March 27, 2012 — Barclays Capital shares some take-aways from the Intertech Pira Phosphor Summit, a conference on phosphors being used in the light-emitting diode (LED) industry. The analysts touch on LED efficiency and quality from phosphors, color mixing, remote phosphors, and silicone encapsulants for LED packages.
The phosphor market is largely a game of scale and relationships, as much of the intellectual property (IP) around phosphors was created in the 1970-80s (at least for select element combinations) and protection has by now expired, Barclays notes. However, Intertech Pira Phosphor attendees saw some of the top LED makers pursuing phosphor development to improve LED efficiency and color quality.
Phosphor color mixing: Most of the LED industry uses a blue LED die topped with a yellow-phosphor-coated lens for white light emission. Leading LED makers presented new manufacturing approaches, adding a red phosphor to the yellow phosphor to increase the white light quality (the color rendering index [CRI] increases from 67 to 78).
Remote phosphors: Philips introduced a remote phosphor architecture several years ago, wherein the LED die are arranged in a bulb or module topped with a phosphor-coated ceramic plate. This avoids the heat generation, lowered efficiency, and precise match between the wavelength of the die and the composition of the phosphor of putting the phosphor inside the LED package. Remote-phosphor packaged LEDs withstand higher system-level temperatures and enable more flexibility at system-level design — mixing and matching LED die and phosphor plates to achieve consistent light output and quality.
Remote phosphor plates use more phosphor than standard coated lenses. The presenters at the Intertech Pira Phosphor Summit are working on stacking the phosphors in a remote phosphor plate (i.e. a yellow followed by a red layer) rather than mixing them together.
Silicone encapsulants: The LED industry has traditionally used epoxy encapsulants to seal the LED, despite the materials’ tendency to brown with heat exposure. Now, LED makers are switching to silicone encapsulants.
Rare earths: Rare earths compose LED phosphors: terbium, europium, and yttrium. Phosphor is expensive and is increasing in price due to rare earth supply constraints instituted in China, where 95% of rare earth production is concentrated. The industry expects shortages of these rare earths to last through at least 2015. Phosphors account for ~10-15% of rare earth volume end demand. Given expectations for supply tightness and growing demand for LED phosphors as unit shipment continue grow, phosphor prices are likely to continue to move higher. However, phosphors explicitly account for <5% of an LED chip’s total cost, higher from a BOM perspective. Some pressure could come onto LED profit margins/selling prices if phosphor costs spiral upwards.
March 26, 2012 — Micronova Nanofabrication Centre selected a Vistec Lithography Inc. electron-beam lithography (e-beam litho) system for its nanotechnology laboratory in Finland. The litho tool will be used for nano/microelectronics, nano/micro-fabrication, and nanophotonics research in a multi-user environment.
More than 360 employees and students from different facilities carry out research in diverse nanotechnology fields at Micronova. The electron-beam lithography system from Vistec enabled the highest level of research with flexibility for different pursuits, said Dr. Veli-Matti Airaksinen, director of Aalto Nanofab at Micronova.
The Vistec EBPG5000pES is equipped for 100kV/1mm performance under regular electron-optical conditions with a wide capability for high-throughput applications. The electron-optical column is rated for acceleration voltages of 50 and 100kV, enabling a spot size down to <2.2nm. Nano-lithography structures smaller than 8nm are easily generated, Vistec reports. An interactive graphical user interface (GUI) eases multi-user operation within a large research institute.
Micronova Nanofabrication Centre is Finland’s National Research Infrastructure for micro- and nanotechnology, jointly operated by Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Micronova’s activities extend from fundamental physics to device prototyping, applied research and small-scale manufacturing. Technologies developed at Micronova include nanoelectronic and photonic devices, MEMS sensors, particle and X-ray detectors and THz technology.
The Vistec Electron Beam Lithography Group is a global manufacturer and supplier of electron-beam lithography systems with applications ranging from nano and bio-technology to photonics and industrial environments like mask making or direct writing for fast prototype development and design evaluation. The Vistec Electron Beam Lithography Group combines Vistec Lithography and Vistec Electron Beam. Learn more at www.vistec-semi.com.
March 23, 2012 — Research organization imec introduces important changes to its ultrathin chip packaging (UTCP) technology, increasing yields 15-20%. Used to package various chips, the technology now offers yields of up to 90%. Extremely miniaturized chip packages can be fabricated, enabling flexible integration to obtain conformable circuitry.
Target applications include wearable medical devices and other novel uses.
March 23, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Test system supplier Keithley Instruments Inc. introduced the Model 2657A High Power System SourceMeter instrument, adding high voltage test to its line of high speed, precision source measurement units for power semiconductors. The test tool sources up to 5x power to the device under test (DUT) than competitive systems, Keithley asserts.
The Model 2657A uses a built-in 3,000V, 180W source. Its high-speed 6-1/2-digit measurement engine enables 1 femtoamp (fA) current measurement resolution. It tests power semiconductor devices — diodes, FETs, and IGBTs — as well as gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), and other compound semiconductor materials. It can characterize high-speed transients and perform breakdown and leakage tests on a variety of electronic devices at up to 3,000V.
The Series 2600A family offers four-quadrant voltage and current source/load coupled with precision voltage and current meters. The Model 2657A combines functionality from multiple instruments in a single full-rack enclosure: semiconductor characterization instrument, precision power supply, true current source, 6-1/2-digit DMM, arbitrary waveform generator, voltage or current pulse generator, electronic load, and trigger controller, and is fully expandable into a multi-channel, tightly synchronized system via Keithley
March 22, 2012 — The touchscreen display market will reach $14 billion in 2012, driven by the two largest applications, mobile phones and tablet PCs, IDTechEx reports. While projected capacitive touch sensors are the main technology, several others exist for various touch display applications.
Projected capacitive touch is the current market-leading touch display technology. A dozen other touch screen sensor architectures are available, though not all suit the performance, clarity, volume, and cost requirements of consumer applications.
Analog resistive technology is widely used in small size (>10") healthcare and hospitality displays, as well as high-volume retail environments.
Embedded touch technology leads the emerging touch technology sector; on-cell technology in particular has the biggest potential for small- and medium-size consumer electronics.
Infrared (IR) and surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch technologies are mainly relevant for specialized touch devices, such as ATMs and banking and financial applications, as well as eBooks and mobile phones to some extent.
Over the next decade, projected capacitive touch technology will continue to lead the market as panel costs decline. Due to extremely low cost, resistive touch technology will continue to lead the market in price-sensitive applications that need precise touch. The rise of embedded touch technology will be conditioned by more and more LCD manufacturers entering the field.
Figure 1. Touch market forecast by technology in 2012. Source: IDTechEx, Touch Screen Modules, Technologies, Markets, Forecasts 2012-2022.
The display industry’s next big opportunity lies in replacing indium tin oxide (ITO), especially in mainstream projected capacitive and resistive touch technologies. Half the costs of projected capacitive touch screen modules come from the ITO sensor. Along with cost reduction, ITO alternatives offer flexible properties for bendable, rollable and stretchable electronics with touch functionality.
Touchscreens are a mature technology for specialized applications, such as automatic teller machines (ATMs), point-of-sales terminals, Kiosks, etc. Mass consumer market use of touch screens was triggered when Apple introduced projected capacitive touch screen technology for the iPhone in 2007. Mobile phones are the largest volume market for touchscreen panels; over 40% of mobile phones will use touchscreens in 2012, with nearly complete market share within 10 years.
Shipment of tablets with touchscreen technology is expected to reach 100 million units in 2012.
Figure 2. Market size for touch technologies by device size in 2012. Source: IDTechEx, Touch Screen Modules, Technologies, Markets, Forecasts 2012-2022.
The touchscreen market is expected to triple in the next decade.
The next big markets for touchscreens are eBooks, (mobile) game consoles, car displays and navigation devices, as well as digital cameras for small to medium size displays. Bigger touch screens over 10" can be increasingly found in laptops and PC monitors, TVs, and other screens.
All of these trends, including detailed ten year forecasts by touch screen technology and by application as well as primary user markets, applicability of the different technologies and application trends, are covered in the new IDTechEx report "Touch Screen Technologies, Applications and Trends 2012-2022." Access it at www.IDTechEx.com/touch.
March 21, 2012 — Wafer processing equipment provider SPTS Technologies delivered its first vapor hydrogen fluoride (VHF) etch system in China, installing a Primaxx Monarch 3 tool at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT) for dry release etch of micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS).
SPTS uses HF vapor to etch away sacrificial silicon oxide in MEMS structures, using reduced pressure tailored to release very small features on the die. It combines anhydrous HF gas and alcohol vapor at reduced pressure, creating a wide, stable process window that works with various oxide compositions and thicknesses. The composition remains highly selective to other common MEMS materials, such as aluminum, preventing attack on exposed surfaces. The Primaxx Monarch 3 uses a 3-wafer process module for higher throughput and repeatable etch processes.
SPTS’ HF vapor etch technology reportedly prevents stiction, which occurs during wet etch when the released microstructure and substrate are pulled together by the surface tension of the liquid between them during drying.
SIMIT selected the SPTS dry etch tool for its MEMS accelerometer development project because it releases fine features without stiction. The company also offers timely local support in Shanghai, said Professor Yang Heng from SIMIT
SIMIT is a multidisciplinary institute within the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) that engages in both fundamental and applied research. The Primaxx Monarch 3 system is housed at SIMIT’s facility in Shanghai, China.
SPTS Technologies (a Bridgepoint portfolio company) designs, manufactures, sells, and supports etch, PVD, CVD and thermal wafer processing solutions for MEMS, advanced packaging, light-emitting diode (LED), high-speed RF on gallium arsenide (GaAs), and power management device fab. Learn more at www.spts.com.
Mainland China companies still cannot hold controlling stakes in these companies in Taiwan, or appointing managers, the government said. But they can hold more than 10% stakes in local companies. All investments must be approved by Taiwan regulators.
Taiwan also recently re-elected its leader Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang (KMT) for a second term. Ma is not expected to make any major economic and regulatory reforms, according to the US-Taiwan Business Council.
March 20, 2012 — Imec developed a via-middle approach to through-silicon via (TSV) manufacturing for 3D semiconductor packaging, using wafer thinning and a silicon etch process to reveal TSV contacts on the wafer.
The insulating silicon oxide (SiO2) films build metal oxide-based transistors for smaller, faster-switching pixels. The films provide a dielectric-layer interface for metal-oxide transistors that minimizes hydrogen impurities to improve transistor stability and optimize display performance.
They are tailored for deposition by AMAT’s AKT-PECVD systems, which boast high uniformity on glass panels up to 9m2. Uniformity and stability challenges have hampered metal-oxide transistor displays in the past, noted Tom Edman, group vice president and general manager of Applied’s AKT Display Business Group.
Major display manufacturers are requesting the products for upgrades and new system installations, Edman added.
Applied Materials is also developing indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) deposition and other advanced physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes for metal oxide manufacturing. AMAT’s rotary cathode array technology has been used to make highly uniform, homogeneous, low-defect active layers with higher thoughput and lower material consumption costs, Applied reports.
The metal-oxide, thin-film transistor (TFT) display manufacturing portfolio will be showcased at Applied Materials’ booth at FPD China 2012, March 20-22 in Shanghai.
Applied Materials Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) provides equipment, services and software to enable the manufacture of advanced semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic products. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.
March 19, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Advantest Corporation (TSE:6857, NYSE:ATE) began producing micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) relays, shipping samples in April 2012. The MEMS relays will be used in semiconductor testing equipment, high-speed communications devices, high-frequency wave measurement equipment and their components.
Mass production will begin in January 2013.
Advantest manufactures the MEMS with its proprietary deposition technology, creating 1µm-thick piezoelectric film. This enables a smaller form factor and lower actuation voltage (12V) compared to high-frequency wave relays using electromagnetic or electrostatic actuation. The MEMS device is available in 5.4 x 4.2 x 0.9mm or 2.9 x 3.4 x 0.9mm form factors.
The MEMS are not easily affected by ambient static electricity, like electrostatic relays. The relay also has high reliability, using contact-point control technology honed in Advantest’s semiconductor testing equipment. Using Advantest’s high-frequency measurement technology, the relay can handle up to 20GHz high-frequency transmission, with 50Ω characteristic impedance.
Advantest now plans to introduce products outside the semiconductor testing area, in fields such as automotive and pharmaceutical/medical care.
Advantest provides automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry and measuring instruments used in the design and production of electronic instruments and systems. More information is available at www.advantest.com.
