from Kumamoto University, Fukuoka Industrial Technology Center, and Tohoku University set out to improve sensor sensitivity by modifying the particle and pore sizes of Tin-dioxide (SnO2) nanocrystals on sensing film. They knew that particle size was a determining factor in sensor response, so they formulated a method to synthesize SnO2 particles of different sizes and pore distribution patterns, and ran an analysis to determine optimal sensor film particle morphology for various gasses.

Using a hydrothermal method, the researchers synthesized SnO2 nanocubes and nanorods, and created gas-sensing films of various pore and particle sizes. Nanocrystals created in this experiment were developed using organic molecules in an acidic solution, which is a major difference from previous experiments that used cations in an alkaline solution. Films made from nanocubes had very small pores, less than 10 nm, whereas films made with nanorods were distinctly porous with pore sizes larger than 10 nm. Palladium (Pd)-loaded SnO2nanocrystals were also synthesized to test the idea that Pd-loading would improve sensor response by changing pore sizes. The gasses used to test the new sensors were hydrogen (200 ppm), ethanol (100 ppm), and acetone (100 ppm), each of which are known biomarkers for glucose malabsorption, alcohol intoxication, and diabetic ketoacidosis respectively. Sensor response (S) was calculated using a ratio of electrical resistance produced in air (Ra) to the resistance produced by the testing gas (Rg) (S=Ra/Rg).

The research team found that the sensors had the best response when using long (500 nm) nanorods at a temperature of approximately 250 degrees Celsius, except for the H2 sensor, which responded best at a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius with nanocubes. Furthermore, Pd-loaded sensors had an improved response at 250 degrees Celsius with long nanorods being the best performing nanocrystal morphology for each of the gasses tested. “Our experiments show that the TiO2 nanocrystal sensors with larger pore sizes gave the best sensor responses. In particular, we found ultra-high sensitivity (increasing by five orders of magnitude) in the devices with largest pore size, the long nanorod sensors,” said Professor Tetsuya Kida of Kumamoto University. “This tells us that is beneficial to have precise control over the manufacturing methods of these types of sensors.”

Simulations have estimated ethanol detection levels to be in the lower parts-per-billion range, meaning that the devices could feasibly detect alcohol biomarkers in a patient’s breath.

One drawback of the new sensors is their relatively long recovery time. Even though the response time was swift, between 15 and 21 seconds, the recovery time fell between 157 to 230 minutes. This was thought to be caused by reaction byproducts remaining on the surface of the sensor film. Additionally, experimental and simulation results for ethanol showed that sensors with pore sizes over 80 nm are prone to saturate. However, it is likely that this can be overcome by pore size optimization and controlling the sensor film electrical resistance.

(Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part article; Part 1 is here)

By Denny McGuirk, president and CEO, SEMI

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail,” was how I started last week’s article.  In that article we looked back on 2016 and the incredible progress of the industry and how it continually cuts new trail and keeps moving at the speed of Moore’s Law.  In this week’s follow up, I would like to talk about where the industry is going and how SEMI is changing to keep up with it.  As not everyone is aware of all SEMI does, the following is a quick reminder on how SEMI works to represent the industry before looking ahead to 2017, specifically, and beyond.

SEMI, the global non-profit association connecting and representing the worldwide electronics manufacturing supply chain, has been growing with the industry for 47 years.  SEMI has evolved over the years, but it has remained as the central point to connect.  Whether connecting for business, connecting for collective action, or connecting to synchronize technology, SEMI connects for member growth and prosperity.

Our industry is in the midst of a vast change.  To deal with the escalating complexity (making a semiconductor chip now uses the great majority of the periodic table of the elements) and capital cost, many companies have had to combine, consolidate, and increasingly collaborate along the length of the electronics manufacturing supply chain.

Some companies have broadened their businesses by investing in adjacent segments such as Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE), MEMS, Sensors, LEDs, PV, and Display.  Lines are blurring between segments – PCBs have morphed into flexible substrates, SiP is both a device and a system.  Electronics integrators are rapidly innovating and driving new form factors, new requirements, and new technologies which require wide cooperation across the length of the electronics manufacturing supply chain and across a breadth of segments.

The business is changing and SEMI’s members are changing.  When SEMI’s members change, SEMI must change, too – and SEMI has, and is.  SEMI developed a transformation plan, SEMI 2020, which I wrote about at the beginning of 2016.  We’re well on our way on this path and I’d like to update you on what we’ve accomplished and what’s to come.

SEMI 2020: “The Only Time You Should Look Back is to See How Far You’ve Come”

SEMI organized its SEMI 2020 transformation into three basic pillars of the SEMI 2020 strategy.  First, “reenergizing the base,” where SEMI focuses on enriching delivered value for the present day needs of its traditionally engaged membership base.  Second, “building communities and collaboration,” where SEMI works to develop specific forums and groups to meet specific needs and focus on specific technologies and products.  Third, “evolving SEMI value propositions for 2020,” which is the work of changing and innovating SEMI products and services for the needs of the industry in the future.

To date, SEMI has made great progress on these three pillars, here are a few examples:

1. Reenergize Base

  • Grew membership to ~2,000 global SEMI member companies
  • Growth in SEMICON expositions:
    • 248,738 global exhibition visitors in 2016 (up 8 percent year-over-year)
    • 4,410 global exhibitors in 2016 (up 5 percent in m2 of exhibition space sold)
  • Realignment of SEMI with organization changes in Americas, China, Europe, and HQ

2. Build Communities and Collaboration

 

  • FlexTech joined SEMI as Strategic Association Partner: SEMI FLEX conferences and programs are now in America, Europe, Korea, SEA and Japan
  • MEMS and Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) joined SEMI as Strategic Association Partner
  • SEMI Special Interest Groups developed and globalized — Chemical and Gases Manufacturers Group (CGMG), SEMI integrated Packaging and Test (SiPAT), Semiconductor Components, Instruments & Subsystems (SCIS), etc. — integrating broad areas of the supply chain
  • Development of SEMI Collaborative Technology Platforms with initial activities in Interconnect, Heterogeneous Integration Roadmap (partnered with IEEE CPMT, EDS, & Photonics Societies), etc.
  • Introduction and co-sponsoring of special interest programs such as FUTURECAR and regional SMC conferences

 

3. Evolve SEMI Value Propositions for 2020

  • SEMI (automation) Standards adapted for Smart Manufacturing (Industry 4.0)
  • Improved channels: new SEMI Global Update, new website, social media (follow SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter), infographics
  • New data products such as 200mm report, packaging report, mobile version of fab database (FabView)
  • New programs such as SEMI European MEMS conference
  • SEMI Foundation widening scope on Workforce Development
  • Advocacy activities leveraging collective action on trade, industry funding, export control, taxation, and sustainable manufacturing (including regulation of safety, materials, and environmental impact).

 

SEMI 2020: “The Road to Success is Always Under Construction”

 

SEMI continues to conduct surveys, uses multiple means of gathering the voice of the customer, and constantly aligns with guidance from its various committees, regional advisory boards, and International Board of Directors.  Despite its name, SEMI 2020 is a journey and not a destination.  SEMI will continue to evolve, develop, and add critical communities, services, products, and industry advocacy as SEMI’s members evolve.

While many of the SEMI activities captured above will continue, the following provides a sampling of activities more specific to SEMI’s work in 2017.

1. Reenergize Base

  • Increase frequency and depth of SEMI outreach and grow SEMI’s global membership and engagement
  • Launch SEMICON Europa 2017 co-location with productronica in Munich to connect to electronics manufacturing supply chain while preserving SEMI’s core community within its own show
  • Launch new engagement and experiential components at SEMICON West and SEMICON Japan
  • Move HQ headquarters to more member-suited, collaborative, efficient, and smaller building in Milpitas

 

2. Build Communities and Collaboration

 

  • Develop four vertical application collaborative forums:  World of IoT, Smart Automobile, Smart Manufacturing, and Smart MedTech
  • Fully integrate FlexTech and MSIG into SEMI’s global infrastructure and develop regional communities and events for these distinct adjacent communities
  • Provide association services to the Fab Owners Association as a SEMI Strategic Association Partnership
  • Continue to develop and increase global participation in SEMI Special Interest Groups such as SCIS, CGMG, and SiPAT to provide the specific and current needs of SEMI’s members

 

3. Evolve SEMI Value Propositions for 2020

  • Provide greater inbound and outbound member visibility and member services for fast-developing China region
  • Further develop SEMI Standards for Smart Manufacturing including a focus on big data and security
  • Advocate for funding for SEMI member pre-competitive projects in all global regions
  • Develop and improve industry training and education capabilities in all regions
  • Raise visibility for SEMI in securing unrestricted trade for semiconductor manufacturing and extended supply chain

“Roads Were Made for Journeys, Not Destinations”  

This quotation, generally attributed to Confucius, ties the themes of the road of this year’s annual update to my personal journey.  As you may know, at the end of 2016, I announced my intention to retire and while I’ll remain until a successor is identified, this will be my last SEMI update.

My personal journey has definitely not been a straight line and that’s made it all the more interesting – and, I hope, made me a “more skillful driver.”  Instead of the road, the sky used to be my home (although, with trips to Asia and Europe, sometimes it still feels like I’m still there!), with many years flying with the United States Air Force.  After that, my path led to the world of non-profit leadership and eventually, prior to SEMI, leading IPC, the interconnect trade association.  As the industry has blurred the borders of PC boards and substrates and semiconductor packages, maybe it was natural that I would also shift from IPC to SEMI.

I’ve been at SEMI for over five years and have constantly been amazed by the speed of the industry, the exceptional professionals and their astounding innovations, and the tight global cooperation and support.  When I started, there was a flashpoint in the potential jump to pursue the 450mm wafer size.  I got to know our industry and our members very quickly!  But, I almost immediately learned, this is a unique industry where collaboration across the electronics manufacturing supply chain is critical, where global stakeholders are well connected, and where – with Moore’s Law as precedent – industry leaders are used to working together, no matter if collaborators or competitors, for the good of the industry.

I am grateful to call many in our industry friends.  It is with regret that I won’t be seeing these friends as frequently as before, certainly.  However, I am pleased to be leaving behind a sound a valued SEMI organization with the professionals and plans in place to carry SEMI 2020 forward and deliver more valued services, products, and above all connections for its members.  I am happy for my time at SEMI and am grateful to the SEMI staff, SEMI International Board of Directors, and SEMI Members for the opportunity to serve the amazing association

“We are the first in the world to present a logic circuit, in this case a transistor, that is controlled by a heat signal instead of an electrical signal,” states Professor Xavier Crispin of the Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Linköping University.

This is the heat driven transistor on Laboratory of organic electronics, Linköping University. Credit: Thor Balkhed

This is the heat driven transistor on Laboratory of organic electronics, Linköping University. Credit: Thor Balkhed

The heat-driven transistor opens the possibility of many new applications such as detecting small temperature differences, and using functional medical dressings in which the healing process can be monitored.

It is also possible to produce circuits controlled by the heat present in infrared light, for use in heat cameras and other applications. The high sensitivity to heat, 100 times greater than traditional thermoelectric materials, means that a single connector from the heat-sensitive electrolyte, which acts as sensor, to the transistor circuit is sufficient. One sensor can be combined with one transistor to create a “smart pixel”.

A matrix of smart pixels can then be used, for example, instead of the sensors that are currently used to detect infrared radiation in heat cameras. With more developments, the new technology can potentially enable a new heat camera in your mobile phone at a low cost, since the materials required are neither expensive, rare nor hazardous.

The heat-driven transistor builds on research that led to a supercapacitor being produced a year ago, charged by the sun’s rays. In the capacitor, heat is converted to electricity, which can then be stored in the capacitor until it is needed.

The researchers at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics had searched among conducting polymers and produced a liquid electrolyte with a 100 times greater ability to convert a temperature gradient to electric voltage than the electrolytes previously used. The liquid electrolyte consists of ions and conducting polymer molecules. The positively charged ions are small and move rapidly, while the negatively charged polymer molecules are large and heavy. When one side is heated, the small ions move rapidly towards the cold side and a voltage difference arises.

“When we had shown that the capacitor worked, we started to look for other applications of the new electrolyte,” says Xavier Crispin.

Dan Zhao, principal research engineer, and Simone Fabiano, senior lecturer, have shown, after many hours in the laboratory, that it is fully possible to build electronic circuits that are controlled by a heat signal.

Commodity prices, supplier viability, and geopolitical concerns top the list of risks sourcing professionals face in 2017, according to survey from IHS Markit (Nasdaq: INFO).

Findings from the Trends in Global Sourcing Survey, the fifth annual survey of global procurement and purchasing executives which assesses the risk environment and sourcing trends, indicate that support for China as a low-cost sourcing destination is waning.

“The share of respondents who agree that China is a low-cost sourcing destination dipped below 50 percent for the first time in 2016,” said Paul Robinson, economist at IHS Markit. “This was down markedly from 70 percent in the 2012 survey.”

“Taken together with continued support for the country as a sourcing destination, the survey signals the arrival of China as a hub, or even the hub, of global supply chains rather than a mere cheap outsourcing destination,” Robinson continued.

China, India, and other nations in Asia continue to be the biggest winners in insourcing, with each showing strong increases. The developed world, particularly the European Union and the United States, show the weakest results, with less than a quarter of respondents planning to increase sourcing in either region. A rare bright spot outside of Asia was the continued growth in Mexico, where 26 percent of respondents are looking to increase sourcing, up from 20 percent a year ago.

chinas role

The survey respondents see the financial costs of supply chain disruptions increasing, with 19 percent of respondents saying that it was significantly increasing. This represents a reversal of the 2015 results when just one percent of respondents had that view. Less than two percent of respondents in the 2016 survey viewed the risk as decreasing at all.

LTE for IoT chip maker Sequans Communications S.A. (NYSE: SQNS) today announced the opening of a new development site in Sophia Antipolis, on the Côte d’Azur, in the south of France. The new team currently includes ten engineers who will support Sequans’ core development of LTE semiconductor solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT).

“By establishing this facility in Sophia Antipolis, where there is a vibrant community of software and embedded systems engineering talent, we were able to efficiently strengthen our development capabilities to meet the requirements of our growing list of customers in the worldwide market phenomenon known as the Internet of Things,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “Establishing ourselves in Sophia Antipolis quickly with a proven team is an important step in implementing our long-term global R&D strategy. This choice has been made thanks to the personalized support of Team Côte d’Azur, the official investment promotion agency of the Côte d’Azur, which streamlined the process.”

“Our territory is already a welcoming land for companies who appreciate the quality of tech talent Côte d’Azur has to offer,” said Jean-François Chapperon, head of International Networks, Team Côte d’Azur.

Sequans recently released its newest LTE for IoT chip, an LTE-M / NB-IoT chip called Monarch, based on the latest LTE standard and highly optimized for IoT. In less than one year, Monarch has gone from introduction, to operator certification, to deployment, and has already been designed into numerous LTE for IoT devices.

The new facility in the south of France is Sequans’ eleventh site among its worldwide locations. The new team will work closely with Sequans main R&D engineering team at the company’s Paris headquarters.

Sequans Communications S.A. is a provider of single-mode 4G LTE semiconductor solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) and a wide range of broadband data devices.

Understanding breakups


January 30, 2017

As interest and demand for nanotechnology continues to rise, so will the need for nanoscale printing and spraying, which relies on depositing tiny drops of liquid onto a surface. Now researchers from Tsinghua University in Beijing have developed a new theory that describes how such a nanosized droplet deforms and breaks up when it strikes a surface.

The model, discussed in their publication appearing this week in Physics of Fluids, from AIP Publishing, could help researchers improve the quality of nanoscale printing and coating, important to everything from printing and coating tiny devices and structures to 3-D printing machines and robots.

These figures show how a nanodroplet breaks up when it impinges on the solid wall through molecular dynamic simulation in computer. There are 12,195 water molecules represented by the green particles in this figure (the droplet originally has a diameter of 8.6 nm). Credit: Li, Li and Chen

These figures show how a nanodroplet breaks up when it impinges on the solid wall through molecular dynamic simulation in computer. There are 12,195 water molecules represented by the green particles in this figure (the droplet originally has a diameter of 8.6 nm). Credit: Li, Li and Chen

When it comes to spraying coatings, for example, the smaller and faster the droplets are when they hit the surface, the better the quality of the coating, said Min Chen, a professor in the Engineering Mechanics Department at Tsinghua University. However, at certain impingement speeds, the droplets will break up and splatter, ruining the coating.

So to improve printing and spraying techniques, we need to better understand the conditions that cause droplets to deform when they hit a surface, as well as how they break. But because experimenting with nanosized droplets is very difficult, researchers often rely on computer simulations.

Bu-Xuan Li and Xin-Hao Li, along with Chen, used a technique called molecular dynamics simulation, in which they simulated every molecule that makes up a droplet of water. Each droplet, consisting of about 12,000 molecules, is about 8.6 nanometers in diameter and hits the surface at speeds of a few hundred meters per second. The computer simulates what happens when the collection of water molecules hits a flat surface.

“We developed an analytical model to describe the deformation process and another to describe the breakup process,” Chen said. The deformation model improves upon the team’s previous work, “but the breakup model is totally new.”

The breakup model combines theory with the results from the simulations, providing a formula that researchers can use to calculate when a droplet will breakup. According to Chen, the model is ready for use in applications.

One limitation is that the model is only verified to work for droplets at the nanoscale, and not for bigger droplets. “The reason is that the way a droplet breaks up is different in macro and nanoscale,” Bu-Xuan Li said.

The model also only applies to so-called Newtonian fluids like water. The researchers are now working on developing a model for non-Newtonian fluids, such as crude oil or the gooey mixture of cornstarch and water sometimes known as Oobleck. For example, a non-Newtonian model would be needed for 3-D printing polymers and biomaterials, such as human tissue and organs.

The model is also applicable for describing how water droplets collide with aircraft and form ice, which is a safety hazard. These water droplets, suspended in clouds, typically range from 20 to 50 micrometers — bigger than those in the simulations. Still, Chen said, their model is useful because not much is known about how those water droplets impinge on aircraft.

By Denny McGuirk, SEMI president and CEO

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”  Attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, this could be the credo of our industry.  Moore’s Law has created $13 trillion of market value and we’ve been pioneering the way forward – since even before Gordon Moore made the famous “observation” that became Moore’s Law more than 50 years ago.  Our industry paved the road forward with advancements in design, materials, processing, equipment, and integration, traveling at the speed of exponential growth number in transistors per chip (doubling approximately every two years).

Today, globally, we’re shipping more than one trillion ICs per year!  Leading-edge chips boast more than 10 billion transistors at the advanced 10nm (gate length) technology node and are made with 3D FinFET architectures formed by 193nm wavelength immersion multi-patterning lithography.  It’s become a very challenging – and very expensive – road (a single lithography tool alone costs in the tens of millions of dollars).  The companies building the road ahead are bigger and fewer as massive bets now need to be placed on new fabs costing more than $5 billion and even $10 billion and where a new single chip design alone costs more than $150 million to bring into production.

What follows, in Part 1 of this two-part article, is a quick look back at the industry in 2016 and the road ahead in 2017 followed by what SEMI achieved in 2016 and where SEMI’s road will lead in 2017 to keep pace our industry charging forward where there is no path. Part 2 (next week’s Global Update) will focus on SEMI 2020 initiatives.

A look back at 2016: “Straight roads do not make skillful drivers”

2016 was definitely not a straight road; truly it was a wild ride – so, SEMI members have become extremely skilled drivers. The semiconductor manufacturing industry had a slow first half with pessimism building throughout the first quarter, but by April semiconductors bottomed and NAND investment and a slate of new China projects drove a strong second half.  For semiconductor equipment, SEMI’s statistics indicate global sales in 2015 were $36.5 billion and 2016 came in at $39.7 billion, ultimately ending up about 9 percent.  For reference semiconductor materials in 2015 was $24.0 billion and 2016 came in at $24.6 billion, up nearly 2.6 percent year-over year (YoY).

But, it turns out, that’s not half the story.  2016 was full of surprises.  At the geopolitical level, Brexit, an impeachment in South Korea, and a Trump win were wholly unanticipated and leave a lot of questions as to how that road ahead might look.  In technology, the Galaxy Note 7 mobile phone became an airline hazard announcement and stalwarts like Yahoo! faded into the background (now part of Verizon).  In part due to challenges of the road ahead (and because the cost of capital remained low) M&A fever continued in semiconductors with more than $100B in deals announced in 2016.

It was an astonishing year for combinations with huge deal announcements such as Qualcomm buying NXP for $47 billion and SoftBank buying ARM for $32 billion.  Meanwhile, mergers in the equipment and materials space continued, to name a few notables ASML’s acquisition of Hermes Microvision, DuPont and Dow announcing the intent to merge (announced December 2015, but still in the works), and Lam Research and KLA-Tencor ultimately calling off their deal due to complications of regulatory pushback.  The extended supply chain was mixing things up, too, with acquisitions like the announcement by Siemens to acquire Mentor Graphics.  It has been very active, overall.  This was the second year of semiconductor M&A deals valued at more than $100 billion, a signal that size and scale is critical to build the road ahead.

A look ahead: “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations”

With all the talk about roads, it’s no surprise that the automotive segment is gathering momentum as a strong growth driver for the electronics supply chain.  Not only is there increasing electronics content in cars for comfort and infotainment, but also for assisted and autonomous driving and electric vehicles which are ushering in a new era of electronics consumption.

Along with automotive, IoT (Internet of Things), 5G, AR/VR (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality), and AI (Artificial Intelligence) round out a set of powerful IC and electronics applications drivers (see figure).  Per an IHS Study, 5G alone may enable as much as $12.3 trillion in goods and services in 2035. Gartner’s most recent forecast is cause for optimism further down the electronics manufacturing supply chain.  Gartner see IC revenue growing from 2016’s $339.7 billion to 2017’s $364.1 billion up 7.2 percent and growing further in 2018 at $377.9 billion up 3.8 percent.  For semiconductor equipment, SEMI’s forecast indicates 2015 was $36.5 billion, 2016 will come in at $39.7 billion, and 2017 is projected to be $43.4 billion, pointing to both 2016 and 2017 experiencing approximately 9 percent YoY growth.

In 2017, China investment is projected to continue as a major driver, likely consuming over 16 percent of the total global equipment investment (second only to South Korea).  SEMI is currently tracking 20 new fab projects.  Investments come from both multinationals and local Chinese ventures.  A sign of the rise of China is China’s upward production share trend of its own IC consumption market (IC Insights): 8 percent in 2009, 13 percent in 2015, and 21 percent in 2020. Further down in the electronics supply chain, fab equipment related spending in China will rise to more than $10 billion per year by 2018 and remain at that level or above for subsequent years.

NAND will continue to be a major driver with 3D NAND investment leading the way.  Silicon in Package (SiP) and heterogeneous integration will increasingly be solutions to augment traditional feature scaling to fit more transistors into less space at lower costs.  Materials innovations will be relied upon to solve front-end and packaging challenges while standard materials will be the focus of increased efficiencies and cost reduction. 200mm fab capacity will grow and stimulate new 200mm investment with upside driven by power devices and MEMS segments.  Investment in foundry MEMS will grow by an estimated 285 percent (2015 to 2017).

“There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind”

SEMI, the global non-profit association connecting and representing the worldwide electronics manufacturing supply chain, has been growing with the industry for 47 years.  SEMI has evolved over the years, but it has remained as the central point to connect.  Whether connecting for business, connecting for collective action, or connecting to synchronize technology, SEMI connects for member growth and prosperity.

As a reminder, here are SEMI’s mission, vision, and 2020 strategic focus areas.

  • Mission — our focus for the next five years
    • SEMI provides industry stewardship and engages our members to advance the interests of the global electronics manufacturing supply chain.
  • Vision — what we stand for
    • SEMI promotes the development of the global electronics manufacturing supply chain and positively influences the growth and prosperity of its members.  SEMI advances the mutual business interests of its membership and promotes a free and open global marketplace.
  • Members’ Growth — 2020 strategic focus
    • SEMI enables member growth opportunities by evolving SEMI communities and building new communities across the global electronics manufacturing supply chain via cooperation, partnerships, and integration.
  • Members’ Prosperity — 2020 strategic focus
    • SEMI enables members to prosper by building extended supply chain collaboration forums providing opportunities to increase value while optimizing the supply chain for SEMI members.

Our industry is in the midst of a vast change.  To deal with the escalating complexity (making a semiconductor chip now uses the great majority of the periodic table of the elements) and capital cost, many companies have had to combine, consolidate, and increasingly collaborate along the length of the electronics manufacturing supply chain.

Some companies have broadened their businesses by investing in adjacent segments such as Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE), MEMS, Sensors, LEDs, PV, and Display.  Lines are blurring between segments – PCBs have morphed into flexible substrates, SiP is both a device and a system.  Electronics integrators are rapidly innovating and driving new form factors, new requirements, and new technologies which require wide cooperation across the length of the electronics manufacturing supply chain and across a breadth of segments.

The business is changing and SEMI’s members are changing.  When SEMI’s members change, SEMI must change, too – and SEMI has, and is.  SEMI developed a transformation plan, SEMI 2020, which I wrote about at the beginning of 2016.  We’re well on our way on this path and in next week’s e-newsletter Global Update, I’d like to update you on what we’ve accomplished and what’s to come.

Each year, Solid State Technology turns to industry leaders to hear viewpoints on the technological and economic outlook for the upcoming year. Read through these expert opinions on what to expect in 2017.

Driving the industry forward with materials engineering

Raja_Prabu_fullPrabu Raja, vice president and general manager, Patterning and Packaging Group, Applied Materials, Inc.

Over the past few years, the industry has made remarkable progress in bringing 3D chip architectures to volume production. In 2017, we will continue to see exciting technology innovations for scaling 3D NAND devices to 64 layers, ramping the 10nm process node into volume manufacturing and increasing the adoption of highly integrated chip packages.

With the transition to the 3D and sub-10nm era, the semiconductor world is changing from lithography-based scaling to materials-enabled scaling. This shift requires multiple new materials and capabilities in selective processing.

The magnitude and pace of these changes are truly disruptive. For example, with 3D NAND materials innovations for hard mask deposition and hard mask etch are essential. The challenge is to build high aspect ratio vertical structures with uniform profiles from the top to the bottom as more layers are added. Selective removal processes can remove targeted materials in vertical and horizontal structures without damage or residue throughout the stack.

For logic/foundry, the introduction of the 10nm process node in volume manufacturing brings significant growth in the number of patterning steps. This trend will increase even more for 7nm and below designs. Patterning these advanced nodes requires innovative etch capabilities to deliver feature-scale uniformity with low line edge roughness. Selective processes and alternative manufacturing schemes will also be needed as the industry seeks solutions for layer-to-layer vertical alignment. We expect this to result in a two-fold increase in the number of materials to be deposited and removed.

Finally, the industry will continue to adopt new and improved packaging schemes for enabling increased device performance, lower power consumption and to deliver desired form factors. In 2016, we saw the volume adoption of Fan-Out packaging in mobile devices and this trend is expected to grow further in 2017. The high performance computing segment will pursue 2.5D interposer and/or 3D TSV packaging schemes for higher memory bandwidth, lower latency and better power efficiency.

Applied Materials is focused on delivering game-changing selective process technologies and materials innovations to help solve the industry’s toughest challenges.

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ams (SIX: AMS), a worldwide supplier of high-performance sensor and analog solutions, announces the completion of the transaction to acquire 100% of the shares in Heptagon and the related capital increase of 11,011,281 new shares from authorized capital excluding subscription rights. ams announced on 24 October 2016 that the company had signed an agreement to acquire Heptagon, a developer of high performance optical packaging and micro-optics.

The upfront consideration for the transaction includes approximately USD 64 million in cash, 5,450,586 ams shares from currently held treasury shares as well as 11,011,281 new shares from authorized capital. The capital increase creating the 11,011,281 new shares from authorized capital was registered with the commercial register today and the shares are admitted to trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange from tomorrow, 25 January 2017, onwards. The total number of shares outstanding of ams AG will therefore be 84,419,826 no par value bearer shares with a calculated nominal value of EUR 1.00 per share.

Following the registration, the selling shareholders of Heptagon hold approximately 19.5% of the total registered share capital of ams. They are subject to a market standard, staggered lock-up obligation ending in the second quarter 2018.