Category Archives: Semiconductors

eMemory, an embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) provider, and United Microelectronics Corporation, a global semiconductor foundry, today announced an expanded technology cooperation to integrate eMemory’s one-time-programmable (OTP) and multiple-time-programmable (MTP) embedded non-volatile memory technologies into UMC’s 28nm process. The agreement will broaden the foundry’s specialty process portfolio that already includes a range of eMemory eNVM IP solutions from 0.18um and below.

eMemory President Dr. Rick Shen pointed out, "We are happy to take our important strategic partner UMC to a higher level. We stand by our core principles of ‘embedded wisely, embedded widely,’ as we incorporate our core technologies into UMC’s process platforms. This represents the integration of the strengths of both companies and will allow us to provide our IC design clients eNVM platforms that boast quality and reliability, thereby enabling them to stay ahead of the rest of the market."

eMemory’s eNVM technologies target a wide range of applications in mainstream consumer electronics, including power management ICs for smart phones and tablet computers, advanced LCD drivers, touch panel controllers, battery management, sensor controller, audio codec, and near field communications. The current silicon IP (SIP) include NeoBit, NeoFuse, NeoMTP, NeoFlash, and NeoEE, making eMemory the top provider in the industry for providing a full array of SIP products for both OTP and MTP eNVM technologies.

eMemory’s MTP technology can be applied for different product needs including <10 times programming, low-medium or medium-high densities with high endurance requirements, and multiple-time-programmable embedded non-volatile memory technology applications. Furthermore, the technologies are highly compatible with logic processes for different process generations, making eMemory an ideal partner for wafer foundries seeking seamless eNVM integration into their process platforms.

UMC is a global semiconductor foundry that provides advanced technology and manufacturing for applications spanning every major sector of the IC industry. UMC’s foundry solutions allow chip designers to leverage the company’s leading-edge processes, which include 28nm poly-SiON and gate-last High-K/Metal Gate technology, mixed signal/RFCMOS, and a wide range of specialty technologies. Production is supported through 10 wafer manufacturing facilities that include two advanced 300mm fabs; Fab 12A in Taiwan and Singapore-based Fab 12i. Fab 12A consists of Phases 1-4 which are in production for customer products down to 28nm. Construction is underway for Phases 5&6, with future plans for Phases 7&8. The company employs over 15,000 people worldwide and has offices in Taiwan, mainland China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States.

eMemory was established in August, 2000, and has focused on logic process eNVM silicon IP development. eMemory currently has about 200 employees.

 

Freescale Semiconductor, Ltd. appointed Krishnan Balasubramanian to its board of directors in May 2013.

Mr. Balasubramanian (known as Bala) brings more than 37 years experience in the semiconductor industry to his new role on Freescale’s board of directors. Bala currently serves on the board of MetroCorp Bancshares, Inc. and has previously served in a number of executive positions at Texas Instruments and has experience in manufacturing, technology development and business leadership.

“As an independent director, Bala brings a valuable outside perspective along with a deep understanding of the global semiconductor industry,” said Dan McCranie, Freescale’s chairman of the board.

“Bala’s experience with executive management supervision, regulatory matters and technological operations in the semiconductor industry makes him a welcome addition to our board,” said Gregg Lowe, Freescale’s president and CEO. “We look forward to his many contributions to the board.”

Freescale Semiconductor is a provider of embedded processing solutions. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing and sales operations around the world.

Fujitsu Laboratories Limited has launched millimeter-wave transceiver based on gallium-nitride high-electron mobility transistor (GaN HEMT). The device operates at frequencies up to the millimeter-wave band and features an output of 10W.

Until now, developing high-output modules that operate in the millimeter-wave band have required modules consisting of separately packaged components to allow for sufficient heat dissipation. As a result, it has been difficult to produce compact modules. In addition, because the occurrence of signal loss tends to increase in internal module terminal connector components at higher frequencies, reaching millimeter-wave operations has proved to be challenging.

The new high-output millimeter-wave transceiver module developed by Fujitsu uses a heat sink embedded with multi-layer ceramic technology capable of efficiently dissipating heat. Through its unique architecture that reduces signal loss occurring in internal terminal connector components, the transceiver module can achieve millimeter-wave operations. With dimensions of 12mm × 36mm × 3.3mm, the new module measures less than one-twentieth the size of a conventional combined unit.

Using the new technology, it is possible to combine multiple chips within a single unit, thereby enabling the development of more compact radar devices and wireless communications equipment.

Fujitsu Laboratories plans to put this technology to use in a wide range of applications that require compact modules with high output across wide bandwidths, including wireless devices and radar systems.

Building on its extensive microscope lineup, KEYENCE Corporation has released a new multipurpose microscope. The VHX-700F allows users to leverage some of the advanced functions of the VHX Series, such as Depth Composition and 3D Display, while offering the same image quality and primary measurement capabilities at a lower price point.

The VHX-700F incorporates observation, measurement, and image recording capabilities into a single device, while offering all of the imaging techniques found in traditional inspection equipment. The microscope boasts a 0.1x – 5,000x magnification range and provides bright field, dark field, and transmitted illumination. Additional attachments offer polarized, diffused, and DIC imaging methods. Users can also inspect inside of small openings with a complete lineup of borescopes and fiberscopes.

By combining the technology generally found in stereoscopic, metallurgical, measurement, and scanning electron microscopes, the VHX-700F is able to accentuate the strengths of these systems while avoiding many of their limitations. Not only can images be captured entirely in focus with the exceptionally large depth-of-field, but a variety of measurements can be completed directly on the image with just a click of the mouse. A multi-angle stand is paired with a rotating stage to allow 360 degree views without the need to fixture or manipulate the sample, and the camera easily detaches for handheld, non-destructive imaging of larger parts.

Silicon Labs, a provider of high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Energy Micro AS. Based in Oslo, Norway, the late-stage privately held company offers the industry’s most power-efficient portfolio of 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) and is developing multi-protocol wireless RF solutions based on the industry-leading ARM Cortex-M architecture. Energy Micro’s energy-friendly MCU and radio solutions are designed to enable a broad range of power-sensitive applications for the Internet of Things (IoT), smart energy, home automation, security and portable electronics markets.

The growth of the IoT market, coupled with continued deployment of smart grid and smart energy infrastructure, is driving strong demand for energy-efficient processing and wireless connectivity technology to enable connected devices in which low-power capabilities are increasingly important. Industry experts predict that the number of connected devices for the IoT will top 15 billion nodes by 2015 and reach 50 billion nodes by 2020.

“Silicon Labs and Energy Micro share a complementary vision of a greener, smarter, wirelessly connected world, and the foundation for this combined vision is ultra-low-power technology enabled by each company’s innovative mixed-signal design,” said Tyson Tuttle, president and CEO of Silicon Labs. “This acquisition combines two proven leaders in nano-power MCU and wireless SoC design into a formidable force that will accelerate the deployment of energy-friendly solutions across the Internet of Things and smart energy industries.”

The company expects the addition of Energy Micro’s EFM32 Gecko MCUs and EFR Draco Radios, ultra-low-power technology expertise, energy-aware Simplicity development tools, and world-class design and applications teams will drive the rapid expansion of its Broad-based business. Silicon Labs intends to apply these complementary embedded technology platforms and expertise to enable the industry’s most energy-efficient solutions for the burgeoning IoT and smart energy markets, as well as the proliferation of battery-powered portable electronics devices. In addition, both companies’ 32-bit MCU and wireless products leverage the same ARM Cortex-M architecture, which is expected to accelerate the combined roadmap and support rapid adoption among the existing customer base.

“The Energy Micro team is excited to join Silicon Labs,” said Geir Førre, president and CEO of Energy Micro, who after the closing, is expected to become vice president and general manager of Silicon Lab’s Energy-Friendly Microcontroller and Radio business unit, based in Oslo. “Silicon Labs’ excellent resources and technology will help the combined company develop new products and gain market share more quickly.”

Olympus this week announced the release of the LEXT OLS4100 laser confocal microscope system. Designed to deliver nanometer-level imaging, accurate 3D measurement, and outstanding surface roughness analysis, the OLS4100 features auto brightness and a new high-speed stitching mode.

 

Engineered to meet a growing demand for increased measurement precision and wider observation applicability, the OLS4100 offers advanced measurement performance at ten-nanometer resolution with a variety of user-friendly performance parameters. Thanks to high numerical apertures and a dedicated optical system that obtains maximum performance from a 405 nm laser, the OLS4100 can reliably measure acute-angled samples that were previously impossible to measure.

“Widely used in quality control, research, and development across an array of industries and applications, OLYMPUS LEXT laser microscopes set a new standard in 3D laser microscopy,” said Matt Smith, Olympus director of sales and marketing. “Today, with the LEXT OLS4100, Olympus is once again raising the bar with a new level of precision and ease of use.”

The OLS4100’s auto brightness setting is part of an automatic 3D image acquisition system that allows even first-time users to quickly acquire 3D images with the click of a button, greatly reducing image acquisition time. A new high-speed stitching mode allows the user to specify target areas from wider-area stitched images. 

The OLS4100 employs a dual confocal system that, when combined with its high-sensitivity detector, enables the capture of clear images from samples consisting of materials with different reflectance characteristics. In addition to the laser image, the OLS4100 uses a white LED light and a high-color-fidelity CCD camera to generate clear, natural-looking color imagery comparable with that obtained with high-grade optical microscopes. This color image can be overlaid upon the 3D laser image for a 3D representation of your sample.

The OLS4100’s new multilayer mode is capable of recognizing the peaks of reflected light intensities of multiple sample layers and setting each layer as a focal point, making it possible to observe and measure the upper and lower surfaces of a sample with a transparent coating. This multilayer mode also facilitates the observation and measurement of multiple layers of transparent materials.

Calibrated in the same way as contact surface roughness gauges, the OLS4100 represents a new level of surface roughness measuring and adheres to the necessary roughness parameters and filters required per ISO and JQA. This allows users with contact surface roughness gauges to obtain output results from the OLS4100 consistent with their existing instruments, with the advantage of greater speed and non-contact measurement.

Engineered with easy operation in mind, the OLS4100 facilitates a systematic workflow through an intuitive interface that allows even novice users to quickly master measurement procedures. A wide range of measurement modes are available, each designed to efficiently enable specific analysis results. No pre-processing of samples is necessary.

Advanced packaging technology is undergoing dramatic changes as the smart phones and new sensor technologies demand continued improvements in form and function.  To address these massive changes, SEMICON West will feature a number of programs on new packaging technologies and processes with speakers from leading chip makers, equipment manufacturers, and material suppliers.

According to IDC, forecasts semiconductor revenues will log a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1 percent from 2011-2016, but revenues for 4G phones will experience annual growth over 100 percent for the same period. NanoMarkets estimates that the global market for “Internet of Things” sensors will reach $1.6 billion this year and grow to a value of $17.6 billion by the end of the decade as sensors become increasingly connected to the Internet directly or through hubs.  Both trends will significantly impact semiconductor and microelectronics packaging.  Demand for equipment and related tools in the 3D-IC and wafer-level packaging area alone is forecasted to grow from approximately $370 million in 2010 to over $2.5 billion by 2016, according to Yole Developpment.

To address these changes, SEMICON West 2013 (register at www.semiconwest.org/registration), held on July 9-11 in San Francisco, will feature a number of programs on new packaging applications, requirements, technologies, and products, including:

  • Generation Mobile:  Enabled by IC Packaging Technologies — Speakers from ASE, UBM Tech Insights, Amkor Technology, SK Hynix, and Universal Scientific Industrial will present on the latest advances in wafer-level packaging, new materials, and multi-die integration, including new System-in-Package (SiP) and Package-on-Package (PoP) methods. Location: Moscone Center (North Hall), TechXPOT North, Tuesday, July 9, 10:30am-12:30pm.
  • “THIN IS IN": Thin Chip & Packaging Technologies as Enablers for Innovations in the Mobility Era — IEEE/CPMT will hold a technical workshop on the overall trend of maximum functional integration in the smallest and thinnest package with lowest packaging costs with speakers from Intel, Cisco, ASE, Micron, SK Hynix, Nanium, Kyocera and more. Location: San Francisco Marriott Marquis, Tuesday, July 9, 1:30-4:45pm.
  • Advancing 2.5D and 3D Packaging through Value Engineering — Speakers from Altera, Amkor, ASE, ASET, KPMG, UMC, STATS ChipPAC and more will take a critical look at 2.5D implementations and the current outlook for 3D packages, including tools and technologies for heterogeneous stacks. Location: Moscone Center (North Hall), TechXPOT North, Wednesday, July 10, 1:00-3:30pm.
  • MEMS & Sensor Packaging for the Internet of Things— This session will feature speakers from all parts of the ecosystem to address how future visions of a pervasive interconnected world will be realized through the heterogeneous integration of MEMS and ICs.  The program will feature keynote speaker Janusz Bryzek from Fairchild Semiconductor, and speakers from VTT Research, Fraunhofer IZM, Robert Bosche, EV Group, Dai Nippon Printing, and more. Location: Moscone Center (North Hall), TechXPOT North, Thursday, July 11, 10:30am-1:00pm.

In addition to the packaging programs, SEMICON West 2013 will also feature over 560 exhibitors with the latest innovation on microelectronics manufacturing, including over 150 exhibitors with equipment and technology solutions for advanced packaging.  Other programs and exhibitors at West will address lithography, advanced materials and processes, silicon photonics, test, LED and MEMS manufacturing, and other subjects.  For more information on SEMICON West and to register, visit www.semiconwest.org

CEA-Leti will present recent advances and a preview of future developments in micro- and nanotechnologies, followed by workshops on key technical fields, during Leti Innovation Days, June 25-28, on the MINATEC campus.

The gathering incorporates Leti’s two-day Annual Review, now in its 15th year. That event provides an update of developments from Leti’s labs and its success in transferring technology to industry.

The 15th Annual Review kicks off on June 25th with two plenary sessions:

  • Envisioning the Future, chaired by Leti CEO Laurent Malier, will include insights from industry leaders into the technological innovations that will shape the future.
  • Enabling the Future, chaired by Pierre-Damien Berger, Leti VP of business development and communication. Presentations will include Leti’s latest developments and the key enabling technologies that will drive advancements in a broad range of sectors.

June 26th presentations by Leti specialists and partners will cover security and safety, environment and health, green IT and nanoelectronics.

“This year’s review powerfully highlights the wide-ranging strengths of Leti’s offer, from continuous innovation to technology transfer and support for SMEs,” said Leti CEO Laurent Malier. “Leti last year demonstrated a new FD-SOI solution that offers a 40 percent improvement in power consumption and a 30 percent frequency improvement, at lower costs. Transferred to manufacturing, it delivered the first application processor product dedicated to smartphones exceeding 3 GHz. We also particularly expanded our actions for SMEs, with a specific initiative allowing them to benefit from the expertise of our researchers and engineers and to access our state-of-the-art equipment.”

The Annual Review will be followed on June 27-28 by five in-depth workshops on design for 3D, memory, photonics, imaging and nanopackaging.

Leti Innovation Days participants will include international and European decision-makers: CEOs, CTOs, marketing and strategy directors, R&D managers, IT and semiconductor companies, innovative SMEs, end-user companies, research institutes, startups and international press. Represented industries include advanced microelectronics, green IT, memory, imaging, LEDs and lighting, safety and security, and healthcare and the environment.

 

Much has been said of the 450mm transition.  But the description of this inflection is something of a misnomer.  Though everyone desires a smooth, coordinated and orderly conversion, it may be a little less placid than the term “transition” implies.  Rather, I suggest calling it the 450mm “transformation.”   Because, even for the segments that continue manufacturing semiconductor devices on 300mm and 200mm silicon wafers, the industry will change dramatically with the introduction of 450mm wafer processing. The 450mm era will impact industry composition, supply chain dynamics, capital spending concentration, future R&D capabilities and many other facets of today’s semiconductor manufacturing industry — not the least of which are the fabs, wafers and tools with which chips are made.

The shift to 450mm will take a several years to manifest and numerous complexities are being skillfully managed by multiple organizations and consortia.   For those reasons, the evolutionary tone of “transition” seems appropriate. However, once the changeover occurs, in hindsight, most in the industry will recognize that they participated in something transformational.

No transformation occurs in isolation and other factors will contribute to the revolutionary qualities of 450mm.  Market factors, new facilities design, next generation processing technology, the changing dynamics of node development and new materials integration will simultaneously affect the industry landscape.

While reading about the implications of 450mm is valuable, I believe that there is much to learn by being a part of the discussion. How is this future transformation being envisioned and acted on today?  I hope that you will join us — at our “live” event, where you will have the opportunity to hear first-hand information… direct from well-informed experts in the industry.

SEMICON West offers this opportunity with “Must See” 450mm events to mark on your calendar…

….450 Consortia plans, timelines and status; equipment development; critical standards; future-looking fab facilities and EHS issues; executive perspective, and vital R&D capabilities will all be covered at SEMICON West.

Wafer Standards

The transition to 450mm manufacturing is accompanied by the development of various standards aimed at achieving cost, efficiency and technology improvements. Some standards are a product of the deliberate consensus-based SEMI International Standards program, which has produced over 15 essential 450mm-specific standards to-date.  Additionally, consortia, customers and suppliers organize complementary efforts to align common approaches to transition solutions.

Potential revisions in the 450mm wafer specification are under consideration.  At least two issues are currently being evaluated by the industry and both portend significant ramifications for wafer suppliers, equipment makers and those technologies that interface with the wafer.

First, the wafer orientation method may be revised to eliminate the orientation “notch” on the perimeter of the substrate. The notch was introduced in the 300mm transition as an alternative to the flat.  However, both equipment suppliers and IC makers, through a constructive and collaborative dialog, have concluded that eliminating the notch can potentially improve the die yield, tool performance and cost.

Secondly, reduction of the wafer edge exclusion area — that peripheral portion of the silicon on which no viable device structure occurs — also offers potential yield advantages.  The current 450mm wafer specification (SEMI E76-0710), originally published in 2010, calls for a 2mm edge exclusion zone.  IC makers believe that reduction of this area to a 1.5mm dimension offers the cost equivalence of a 1 percent yield increase.  Though a percent may sound trivial, it is represents substantial increased value over time.

These and other wafer-related issues will be key topics at SEMICON West and will be thoroughly reviewed on Wednesday, July 10 at the SEMI Standards program entitled “Silicon Wafers — Future Standardization to Enable the Transition.” Materials will be presented by expert speakers including authoritative customers participating in the Global 450 Consortium (G450C), which includes Samsung, TSMC, IBM, Intel and GLOBALFOUNDRIES.

Facilities and EHS

Wafer transitions offer one of the rare periods when new approaches can be developed and integrated into facilities plans.  During the 300mm transition, significant developments occurred in factory automation and wafer handling. Similarly, the 450mm transition is a window to update the industry approach to a number of fab systems. Rising energy costs, water scarcity, and climate change will continue to present both challenges and opportunities for semiconductor manufacturing in the 450mm era. These sustainability concerns are driving demand for tools that can more reliably and cost-effectively achieve a shared vision of resource balance.

Along with cost and efficiency improvements, IC makers and consortia driving the transition to 450mm manufacturing expect to achieve similar or better environmental performance. Larger footprints and resource demands from 450mm facilities in conjunction with mandates for environmentally aware operations are compelling fabs and suppliers to consider sustainability and systems integration at greater levels than ever before. 

Experts in fab facilities, energy, water and equipment engineering will discuss the implications of 450mm to environment, health and safety during the SEMICON West 450mm Manufacturing EHS Forum on Wednesday, July 10.

Included in the presentations are perspectives from the Facility 450 Consortium (F450C) including Ovivo, Edwards and M+W Group.  A holistic Site Resource Model that provides semiconductor manufacturers visibility into effective reduction of total energy and water demands for individual systems, as well as for the entire facility will be reviewed by CH2M Hill. The model is an integrated analytical approach to assess and optimize a semiconductor facility’s thermal energy, electrical energy, and water demand, as well as the cost associated with these resources.

Also, the bigger, heavier and taller equipment envisioned for 450 entails new considerations for installation, movement and maintenance.  Making sure these issues don’t detract from the other cost saving achievements is a key consideration for facilities planning.  G450C representatives will review the status of component lift analysis currently underway. The solutions potentially alter fab facilities dimensions, tool engineering and service regimes.

450 TechXPOT

The SEMICON West 450mm Transition Forum covers the latest updates from those closest to the action.  The event occurs on Thursday, July 11 at the South Hall TechXPOT located in Moscone Center.  Paul Farrar, general manager of Global 450mm Consortium will provide an update and status on G450C. Hamid Zarringhalam, executive vice president, Nikon Precision, will review the challenges and status of 450mm lithography — which is shaping up to be one of the most uncertain yet critical 450mm planning considerations. Chris Richard, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC will talk about “Improving Semiconductor Equipment Vendor Profitability during the 450mm Transition.”

Then, SEMI will host a discussion among the world’s foremost 450mm tool experts from leading equipment companies.  The discussion panel will include: Kirk Hasserjian, corporate vice president, Silicon Systems Group, Applied Materials, Inc., Brian Trafas, Ph.D., chief marketing officer, KLA-Tencor; Mark Fissel, vice president, 450mm Program, Lam Research Corporation; and Akihisa Sekiguchi, Ph.D., vice president and general manager of SPE Marketing, Tokyo Electron Limited.  We have a few provocative topics to review with panel members.  If you have questions or topics you want addressed by those at the front line of the 450mm transformation, feel free to send us your suggestions.

In summary, a transformation will occur in IC manufacturing with the introduction of larger wafers, but it begins with serious engineering that is occurring now.  Attend SEMICON West to learn more about wafer specifications, EHS and facilities— considerations and business strategies for success and be better prepared for the numerous implications of 450mm era.

Learn more about it here: www.semiconwest.org. Register now at www.semiconwest.org/registration.

 

 

Fab equipment spending will grow two percent year-over-year  (US$ 32.5 billion) for 2013 and about 23 to 27 percent in 2014 ($41 billion) according to the May edition of the SEMI World Fab Forecast. Fab construction spending, which can be a strong indicator for future equipment spending, is expected to grow 6.5 percent ($6.6 billion) in 2013, followed by a decline of 18 percent ($5.4 billion) in 2014. The new World Fab Forecast report covers fab information on over 1,140 facilities, including such details as capacities, technology nodes, product types, and spending for construction and equipment for any cleanroom wafer facility by quarter.

Fab equipment spending for the second half of 2013 is expected to be much stronger with a 32 percent growth rate or $18.5 billion compared to the first half of 2013. The equipment spending increase in the second half is attributed to growing semiconductor demand and improving average selling price for chips. 2014 is expected to have about 23 to 27 percent growth year-over-year (YoY) to reach about $41 billion, which would be an all-time record.

Looking at product types, the largest amounts of spending on fab equipment in 2013 will come from the foundry sector, which increases by about 21 percent. This is driven mainly by capex increases by TSMC. The memory sector is expected to have an increase of only one percent — after a 35 percent decline in the previous year. The MPU sector is expected to grow by about five percent. A double-digit increase in the Analog sector in 2013 will still translate into low absolute dollar amounts, compared to the other sectors.  

 

Construction spending is a good indicator for more equipment spending.  Fab construction spending in 2013 is expected to be almost 15 percent growth YoY ($6.6 billion) with 38 known construction projects. Top spenders for fab construction in 2013 are TSMC and Samsung, who plan to spend between $1.5 and $2 billion each, followed by Intel, Globalfoundries and UMC. The SEMI World Fab Forecast report reveals more detail.

2014 shows a decline of about 18 percent ($5.4 billion) in construction spending with only 21 construction projects expected to be on-going. These construction projects include large fabs; some are 450mm-ready. 

Since the last fab database publication at the end February 2013 SEMI’s worldwide dedicated analysis team has made 389 updates to 324 facilities (including Opto/LED fabs) in the database. The latest edition of the World Fab Forecast lists 1,144 facilities (including 310 Opto/LED facilities), with 61 facilities with various probabilities starting production this year and in the near future. Seventeen new facilities were added and 8 facilities were closed.

The SEMI World Fab Forecast uses a bottom-up approach methodology, providing high-level summaries and graphs; and in-depth analyses of capital expenditures, capacities, technology and products by fab. Additionally, the database provides forecasts for the next 18 months by quarter.