Category Archives: MEMS

By Marwan Boustany, senior analyst, MEMS and sensors, IHS Markit

With less potential for organic volume growth due to slowing end-product markets, market-share competition will dominate in 2016. MEMS suppliers will therefore focus more on sensor improvement (power and performance), portfolio expansion and innovation (new sensor categories), acquisitions (rapid capability integration), new business models (software services based on sensors) and expansion into new product categories (drones, smart homes, etc.).

Even as motion sensors and other traditional MEMS markets slow down, there are new and growing opportunities, including the following:

  • Virtual-reality headsets using motion sensors and microphones are a growing category in gaming, with HTC, Facebook and Sony all offering products.
  • Drones that use motion sensors began to take off in 2015. While this is a segment with a lot of potential, regulatory issues may have an as yet unclear impact on future sales volume, especially when the potential for delivery drones from Amazon are considered.
  • Home environmental monitoring, using gas, humidity and temperature sensors, show good opportunity for growth. This segment is led by smart home products from Nest and Honeywell, as well as carbon-monoxide detection regulations and growing consumer adoption of air-purifiers.
  • E-cigarettes, using flow sensors, are also on the rise.

Leading MEMS sensor manufacturer trends

Following is a top-line review of the three leading MEMS sensor manufacturers, based on 2015 revenue:

1. STMicroelectronics 

STMicroelectronics is still the revenue leader for consumer MEMS, thanks to its business across a wide range of sensor types. The company’s consumer MEMS revenue lead continued to erode at a fast rate last year, with competitors growing share, the company’s first-place revenue lead has narrowed from $100 million in 2014 to around $10 million in 2015. STMicroelectronic’s motion sensor revenue continued to decline in 2015, however it was helped by its growing success with 6-axis inertial measurement units (IMUs) used mainly by manufacturers in China.

STMicroelectronics was hit hard in the last two years, because Apple shifted its gyroscope business to InvenSense in 2014; however, STMicroelectronics won the Apple Watch business in 2015 with its 6-axis IMU and also increased its share of motion sensors used by Samsung in 2016.

2. Knowles

Knowles is still the dominant leader in MEMS microphones, leading the second-ranked suppler (Goertek) by a power of three in units and revenue. In addition to offering a wide range of analog and digital-output microphones, Knowles has also started shipping its VoiceIQ microphones with local processing in 2016, as it seeks to address both mobile and internet of things (IoT) applications.

While MEMS microphone price erosion has led to revenue decline for Knowles, it still ranks second after STMicroelectronics thanks to a favorable shift in Microphone adoption. The company has dramatically narrowed the lead enjoyed by STMicroelectronics — from more than $100 million in 2014 to just $10 million last year. Knowles provides a large share of MEMS sensors used in Apple’s products, as well as a share in most handsets, tablets and wearable products from other manufacturers.

3. InvenSense

InvenSense overtook Bosch and moved into third-ranked revenue position in the MEMS market last year. The company leads in consumer motion sensor revenue, thanks to dramatic volume growth for 6-axis IMUs as well as its dedicated optical-image stabilization (OIS) gyroscope. InvenSense is the standout MEMS supplier in terms of motion sensor revenue growth, with 26 percent year-over-year revenue growth, while the other sensor leaders suffer declining revenue.

Apple is the key and dominant source of this revenue for InvenSense, especially as it loses share in Samsung to STMicroelectronics in 2016. The company is increasingly pushing its MEMS microphone products against strong competition and hopes to release an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor in 2017 to capitalise on a rapidly growing segment.

top mems suppliers

Source: The IHS Markit MEMS & Sensors for Consumer & Mobile Intelligence Service provides comprehensive insight and analysis on MEMS sensors used in smartphones, wearables and consumer electronics. For information about purchasing this report, contact [email protected].

STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM) has been named the MEMS Manufacturer of the Year at the MEMS World Summit, the MEMS Manufacturing Conference gathering the top executives in the Worldwide MEMS Manufacturing Industry. The event took place in Shanghai on July 25-26, 2016.

The prestigious recognition from the advisory board members of the MEMS World Summit, which consists of leading research institutes, leading Equipment Manufacturers and MEMS Manufacturers, underlines ST’s position as an industry leader with 11 billion MEMS sensors shipped to date and the only company with the expertise to cover the full range of micro-machined silicon devices that include both sensors and micro-actuators. In naming ST, the jury highlighted the significant role of ST’s high-efficiency 6-axis MEMS sensor modules in driving the transformation of smartphones into intelligent personal assistants as one of the key winning factors. Other high-score criteria for ST included product development, revenue, and company culture.

“ST has always been a leader in MEMS and we want to recognize their continued presence at the top. The evaluating criteria for selecting this year’s winner were also based on factors such as revenue, product development, company culture, and company awareness,” said Salah Nasri, Advisory Board Chair of MEMS World Summit.

“The performance of 6-axis MEMS sensor modules, which have become a key building block of today’s consumer and IoT devices, has enabled new features in smartphones and more broadly new user experiences,” said Andrea Onetti, Group VP and General Manager, MEMS Sensors Division, STMicroelectronics. “ST is honored to receive this award as we strive to bring continuous innovation to the development and deployment of MEMS technologies for a variety of fields, including industrial and automotive.”

Andrea Onetti collected the Award on behalf of ST at the MEMS World Summit’s Gala Dinner.

Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADI) and Linear Technology Corporation (NASDAQ: LLTC) this week announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Analog Devices will acquire Linear Technology in a cash and stock transaction that values the combined enterprise at approximately $30 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement, Linear Technology shareholders will receive $46.00 per share in cash and 0.2321 of a share of Analog Devices common stock for each share of Linear Technology common stock they hold at the closing of the transaction. The transaction values Linear Technology at approximately $60.00 per share, representing an equity value for Linear Technology of approximately $14.8 billion.

“The combination of Analog Devices and Linear Technology brings together two of the strongest business and technology franchises in the semiconductor industry,” said Vincent Roche, President and Chief Executive Officer of Analog Devices. “Our shared focus on engineering excellence and our highly complementary portfolios of industry-leading products will enable us to solve our customers’ biggest and most complex challenges at the intersection of the physical and digital worlds. We are creating an unparalleled innovation and support partner for our industrial, automotive, and communications infrastructure customers, and I am very excited about what this acquisition means for our customers, our employees, and our industry. ”

Bob Swanson, Executive Chairman and Co-founder of Linear Technology, added, “For 35 years, Linear Technology has had great success by growing its business organically. However, this combination of Linear Technology and Analog Devices has the potential to create a combination where one plus one truly exceeds two. As a result, the Linear Technology Board concluded that this is a compelling transaction that delivers substantial value to our shareholders, and the opportunity for additional upside through stock in the combined company. Analog Devices is a highly respected company. By combining our complementary areas of technology strength, we have an excellent opportunity to reinforce our leadership across the analog and power semiconductor markets, enhancing shareholder value.

Together, Linear Technology and Analog Devices will advance the technology and deliver innovative analog solutions to our customers worldwide. We are committed to working with the ADI team to ensure a smooth transition.”

Mr. Roche concluded, “We have tremendous respect and admiration for the franchise created by Linear Technology. I have no doubt that the combination of our two companies will create a trusted leader in our industry, capable of generating tremendous value for all of our stakeholders.”

Following the transaction close, Mr. Roche, President and CEO of Analog Devices will continue to serve as President and CEO of the combined company, and David Zinsner, SVP and CFO of Analog Devices, will continue to serve as SVP and CFO of the combined company. Analog Devices and Linear Technology anticipate a combined company leadership team with strong representation from both companies across all functions.

The Linear Technology brand will continue to serve as the brand for Analog Devices’ power management offerings. The combined company will use the name Analog Devices, Inc. and continue to trade on the NASDAQ under the symbol ADI.

Analog Devices intends to fund the transaction with approximately 58 million new shares of Analog Devices common stock, approximately $7.3 billion of new long-term debt, and the remainder from the combined company’s balance sheet cash. The new long-term debt is supported by a fully underwritten bridge loan commitment and is expected to consist of term loans and bonds, with emphasis on pre- payable debt, to facilitate rapid deleveraging.

This transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. Closing of the transaction is expected by the end of the first half of calendar year 2017, and is subject to regulatory approvals in various jurisdictions, the approval of Linear Technology’s shareholders, and other customary closing conditions.

Researchers from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), the Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials (TISNCM), the National University of Science and Technology MISiS (Russia), and Rice University (USA) used computer simulations to find how thin a slab of salt has to be in order for it to break up into graphene-like layers. Based on the computer simulation, they derived the equation for the number of layers in a crystal that will produce ultrathin films with applications in nanoelectronics. Their findings were in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters (which has an impact factor of 8.54).

Transition from a cubic arrangement into several hexagonal layers. Credit: Authors of the study

Transition from a cubic arrangement into several hexagonal layers. Credit:
Authors of the study

From 3D to 2D

Unique monoatomic thickness of graphene makes it an attractive and useful material. Its crystal lattice resembles a honeycombs, as the bonds between the constituent atoms form regular hexagons. Graphene is a single layer of a three-dimensional graphite crystal and its properties (as well as properties of any 2D crystal) are radically different from its 3D counterpart. Since the discovery of graphene, a large amount of research has been directed at new two-dimensional materials with intriguing properties. Ultrathin films have unusual properties that might be useful for applications such as nano- and microelectronics.

Previous theoretical studies suggested that films with a cubic structure and ionic bonding could spontaneously convert to a layered hexagonal graphitic structure in what is known as graphitisation. For some substances, this conversion has been experimentally observed. It was predicted that rock salt NaCl can be one of the compounds with graphitisation tendencies. Graphitisation of cubic compounds could produce new and promising structures for applications in nanoelectronics. However, no theory has been developed that would account for this process in the case of an arbitrary cubic compound and make predictions about its conversion into graphene-like salt layers.

For graphitisation to occur, the crystal layers need to be reduced along the main diagonal of the cubic structure. This will result in one crystal surface being made of sodium ions Na? and the other of chloride ions Cl?. It is important to note that positive and negative ions (i.e. Na? and Cl?)–and not neutral atoms–occupy the lattice points of the structure. This generates charges of opposite signs on the two surfaces. As long as the surfaces are remote from each other, all charges cancel out, and the salt slab shows a preference for a cubic structure. However, if the film is made sufficiently thin, this gives rise to a large dipole moment due to the opposite charges of the two crystal surfaces. The structure seeks to get rid of the dipole moment, which increases the energy of the system. To make the surfaces charge-neutral, the crystal undergoes a rearrangement of atoms.

Experiment vs model

To study how graphitisation tendencies vary depending on the compound, the researchers examined 16 binary compounds with the general formula AB, where A stands for one of the four alkali metals lithium Li, sodium Na, potassium K, and rubidium Rb. These are highly reactive elements found in Group 1 of the periodic table. The B in the formula stands for any of the four halogens fluorine F, chlorine Cl, bromine Br, and iodine I. These elements are in Group 17 of the periodic table and readily react with alkali metals.

All compounds in this study come in a number of different structures, also known as crystal lattices or phases. If atmospheric pressure is increased to 300,000 times its normal value, an another phase (B2) of NaCl (represented by the yellow portion of the diagram) becomes more stable, effecting a change in the crystal lattice. To test their choice of methods and parameters, the researchers simulated two crystal lattices and calculated the pressure that corresponds to the phase transition between them. Their predictions agree with experimental data.

Just how thin should it be?

The compounds within the scope of this study can all have a hexagonal, “graphitic”, G phase (the red in the diagram) that is unstable in 3D bulk but becomes the most stable structure for ultrathin (2D or quasi-2D) films. The researchers identified the relationship between the surface energy of a film and the number of layers in it for both cubic and hexagonal structures. They graphed this relationship by plotting two lines with different slopes for each of the compounds studied. Each pair of lines associated with one compound has a common point that corresponds to the critical slab thickness that makes conversion from a cubic to a hexagonal structure energetically favourable. For example, the critical number of layers was found to be close to 11 for all sodium salts and between 19 and 27 for lithium salts.

Based on this data, the researchers established a relationship between the critical number of layers and two parameters that determine the strength of the ionic bonds in various compounds. The first parameter indicates the size of an ion of a given metal–its ionic radius. The second parameter is called electronegativity and is a measure of the ? atom’s ability to attract the electrons of element B. Higher electronegativity means more powerful attraction of electrons by the atom, a more pronounced ionic nature of the bond, a larger surface dipole, and a lower critical slab thickness.

And there’s more

Pavel Sorokin, Dr. habil., is head of the Laboratory of New Materials Simulation at TISNCM. He explains the importance of the study, ‘This work has already attracted our colleagues from Israel and Japan. If they confirm our findings experimentally, this phenomenon [of graphitisation] will provide a viable route to the synthesis of ultrathin films with potential applications in nanoelectronics.’

The scientists intend to broaden the scope of their studies by examining other compounds. They believe that ultrathin films of different composition might also undergo spontaneous graphitisation, yielding new layered structures with properties that are even more intriguing.

STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM) today announced that it has acquired ams’ (SIX: AMS) assets related to NFC1 and RFID2 reader business. ST has acquired intellectual property, technologies, products and business highly complementary to its secure microcontroller solutions serving mobile devices, wearables, banking, identification, industrial, automotive and IoT markets. Approximately 50 technical experts from ams have been transferred to ST.

The acquired assets, combined with ST’s secure microcontrollers, position ST for a significant growth opportunity, with a complete portfolio of technologies, products and competencies that comprehensively address the full range of the NFC and RFID markets for a wide customer base.

“Security and NFC connectivity are key prerequisites for the broad rollout of mobile and IoT devices anticipated in the coming years. This acquisition builds on our deep expertise in secure microcontrollers and gives ST all of the building blocks to create the next generation of highly-integrated secure NFC solutions for mobile and for a broad range of Internet of Things devices,” said Claude Dardanne, Executive Vice President and General Manager of STMicroelectronics’ Microcontroller and Digital ICs Group. “We welcome this highly competent team from ams into ST for the benefit of our customers.”

The first NFC controller, leveraging the acquired assets, is already sampling to lead customers, as well as a new high-performance, highly-integrated System-in-Package solution which combines this NFC controller with ST’s secure element.

ST acquired the ams assets in exchange for a (i) cash payment of $77.8 million (funded with available cash), and (ii) deferred earn-out contingent on future results for which ST currently estimates will be about $13 million but which in any case will not exceed $37 million.

Busch, LLC, manufacturer and retailer of vacuum pumps, compressors and blowers with a reputation for reliable high-performing vacuum products, this week announced plans to build a new 44,000 sq. ft. building in Austin, Texas. The new facility will offer single piece flow re- manufacturing with four flow line capabilities, processing 16 modules per day from disassembly to testing. It also has the potential to serve as a distribution hub for pumps and parts.

Some upgraded features of the building include additional space, a training center, a fully exhausted disassembly area and visual production planning by way of large screens in each area tracking actual movements in the flow lines. Additionally, the new facility offers climate controls for the production area and process measurement capability of all hard parts. A visitor walkway will allow visitors to view the production area without entering it, and customers will be able to track their repairs via the web in real time.

Additionally, the entire workflow of the building is in line with the seven steps of flow line production: purge and de-systemize, disassembly/hot wash, blast, presentation, assembly, frame assembly, and testing.

Beyond its gloom, the MEMS industry is showing numerous emerging devices that hold promise for future growth. These innovative MEMS solutions were listed by the MEMS & Sensors team of Yole Développement (Yole) in the Status of the MEMS Industry 2016 report (Yole Développement, May 2016). Today, more than 100 businesses, startups and large companies are involved in exciting developments using MEMS technology. The MEMS approach can be defined as a transfer function: It lowers cost and improves integration and performance.

transfer function

“MEMS can be seen as a ‘transfer function’ using semiconductor and micromachining technologies to create devices replacing devices that are more complex, bulky or less sensitive,” explains Dr. Eric Mounier, Sr. Technology & Market Analyst at Yole. Yole has identified at least 5 criteria that determine the success of a MEMS device. They are: size reduction, potential cost reduction, “good enough” specifications, batch manufacturing compared to existing solutions, and reliability.
At least 10 to 15 years of development are required to achieve all the successful criteria.

“Based on this segmentation, and out of all the MEMS devices in development that could undergo significant growth in the future, we foresee ultrasonic and gas sensors as well as microspeaker as the next success for the MEMS industry,” details Dr. Mounier.

As Yole’s market forecast announces, the gas sensor market is showing a 7.3% CAGR for the 2014–2021 period. The market should reach US$920 million in 2021. Moreover Yole’s analysts highlight a potential upside market of almost US$65 million in 2021. This positive scenario might be possible if gas sensors are widely adopted in consumer products, analysts say (Source: Gas Sensor Technology & Market report, Yole Développement, February 2016).

Microspeakers could be part of the success story as well. Indeed a big transition is happening now: for the first time, silicon speakers are ready for volume production, enabling the creation of a brand-new multibillion-dollar market for MEMS manufacturers. Last month, Yole’s analysts had an interesting interview with USound, an Austrian company founded three years ago by several veterans of the MEMS industry.

“Prototypes of the first balanced-armature replacement and the first micro-tweeter are currently being sampled to selected customers,” USound asserted. “Pre-production will start at the end of the summer, along with internal qualification. The technology is ready for adoption and will revolutionize the personal-audio market, similar to what happened with the MEMS microphone.”

USound intends to evolve into an audio-system developer, offering complete solutions ranging from hardware to firmware, in order to simplify technology adoption and help our customers achieve optimum product performance. To read the full interview, click USound.

For the next few months, Yole will pursue its investigation into the MEMS world. Numerous technology and market reports will be released, and Yole’s MEMS & Sensors team will attend many key conferences to present its vision of the industry.

For example, in mid-September Yole will be part of two major events in Asia: MEMS & Sensors Conference Asia and Sensor Expo & Conference – China. At both conferences, Yole will present attendees with the status of the industry and its new virtuous cycle. Yole’s Speaker, Claire Troadec, MEMS & Semiconductor Manufacturing Analyst, will focus her presentation on the Chinese MEMS industry, which is steadily transforming from “Made in China” to “Created in China.” Claire will also review the Chinese MEMS players and the new virtuous cycle the MEMS industry.

It may be clammy and inconvenient, but human sweat has at least one positive characteristic – it can give insight to what’s happening inside your body. A new study published in the ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology aims to take advantage of sweat’s trove of medical information through the development of a sustainable, wearable sensor to detect lactate levels in your perspiration.

“When the human body undergoes strenuous exercise, there’s a point at which aerobic muscle function becomes anaerobic muscle function,” says Jenny Ulyanova, CFD Research Corporation (CFDRC) researcher and co-author of the paper. “At that point, lactate is produce at a faster rate than it is being consumed. When that happens, knowing what those levels are can be an indicator of potentially problematic conditions like muscle fatigue, stress, and dehydration.”

Utilizing green technology

Using sweat to track changes in the body is not a new concept. While there have been many developments in recent years to sense changes in the concentrations of the components of sweat, no purely biological green technology has been used for these devices. The team of CFDRC researchers, in collaboration with the University of New Mexico, developed an enzyme-based sensor powered by a biofuel cell – providing a safe, renewable power source.

Biofuel cells have become a promising technology in the field of energy storage, but still face many issues related to short active lifetimes, low power densities, and low efficiency levels. However, they have several attractive points, including their ability to use renewable fuels like glucose and implement affordable, renewable catalysts.

“The biofuel cell works in this particular case because the sensor is a low-power device,” Ulyanova says. “They’re very good at having high energy densities, but power densities are still a work in progress. But for low-power applications like this particular sensor, it works very well.”

In their research, entitled “Wearable Sensor System Powered by a Biofuel Cell for Detection of Lactate Levels in Sweat,” the team powered the biofuel cells with a fuel based on glucose. This same enzymatic technology, where the enzymes oxidize the fuel and generate energy, is used at the working electrode of the sensor which allows for the detection of lactate in your sweat.

Targeting lactate

While the use of the biofuel cell is a novel aspect of this work, what sets it apart from similar developments in the field is the use of electrochemical processes to very accurately detect a specific compound in a very complex medium like sweat.

“We’re doing it electrochemically, so we’re looking at applying a constant load to the sensor and generating a current response,” Ulyanova says, “which is directly proportional to the concentration of our target analyte.”

Practical applications

Originally, the sensor was developed to help detect and predict conditions related to lactate levels (i.e. fatigue and dehydration) for military personnel.

“The sensor was designed for a soldier in training at boot camp,” says Sergio Omar Garcia, CFDRC researcher and co-author of the paper, “but it could be applied to people that are active and anyone participating in strenuous activity.”

As for commercial applications, the researchers believe the device could be used as a training aid to monitor lactate changes in the same way that athletes use heart rate monitors to see how their heart rate changes during exercise.

On-body testing

The team is currently working to redesign the physical appearance of the patch to move from laboratory research to on-body tests. Once the scientists optimize how the sensor adheres to the skin, its sweat sample delivery/removal, and the systems electronic components, volunteers will test its capabilities while exercising.

“We had actually talked about this idea to some local high school football coaches,” Ulyanova says, “and they seem to really like it and are willing to put forth the use of their players to beta test the idea.”

After initial data is gathered, the team will be able to work with other groups to interpret the data and relate it to the physical condition of the person. With this, predictive models could be built to potentially help prevent conditions related to individual overexertion.

Future plans for the device include implementing wireless transmission of results and the development of a suite of sensors (a hybrid sensor) that can detect various other biomolecules, indicative of physical or physiological stressors.

A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME) has launched two consortia on advanced packaging, the Silicon Photonics Packaging consortium (Phase II) and the MEMS Wafer Level Chip Scale Packaging (WLCSP) consortium. They will develop novel solutions in the heterogeneous integration of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and silicon photonics devices, which will boost overall performance and drive down production costs. The new consortia will leverage on IME’s expertise in MEMS design, fabrication, wafer level packaging process, as well as silicon photonics packaging modules and processes.

The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) is driving the rapid growth of diversified technologies which are key enablers in major application domains such as smart phones, tablets, wearable technology; and network infrastructures that support wireless communications.

However, this trend requires the complex integration of non-digital functions of “More-than-Moore” technologies such as MEMS with digital components into compact systems that have a smaller form factor, higher power efficiency and cost less. The onset of big data, cloud computing and high speed broadband wireless communications also calls for novel use of silicon photonics. Silicon photonics are a critical enabler of high density interconnects and high bandwidth, to meet high optical network requirements cost-effectively.

In the previous Silicon Photonics Packaging Consortium (Phase I), IME and its industry partners developed new capabilities in necessary device library and associated tool boxes to enable the integration of low profile lateral fiber assembly, laser diode and photonics devices. By employing a laser welding technique, the consortium demonstrated a fiber-chip-fiber loss of less than 8 decibel (dB) with less than 1.5dB excess packaging loss. These capabilities enabled integrated silicon photonic circuits to provide higher data rates at lower cost and power consumption. For details, please refer to Annex A.

Building on these achievements, the Silicon Photonics Packaging Consortium (Phase II) will develop a broad spectrum of silicon photonics packaging methodology. The consortium will further develop low loss silicon coupling modules, and provide a series of packaging solutions for laser diode integration. It will also focus on developing accurate thermal models, as well as improve overall module thermal management, reliability and radio-frequency (RF) performance to meet very high data bandwidth demand. All these new developments will lead to a more integrated packaging solution which promises better assembly margins and lower module costs.

IME’s MEMS WLCSP Consortium has also been established to develop a cost- effective integration packaging platform for capped MEMS and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices. This platform could be used for any MEMS devices with cavity-capping such as timing devices, inertial sensors, and RF MEMS packaging.

Conventional chip stacking that relies on a through-silicon via (TSV) and wire bonding on substrate method will usually result in high costs and large form factor. The consortium aims to lower production costs and achieve smaller footprint by developing a TSV-free over-mold wafer level packaging solution for MEMS-capped wafer using a novel metal deposited silicon pillar and wire bonding as a through mold interconnects.

The consortium aims to reduce form factor of integrated MEMS and CMOS devices by approximately 20 per cent, and lower manufacturing costs by approximately 15 per cent. These cost-effective packaging solutions are also expected to produce better electrical and reliability performance.

“These consortia partnerships play a critical role in developing innovative solutions to meet emerging market demands. Through these collaborations, we will elevate our capabilities from developing MEMS and silicon photonics devices to developing advanced solutions in heterogeneous integration. The capabilities developed will enable our industry partners to capture new growth opportunities in the IoT space and accelerate market adoption of cost-effective technologies,” said Prof. Dim-Lee Kwong, Executive Director of IME.

“Silicon photonics packaging is a crucial technology for the commercialisation of silicon photonic devices. The partnership generated remarkable results in the Silicon Photonics Packaging Consortium Phase I, and we are pleased to continue with the second phase, which will expand the application of silicon photonics with innovative approaches in terms of LD integration and RF performance. Through this consortium, Fujikura will accelerate the development of compact and cost-effective optical communications for diverse markets,” said Mr. Kenji Nishide, Executive Officer, General Manager, Advanced Technology Laboratory, Fujikura Ltd.

“Currently, it is anticipated that the demand for sensors will grow from billions to trillions by 2050. This demand is being driven by the emergence of sensor based smart systems fusing computing, connectivity and sensing in the context of the Internet of Things. IME’s packaging consortia partnership will allow us to identify and develop MEMS packaging innovative solutions in order to scale up for the Internet of Things,” said Mr. Mo Maghsoudnia, Vice President of Technology and Worldwide Manufacturing of InvenSense.

Mr. Shim Il Kwon, Chief Technology Officer, STATS ChipPAC said, “As the number of MEMS devices in emerging IoT applications continues to grow, semiconductor packaging will have a significant impact on the performance, size and cost targets that can be achieved. By collaborating with partners in the consortia, we will be able to help drive the cost effective integration of MEMS and ASICs in high performance, high yield WLCSP solutions for IoT products.”

Today SEMI announced registration opened for Europe’s largest electronics manufacturing exhibition, SEMICON Europa (25-26 October) in Grenoble. Featuring over 100 hours of technical sessions and presentations, SEMICON Europa includes semiconductor equipment and materials as well as additional topics, such as Imaging, Power Electronics, and Advanced Packaging. Newly restructured Fab Management Forum and a new flexible hybrid electronics conference, 2016FLEX.  Innovation Village returns, focused on startups and emerging technologies. Register now to take advantage of early-bird pricing for conferences, forums, and select sessions.

SEMICON Europa’s Fab Manager Forum has expanded to become the Fab Management Forum, to address a wider audience – with best practices for management, organization, and manufacturing in new wafer fabs.  SEMICON Europa’s Advanced Packaging Forum is more important than ever in the industry’s efforts to shrink devices to smaller form factors, lower power consumption, and flexible designs.

The new flexible hybrid electronics conference 2016FLEX Europe will debut at SEMICON Europa, replacing the Plastics Electronics Conference.  Program topics focus on the integration of silicon electronics onto flexible and printed substrates in a wide range of applications including: automotive, medical, wearables, IoT and others.

SEMICON Europa rotates between Grenoble (France) and Dresden (Germany), two of Europe’s largest electronic clusters. With the support of public and private stakeholders across Europe, the new SEMICON Europa enables exhibitors to reach new audiences and business partners and take full advantage of the strong microelectronic clusters in Europe. Over 400 exhibitors at SEMICON Europa represent the suppliers of Europe’s leading electronics companies. Learn more about exhibiting at SEMICON Europa.

To learn more about SEMICON Europa (exhibition or registration), please visit: www.semiconeuropa.org/en. Register now to secure your space and take advantage of SEMICON Europa’s early-bird pricing and exhibition opportunities.