Category Archives: MEMS

Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), a leading global university-research consortium for semiconductor technologies, today announced that ARM has joined SRC’s Global Research Collaboration (GRC) program.

Research in the GRC program focuses on current semiconductor industry priorities, including the continued scaling of semiconductor technologies and finding diverse applications for them. The program has also expanded into new areas, including cybersecurity, technologies at the convergence of semiconductors and biology, novel approaches to energy-efficient computing, and the Internet of Things.

“We are pleased to have ARM join SRC’s Global Research Collaboration program.  GRC members are among the top semiconductor companies in the world and ARM is no exception,” said Celia Merzbacher, Vice President for Innovative Partnerships at SRC. “SRC supports a broad portfolio of innovative research driven by long-term industry needs. Members get access to the results in near real time and to the SRC-supported network of university researchers, comprising hundreds of faculty and thousands of students worldwide annually.  SRC has a record of investing in early stage research that had enormous impact industry-wide.”

“As process geometries shrink, the challenges of improving performance and energy efficiency through high levels of SoC integration are increasingly complex,” said Eric Hennenhoefer, Vice President, ARM Research. “The most effective way of addressing these challenges is through collaborative R&D. Joining SRC allows ARM to make a contribution and help drive the advancements from which the semiconductor industry as a whole can benefit.”

ULVAC, Inc. announced that the company has developed G-TRAN series multi ionization gauge ST2, a transducer-type ionization vacuum gauge with a long product life that maintains high measurement accuracy even under harsh conditions, and will start selling the product in October 2015.

A variety of gas molecules may exist in a vacuum space under certain conditions. Therefore, it is not uncommon that vacuum measurements are performed under conditions that are severe for a vacuum gauge. As a result, we often hear that users encounter problems regarding lifetime of vacuum gauges (a short product life due to contamination, problems in electrical discharge, an increase in sensor head replacement frequency, etc.) and measurement accuracy (variation in sensitivity, errors, etc.). Major reasons for these difficulties are the following:

  • Outgassing released during various vacuum processes
  • Outgassing released from test pieces (samples)
  • Residue of cutting oil or cleaning fluid used during processing vacuum
    chambers
  • Outgassing released from wiring materials, moving mechanisms, motors,
    etc. inside vacuum chambers

These elements contaminate sensor heads causing problems such as a reduction in the length of life of filaments, a decrease in sensitivity, and failures in emission current and electric discharge. To avoid such problems, it is necessary to replace sensor heads periodically. More frequent replacement of sensor heads leads to:

  • An increase in running costs for sensor heads, which are consumables
  • Losses caused by suspension of production lines (systems) during
    replacement of sensor heads
  • An increase in time and effort required to replace them

To resolve these difficulties, ULVAC has developed an ionization vacuum gauge with a structure designed to lighten the load on ion collectors by reducing the ion current value per area and to make electric potential in ionized space uniform. This gauge enables the performance of accurate measurements for a longer period of time (more than 30 times longer compared to our conventional models) even under harsh conditions for ionization vacuum gauges. We believe our new product will greatly contribute to reducing running costs and downtime of your various vacuum systems and improving yield ratio.

Features of the new ionization vacuum gauge G-TRANS series ST2 are:

  • ULVAC’s unique electrode structure: Stable sensitivity, high precision, long product life (more than 30 times longer compared to our conventional models) and low running costs.
  • Compact metal tube: Smaller install space and lower risk of sensor head damage.
  • Multi-ion gauge-type sensor unit: Connecting the Pirani vacuum gauge unit and the atmospheric pressure sensor enables a reduction in control signals.
Rectennas in Baratunde A. Cola's NEST (NanoEngineered Systems and Transport) lab

Rectennas in Baratunde A. Cola’s NEST (NanoEngineered Systems and Transport) lab

Using nanometer-scale components, researchers have demonstrated the first optical rectenna, a device that combines the functions of an antenna and a rectifier diode to convert light directly into DC current.

Based on multiwall carbon nanotubes and tiny rectifiers fabricated onto them, the optical rectennas could provide a new technology for photodetectors that would operate without the need for cooling, energy harvesters that would convert waste heat to electricity–and ultimately for a new way to efficiently capture solar energy.

In the new devices, developed by engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the carbon nanotubes act as antennas to capture light from the sun or other sources. As the waves of light hit the nanotube antennas, they create an oscillating charge that moves through rectifier devices attached to them. The rectifiers switch on and off at record high petahertz speeds, creating a small direct current.

Billions of rectennas in an array can produce significant current, though the efficiency of the devices demonstrated so far remains below one percent. The researchers hope to boost that output through optimization techniques, and believe that a rectenna with commercial potential may be available within a year.

“We could ultimately make solar cells that are twice as efficient at a cost that is ten times lower, and that is to me an opportunity to change the world in a very big way” said Baratunde Cola, an associate professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. “As a robust, high-temperature detector, these rectennas could be a completely disruptive technology if we can get to one percent efficiency. If we can get to higher efficiencies, we could apply it to energy conversion technologies and solar energy capture.”

The research, supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center and the Army Research Office (ARO), is reported September 28 in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Developed in the 1960s and 1970s, rectennas have operated at wavelengths as short as ten microns, but for more than 40 years researchers have been attempting to make devices at optical wavelengths. There were many challenges: making the antennas small enough to couple optical wavelengths, and fabricating a matching rectifier diode small enough and able to operate fast enough to capture the electromagnetic wave oscillations. But the potential of high efficiency and low cost kept scientists working on the technology.

“The physics and the scientific concepts have been out there,” said Cola. “Now was the perfect time to try some new things and make a device work, thanks to advances in fabrication technology.”

Using metallic multiwall carbon nanotubes and nanoscale fabrication techniques, Cola and collaborators Asha Sharma, Virendra Singh and Thomas Bougher constructed devices that utilize the wave nature of light rather than its particle nature. They also used a long series of tests–and more than a thousand devices–to verify measurements of both current and voltage to confirm the existence of rectenna functions that had been predicted theoretically. The devices operated at a range of temperatures from 5 to 77 degrees Celsius.

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Fabricating the rectennas begins with growing forests of vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes on a conductive substrate. Using atomic layer chemical vapor deposition, the nanotubes are coated with an aluminum oxide material to insulate them. Finally, physical vapor deposition is used to deposit optically-transparent thin layers of calcium then aluminum metals atop the nanotube forest. The difference of work functions between the nanotubes and the calcium provides a potential of about two electron volts, enough to drive electrons out of the carbon nanotube antennas when they are excited by light.

In operation, oscillating waves of light pass through the transparent calcium-aluminum electrode and interact with the nanotubes. The metal-insulator-metal junctions at the nanotube tips serve as rectifiers switching on and off at femtosecond intervals, allowing electrons generated by the antenna to flow one way into the top electrode. Ultra-low capacitance, on the order of a few attofarads, enables the 10-nanometer diameter diode to operate at these exceptional frequencies.

“A rectenna is basically an antenna coupled to a diode, but when you move into the optical spectrum, that usually means a nanoscale antenna coupled to a metal-insulator-metal diode,” Cola explained. “The closer you can get the antenna to the diode, the more efficient it is. So the ideal structure uses the antenna as one of the metals in the diode–which is the structure we made.”

The rectennas fabricated by Cola’s group are grown on rigid substrates, but the goal is to grow them on a foil or other material that would produce flexible solar cells or photodetectors.

Cola sees the rectennas built so far as simple proof of principle. He has ideas for how to improve the efficiency by changing the materials, opening the carbon nanotubes to allow multiple conduction channels, and reducing resistance in the structures.

“We think we can reduce the resistance by several orders of magnitude just by improving the fabrication of our device structures,” he said. “Based on what others have done and what the theory is showing us, I believe that these devices could get to greater than 40 percent efficiency.”

Notes:

This work was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center, Pacific under YFA grant N66001-09-1-2091, and by the Army Research Office (ARO), through the Young Investigator Program (YIP), under agreement W911NF-13-1-0491. The statements in this release are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of DARPA, SPAWAR or ARO. Georgia Tech has filed international patent applications related to this work under PCT/US2013/065918 in the United States (U.S.S.N. 14/434,118), Europe (No. 13847632.0), Japan (No. 2015-538110) and China (No. 201380060639.2)

CITATION: Asha Sharma, Virendra Singh, Thomas L. Bougher and Baratunde A. Cola, “A carbon nanotube optical rectenna,” (Nature Nanotechnology, 2015). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2015.220

The Full Service Foundry division of ams AG, a leading provider of high performance analog ICs and sensors, today announced a further expansion of its industry-leading 0.35µm High-Voltage CMOS specialty process platform. The advanced “H35” process provided by the High-Voltage process expert ams now includes a set of truly voltage scalable transistors offering significant area and performance improvements.

The new voltage scalable High-Voltage NMOS and PMOS transistor devices are optimized for various drain-source voltage levels (VDS) from 20V to 100V and provide significant lower on-resistance thus resulting in area savings. Using an optimized 30V NMOS transistor in power management applications instead of a fixed 50V transistor results in an area saving of approximately 50%. A 60V optimized NMOS device results in 22% less area when compared to a standard 120V NMOS transistor. Foundry customers developing complex High-Voltage analog/mixed-signal applications such as large driver and switching ICs instantly benefit from more dies per wafer.

The area optimized devices are ideally suited for a wide range of applications such as MEMS drivers, motor drivers, switches and power management ICs used in automotive, medical and industrial products. ams’ Full Service Foundry division is among first foundries worldwide offering true voltage scalable transistors to its foundry customers. Being fully automotive (ISO/TS 16949) and medical (ISO 13485) certified, ams supports highest quality requirements from its customers.

“Being among first foundries worldwide offering true voltage scalable devices, proofs ams’ expertise in developing specialty High-Voltage CMOS processes and providing excellent manufacturing services. ams’ foundry team is looking forward to teaming up with product developers who are creating advanced High-Voltage products”, said Markus Wuchse, general manager of ams’ Full Service Foundry division. “Our hitkit, the ams benchmark Process Design Kit as well as our High-Voltage process expertise enable our partners to optimize their HV integrated circuits towards area and on-resistance, which immediately results in more dies per wafer.”

This latest High-Voltage process extension is an add-on to the company’s ”More Than Silicon” portfolio, under which ams provides a package of technology modules, intellectual property, cell libraries, engineering consultancy and services to help customers successfully develop advanced analog and mixed-signal circuit designs based on its specialty technologies.

ULVAC, Inc. announced that it has recently developed and started selling the ECO-SHOCK ES4A, a power saving accessory for dry vacuum pumps that can reduce power consumption substantially by attaching to the dry vacuum pump exhaust line.

Dry vacuum pumps consume particularly large amounts of electricity in production lines. Therefore, it is important to reduce their power consumption. ULVAC has already released the ECO-SHOCK ES10, which reduces power consumption when attached to a dry vacuum pump exhaust line. However, it has been difficult to reduce power consumption of dry vacuum pumps that are used for frequent pumping down of loading/unloading chambers of vacuum systems and use large amounts of sealing gas. To resolve this difficulty, ULVAC has launched the ECO-SHOCK ES4A.

Features:

  • The ECO-SHOCK ES4A makes possible a substantial reduction in power consumption of dry vacuum pumps used for the following purposes: Dry vacuum pumps that are used for frequent pumping down of loading/unloading chambers; dry vacuum pumps that use large amounts of sealed gas.
  • There is no degradation of pumping speed because any control such as rotation speed adjustment is required when attaching it to dry vacuum pump. Also, even if the ES4A was broken down, there is no decrease in performance of dry vacuum pump.

The ECO-SHOCK ES4A can be attached to dry pump exhaust lines that have already been installed. It can be used to pump down air, nitrogen, argon and other stable and safe gases. However, it cannot be used in applications such as flammable, burn ability and toxic gas exhausts, or for solid/fluid suction. It can also be used for a dry vacuum pump, which does not affect performance when making exhaust port under vacuum.

X-FAB Silicon Foundries, a More-than-Moore foundry, today announced new transistors that have drastically reduced flicker noise on its mixed-signal 0.35µm and 0.18µm CMOS process platforms. Flicker noise in CMOS MOSFETs has been reduced in both the n-channel device in the XH035 0.35µm process and the p-channel device in the XH018 0.18µm process by a factor of five, thereby setting the industry benchmark.

The new XH035 3.3V n-channel MOSFET has a lower flicker noise comparable to that of its companion XH035 3.3V p-channel MOSFET, when referenced to its input, and maintains the standard n-channel MOSFET’s threshold voltage and current drive capability. Using both types of low-noise transistors it is possible to design improved, lower-noise amplifier variants with a significantly higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and to make circuits that are more compact with better performance and are more cost-effective. Similarly, the new 0.18µm process XH018 3.3V p-channel MOSFET exhibits a much lower flicker noise level than the standard p-channel device. The new low-noise XH018 3.3V p-channel device behavior now is similar to that of the low-noise XH035 3.3V p-channel MOSFET device.

Dr. Jens Kosch, Chief Technical Officer at X-FAB, explained the significance and cost-effectiveness of the new low-noise CMOS transistors: “For years X-FAB has set the benchmark for low-noise transistors with our p-channel MOSFET transistor in our 0.35µm technology. When our customers asked for additional low-noise transistors, we developed our XH035 low-noise n-channel MOS transistor (NMOS) and our XH018 p-channel MOS transistor. The combination of the complementary XH035 n- and p-channel transistors offers designers more freedom in their circuit designs. No longer are they limited to only a low-noise p-channel device, and they benefit from having no additional mask layer expense. In addition, the new XH018 p-channel device makes it possible to develop noise-critical designs for 0.18µm processes.”

The new 0.35µm lower-noise n-channel transistor and its low-noise p-channel counterpart, integrated within the XH035 process design kit (PDK), are available immediately for new designs. Noise parameters are included within the device models to facilitate an accurate simulation of the noise behavior of a circuit prior to its actual use. For the 0.18µm XH018 process, the new lower-noise 3.3V p-channel MOSFET will become available for new designs in November 2015.

Tektronix, Inc., a worldwide provider of test, measurement and monitoring instrumentation, today announced the release of a major system software update (KTE version 5.6) for the Keithley S530 Parametric Test System that can reduce measurement speed by as much as 25 percent. This translates into increased wafer-level test throughput and directly improves the S530’s cost of ownership (COO) for semiconductor production and R&D departments.

Lower manufacturing costs and increased yields are key goals for semiconductor production companies who must also deal with evolving materials and device structures. In-line parametric test throughput and overall COO are directly related to the time it takes to complete all necessary measurements across semiconductor wafers. This new release of the Keithley Test Environment (KTE) software for the popular S530 steps up to these demands by delivering a significant improvement in test performance.

“When it comes to manufacturing and testing modern IC devices, driving down the cost-of-ownership is the name of the game,” said Mike Flaherty, general manager, Keithley product line at Tektronix. “With this latest release, we’ve taken the parametric test system with the best COO and reduced measurement time even further for improved in-line wafer test throughput. This will help our customers improve the bottom line and stay competitive in a fast-moving industry.”

The software upgrade for the S530 includes enhancements to system SMUs that reduce settling time associated with low current measurements. Faster current measurements result in faster overall system measurement speeds. New system measurement settings and streamlined software execution further improve system speed. The upgrade also includes integration of Tektronix’s newest Keithley digital multimeter (DMM) for faster low voltage and low resistance measurements.

United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), a global semiconductor foundry, today announced that it has entered high volume production for touch IC applications manufactured on UMC’s 0.11um eFlash process. The specialized technology, first introduced by UMC in late 2012 as the foundry industry’s first, true 12-volt aluminum back-end-of-line (BEoL) process, is developed for next generation touch controller IC and IoT applications. Compared to 0.18um, 0.11um provides smaller and faster logic devices for higher performance, while enabling the integration of higher density embedded Flash and SRAM for use in microcontrollers for touch-screen products of all sizes.

Kurt Huang, senior director of corporate marketing at UMC, said, “Touch panels have become the predominant interface used for today’s electronics. A key advantage of UMC’s touch platform solution is that we provide the 0.11um eFlash with proprietary flash macro design services to IC designers. We also offer the best cost vs. performance by incorporating an aluminum BEoL process to serve the highly competitive touch IC market. In addition, just like our 0.18um eFlash, support for true 12-volt power meets the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) requirements needed for today’s larger touch screens and ‘hovering’ applications used during web navigation on touch surfaces.”

UMC’s 0.11um touch IC platform delivers more than three times the SNR improvement over today’s widely used 3.3V solution, allowing IC designers to create a new generation of enhanced touch interface products. The foundry has extensive experience manufacturing touch controller ICs, with more than 30 touch customers in production at the foundry and over 40 million touch ICs shipped per month. The 0.11um process is developed on 8-inch manufacturing using the most aggressive aluminum BEoL technology, allowing touch IC designers to enjoy lower NRE and related costs to increase market competitiveness. UMC also provides in-house flash IP to speed time-to-market and facilitate customization to address evolving market trends. An ultra-low leakage (uLL) process is currently being developed to further reduce core current on devices and SRAM by up to four times.

By Peter Connock, chairman of memsstar and co-chair of the European SEMI Secondary Equipment and Applications Special Interest Group

The dramatic shift from the trend for increasingly advanced technology to a vast array and volume of application-based devices presents Europe with a huge opportunity. Europe is a world leader in several major market segments – think automotive and healthcare as two examples – and many more are developing and growing at a rapid rate. Europe has the technology and manufacturing skills to satisfy these new markets but they must be addressed cost effectively – and that’s where the use of secondary equipment and related services comes in.

Secondary Equipment & Applications ─ Enabling the Internet of “Everything”

While Moore’s Law continues to drive the production of advanced devices, the broadening of the “More than Moore” market is poised to explode. All indicators are pointing to a major expansion in applications to support a massive increase in data interchange through sensors and related devices. The devices used to support these applications will range from simple sensors to complex packages but most can, and will, be built by “lower” technology level manufacturing equipment.

This equipment will, in many cases, be required to be “remanufactured” and “repurposed” but will allow semiconductor suppliers to extend the use of their depreciated equipment and/or bring in additional equipment, matched to their process needs, at reduced cost. In many cases this older equipment will need to be supported by advanced manufacturing control techniques and new test and packaging capabilities.

SEMI market research shows that investment in “legacy” fabs is important in manufacturing semiconductor products, including the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) class of devices and sensors, and remains a sizeable portion of the industries manufacturing base:

  • 150mm and 200mm fab capacity represent approximately 40 percent of the total installed fab capacity
  • 200mm fab capacity is on the rise, led by foundries that are increasing 200mm capacity by about 7 percent through to 2016 compared to 2012 levels
  • New applications related to mobility, sensing, and IoT are expected to provide opportunities for manufacturers with 200mm fabs

SEMI_Europe1

Out of the total US$ 27 billion spent in 2013 on fab equipment and US$ 31 billion spent on fab equipment in 2014, secondary fab equipment represents approximately 5 percent of the total, or US$ 1.5 billion, annually, according to SEMI’s 2015 secondary fab equipment market report. For 2014, 200mm fab investments by leading foundries and IDMs resulted in a 45 percent increase in spending for secondary 200mm equipment.

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Establishing a Vibrant and Professional Secondary Equipment Industry in Europe

Secondary equipment will form at least part of the strategy of almost anyone manufacturing or developing semiconductors in Europe. In many cases, it is an essential capability for competitive production. As the secondary equipment industry increases its strategic importance to semiconductor manufacturers and researchers it is critical that the corresponding supply chain ensures a supply of quality equipment, support and services to meet rapidly developing consumer needs. Common challenges across the supply chain include:

  • How to generate cooperation across Europe between secondary equipment users and suppliers and what sort of cooperation is needed?
  • How to ensure the availability of sufficient engineering resource to support the European secondary installed base?
  • Are there shortages of donor systems or critical components that are restricting the use of secondary equipment and, if so, how might this be resolved

Join us at SEMICON Europa to find out more about Europe’s Secondary Industry

Europe’s secondary industry will be in the spotlight during two sessions at SEMICON Europa 2015:

The sessions are organized by the SEMI SEA Europe Group and are open to everyone associated with the secondary industry, be they device manufacturer or supplier, interested in the development of a vibrant industry providing critical support to cost effective manufacturing in Europe.

About the Secondary Equipment and Applications (SEA) Group

The SEA group in Europe is working on activities to:

  • Increase market knowledge
  • Create a European network of relevant customers, suppliers and representative organizations
  • Establish quality and standards in secondary equipment
  • Catalyze Engineering resource development
  • Understand key issues facing the European Secondary industry and any required project activity (e.g., impact of EU laws such as RoHS2, parts supply, etc.)

The market for microcontroller units (MCUs) used in Internet of things (IoT) applications is on the rise, which is having a positive effect on overall MCU market growth. The market for MCUs used in connected cars, wearable electronics, building automation and other IoT applications is expected to grow at an overall compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11 percent, from $1.7 billion in 2014 to $2.8 billion in 2019, according to IHS Inc., the leading global source of critical information and insight. The overall MCU market is expected to grow at a CAGR of just 4 percent through 2019.

IHS_MCU_market_IoT_apps_chart “What some still consider to be only hype surrounding emerging IoT trends has already begun disrupting the MCU market,” said Tom Hackenberg, senior analyst for IHS Technology. “In fact, without the influence of IoT application growth, the MCU market is predicted to stagnate by the end of the decade.”

According to the latest Microcontroller Market Tracker from IHS, IoT comprises both existing Internet-protocol- (IP-) addressable devices and Internet-connectable electronic devices. This definition differs from the Internet of everything (IoE), whereby even unconnected electronics and unconnected objects are expected to be represented on the Web.

IHS sub-divides the IoT market into three distinct categories: controllers, such as PCs and smartphones; infrastructure, such as routers and servers; and nodes, such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, traffic lights and appliances. “Each of these categories offers a distinct opportunity for suppliers of hardware, software and services,” Hackenberg said.

“The IoT trend has a strong relationship with the MCU market, as the small nodes used for connectivity, and sensor hubs to collect and log data, are primarily based on MCU platforms,” Hackenberg continued. “Most serious suppliers of MCUs are already closely following the hype around the billions of connected devices; however, the industry’s challenge now is to quantify this new opportunity, since IoT is a conceptual trend, not a device, application or even a new feature.”

Given that IoT connectivity demands a new consideration of semiconductor features, many semiconductor companies have begun developing IoT platform solutions, while others have reorganized with an IoT division to address this real opportunity. This is especially true in the MCU market. Among the semiconductor suppliers adopting loT-focused strategies are: Atmel Corporation, Broadcom, Cisco Systems Inc, Freescale Semiconductor, Infineon Technologies, Intel, Microchip Technologies, NXP, Qualcomm, Renesas Electronics Corporation and Texas Instruments.

“IoT is a sweeping term that addresses broad opportunities for hardware, software and services across many different applications,” Hackenberg said. “Suppliers must therefore focus on their target markets and concentrate on the specific values they bring to these markets.” The IHS Microcontroller Tracking Service now offers market size and forecast for the MCUs targeting IoT applications specifically in 25 distinct market opportunities.