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Has the time come to replace traditionally used silicon with printable organic semiconductor inks? University of Surrey scientists believe so, especially for future electronics that need to be flexible, lightweight, wearable and low-cost.

Single crystal semiconductors, such as silicon, have been at the forefront of scientific interest for more than 70 years, serving as the backbone of electronic devices. Inorganic single crystals are typically grown from a melt at very high temperatures, in special chambers filled with inert gas, using time-consuming and energy intensive processes. A new class of crystalline materials, called organic semiconductors, can also be grown as single crystals, but in a very different way, using solution-based methods at room temperature in air, opening up the possibility of large-scale production of inexpensive electronics, targeting numerous applications ranging from field effect transistors and light emitting diodes to medical x-ray detectors and miniature lasers.

New research, published today in Nature Communications, conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Surrey and National Physical Laboratory, demonstrates for the first time a low-cost, scalable spray-printing process to fabricate high-quality isolated organic single crystals. The method is suitable for a wide variety of semiconducting small molecules, which can be dissolved in solvents to make semiconducting inks, and then be deposited on virtually any substrate. The key aspect is in combining the advantages of antisolvent crystallization and solution shearing. The crystals’ size, shape and orientation are then controlled by the spay angle and distance to the substrate, which govern the spray droplets’ impact onto the antisolvent’s surface. These crystals are high quality structures, as confirmed by a combination of characterisation techniques, including polarised optical and scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, polarised Raman spectroscopy and field-effect transistor tests.

The research has a direct impact on printed electronic applications for flexible circuits, advanced photodetector arrays, chemical and biological sensors, robotic skin tensile sensors, x-ray medical detectors, light emitting transistors and diodes, and miniature lasers

“This method is a powerful, new approach for manufacturing organic semiconductor single crystals and controlling their shape and dimensions,” said Dr Maxim Shkunov from the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey.

“If we look at silicon, it takes almost 15000C to grow semiconductor grade crystals, while steel spoons will melt at this temperature, and it will fetch a very hefty electric bill for just 1 kg of silicon, same as for running a tea kettle for over 2 days non-stop. And then, you would need to cut and polish those silicon ‘boules’ into wafers.

“We can make single crystals in a much simpler way, entirely at room temperature with a £5 artist spray brush. With a new class of organic semiconductors based on carbon atoms, we can spray-coat organic inks onto anything, and get more or less the right size of crystals for our devices right away.”

Dr Maxim Shkunov, lead author of the research, continued: “The trick is to cover the surface with a non-solvent so that semiconductor molecules float on top and self-assemble into highly ordered crystals. We can also beat silicon by using light emitting molecules to make lasers, for example, – something you can’t do with traditional silicon. This molecular crystals growth method opens amazing capabilities for printable organic electronics.”

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More details on organic single crystals characterisation can be found in: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep33057

Following a decade of intensive research into graphene and two-dimensional materials a new semiconductor material shows potential for the future of super-fast electronics.

The new semiconductor named Indium Selenide (InSe) is only a few atoms thick, similarly to graphene. The research was reported in Nature Nanotechnology this week by researchers of The University of Manchester and their colleagues at The University of Nottingham.

Graphene is just one atom thick and has unrivalled electronic properties, which has led to widely-publicised suggestions about its use in future electronic circuits.

For all its superlative properties graphene has no energy gap. It behaves more like a metal rather than a normal semiconductor, frustrating its potential for transistor-type applications.

The new research shows that InSe crystals can be made only a few atoms thick, nearly as thin as graphene. InSe was shown to have electronic quality higher than that of silicon which is ubiquitously used in modern electronics.

Importantly, unlike graphene but similar to silicon, ultra-thin InSe has a large energy gap allowing transistors to be easily switched on and off, allowing for super-fast next-generation electronic devices.

Combining graphene with other new materials, which individually have excellent characteristics complementary to the extraordinary properties of graphene, has resulted in exciting scientific developments and could produce applications as yet beyond our imagination.

Sir Andre Geim, one of the authors of this study and a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics for research on graphene, believes that the new findings could have a significant impact on development of future electronics.

“Ultra-thin InSe seems to offer the golden middle between silicon and graphene. Similar to graphene, InSe offers a naturally thin body, allowing scaling to the true nanometre dimensions. Similar to silicon, InSe is a very good semiconductor.”

The Manchester researchers had to overcome one major problem to create high-quality InSe devices. Being so thin, InSe is rapidly damaged by oxygen and moisture present in the atmosphere. To avoid such damage, the devices were prepared in an argon atmosphere using new technologies developed at the National Graphene Institute.

This allowed high-quality atomically-thin films of InSe for the first time. The electron mobility at room temperature was measured at 2,000 cm2/Vs, significantly higher than silicon. This value increases several times at lower temperatures.

Current experiments produced the material several micrometres in size, comparable to the cross-section of a human hair. The researchers believe that by following the methods now widely used to produce large-area graphene sheets, InSe could also soon be produced at a commercial level.

Co-author of the paper Professor Vladimir Falko, Director of the National Graphene Institute said: “The technology that the NGI has developed for separating atomic layers of materials into high-quality two-dimensional crystals offers great opportunities to create new material systems for optoelectronics applications. We are constantly looking for new layered materials to try.”

Ultra-thin InSe is one of a growing family of two-dimensional crystals that have a variety of useful properties depending on their structure, thickness and chemical composition.

Currently, research in graphene and related two-dimensional materials is the fastest growing field of materials science that bridges science and engineering.

MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MTSI) (“MACOM”), a leading supplier of high-performance analog RF, microwave, millimeterwave and photonic semiconductor products, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Applied Micro Circuits Corporation (NASDAQ:AMCC) (“AppliedMicro”), a global leader in Connectivity and Computing solutions for next-generation cloud infrastructure and Data Centers, for approximately $8.36 per share, consisting of $3.25 in cash and 0.1089 MACOM shares per share of AppliedMicro. This price for each share of AppliedMicro represented a 15.4% premium over the company’s closing price of $7.25 on Friday, November 18th. MACOM intends to divest the well-positioned but non-strategic Compute business within the first 100 days of closing.

Transaction Highlights Include:

  • Transaction valued at approximately $770 million for AppliedMicro’s approximately $165 million in TTM revenue (including the Compute business) and $82 million of cash and short-term investments at September 30, 2016
  • MACOM and AppliedMicro’s pro forma combined TTM revenue was approximately $709 million including AppliedMicro’s Compute business, or approximately $644 million excluding the Compute business
  • AppliedMicro’s Connectivity business is highly complementary to MACOM’s product portfolio, through the addition of market-leading OTN framers, MACsec Ethernet networking components and the industry’s leading single-lambda PAM4 platform
  • Transaction to accelerate MACOM’s significant growth in optical technologies for Cloud Service Providers and Enterprise Network customers serving the high-growth, high-margin Data Center market
  • AppliedMicro’s leadership PAM4 solutions based on FinFET technology and custom engagements with top-tier Data Center and service provider customers is expected to strengthen MACOM’s competitive position with those customers
  • MACOM expects to improve the profitability of AppliedMicro by divesting the Compute business and by delivering on substantial revenue and cost synergies
  • Excluding the Compute business, MACOM expects this transaction to be accretive to its non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP EPS, in MACOM’s fiscal year ending September, 2017
  • MACOM to benefit from over $600 million of tax net operating loss carry forwards

Commenting on the transaction, John Croteau, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “This transaction will accelerate and expand MACOM’s breakout opportunity in Enterprise and Cloud Data Centers. MACOM will now be able to provide all the requisite semiconductor content for optical networks – analog, photonic and PHY – from the switch to fiber for long haul, metro, access, backhaul and Data Center. AppliedMicro’s 100G to 400G single-lambda PAM4 platform should perfectly complement MACOM’s leadership in analog and photonic components for Data Centers.

“Notably, the IEEE recently recommended the adoption of AppliedMicro’s single lambda PAM4 solution to be an industry standard for enterprise and Data Center connectivity, positioning this technology as the solution of choice going forward. Additionally, AppliedMicro’s Connectivity business aligns well with MACOM’s differentiated, high-growth business model, offering non-GAAP gross margins well in excess of MACOM’s long term target operating model, long product life cycles, and sticky customer relationships.”

“AppliedMicro also provides value-added technologies including SerDes, high speed analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters with industry-leading engineering competencies and long product lifecycles. Importantly, we expect that this transaction will establish MACOM with an incumbent position supplying strategic components and enterprise and cloud Data Center customers.”

MACOM intends to divest AppliedMicro’s well-positioned Compute business within 100 days from closing the transaction, as the business does not strategically align with MACOM’s long-term focus. AppliedMicro has been exploring strategic options for the Compute business and there is known strategic interest among several potential buyers and investors. MACOM will continue to support Compute customers and partners during this transition.

“This is an exciting day for AppliedMicro, and we are pleased to be joining forces with MACOM. The transaction affirms the value that our employees have created and provides a strong path forward for our Connectivity business while delivering AppliedMicro stockholders a robust premium,” said Paramesh Gopi, President and CEO, AppliedMicro. “This transaction will create an industry powerhouse with the scale, deep customer relationships, innovative technology, and enabling products that will help deliver explosive growth in Enterprise and Cloud Data Centers. In addition, this agreement provides a promising path forward for the Compute business, which is in the process of bringing AppliedMicro’s highly-competitive third-generation X-Gene processor to market. X-Gene is well-positioned to address the large opportunity for mainstream server processors with its proven high performance cores, scalable interconnect and high per socket memory capabilities.”

MACOM intends to commence a tender offer to purchase each outstanding common share of AppliedMicro for approximately $8.36 per share, consisting of $3.25 in cash and 0.1089 MACOM shares per share of AppliedMicro. MACOM will assume certain equity awards held by AppliedMicro employees. The transaction value is approximately $770 million in diluted equity value, or approximately $688 million net of AppliedMicro’s cash position of approximately $82 million as of September 30, 2016. The transaction is expected to be accretive to MACOM’s non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP EPS in fiscal year 2017, excluding the Compute business. AppliedMicro stockholders are expected to own approximately 15% of the combined company on a pro forma basis. MACOM expects to pay the cash portion of the acquisition price from cash on hand. The boards of directors of both companies have approved the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. MACOM currently expects the transaction to close in the first calendar quarter of 2017.

Evercore is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Ropes & Gray LLP is serving as legal counsel to MACOM.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is serving as legal counsel to AppliedMicro. The board of directors of AppliedMicro received a fairness opinion from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Needham & Company, LLC.

Conference Call and Slide Presentation Information

MACOM will host a conference call on Monday, November 21 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (6:00 a.m. Pacific Time). The conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet with a slide presentation and can be accessed by all interested parties on the Investor section of MACOM’s website at http://ir.macomtech.com/. On the call will be John Croteau, MACOM’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and Robert McMullan, MACOM’s Chief Financial Officer. Investors and analysts are invited to participate on the call. To listen to the live call, please go to the Investor section of MACOM’s website and click on the Conference Call link at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download, and install any necessary audio software.

When: Monday, November 21, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Dial in: 1+(877) 837-3908; outside the U.S. 1+(973) 872-3000
Participant Code: 24085998
Live Webcast: http://ir.macom.com/events.cfm

For those unable to participate during the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call and will be available on MACOM’s website for 7 days. The replay dial-in number is 1-(855) 859-2056 and the pass code is 24085998. International callers should dial +1(404) 537-3406 and enter the same pass code at the prompt. Additionally, the conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed by all interested parties for approximately 60 days in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at http://ir.macomtech.com/.

Further details of the transaction are set out in MACOM’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 21, 2016.

About MACOM

MACOM enables a better-connected and safer world by delivering breakthrough semiconductor technologies for optical, wireless and satellite networks that satisfy society’s insatiable demand for information.

Today, MACOM powers the infrastructure that millions of lives and livelihoods depend on every minute to communicate, transact business, travel, stay informed, and be entertained. Our technology increases the speed and coverage of the mobile Internet and enables fiber optic networks to carry previously unimaginable volumes of traffic to businesses, homes, and datacenters.

Keeping us all safe, MACOM technology enables next-generation radars for air traffic control and weather forecasting, as well as mission success on the modern networked battlefield.

MACOM is the partner of choice to the world’s leading communications infrastructure, aerospace and defense companies, helping solve their most complex challenges in areas including network capacity, signal coverage, energy efficiency, and field reliability, through its best-in-class team and broad portfolio of analog RF, microwave, millimeterwave, and photonic semiconductor products.

MACOM is a pillar of the semiconductor industry, thriving for more than 60 years of daring to change the world for the better, through bold technological strokes that deliver true competitive advantage to customers and superior value to investors.

Headquartered in Lowell, Massachusetts, MACOM is certified to the ISO9001 international quality standard and ISO14001 environmental management standard. MACOM has design centers and sales offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

MACOM, M/A-COM, M/A-COM Technology Solutions, M/A-COM Tech, Partners in RF & Microwave, and related logos are trademarks of MACOM. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information about MACOM, please visit www.macom.com.

About AppliedMicro

AppliedMicro Circuits Corporation (Nasdaq:AMCC) is a global leader in computing and connectivity solutions for next-generation cloud infrastructure and data centers. AppliedMicro delivers silicon solutions that dramatically lower total cost of ownership. Corporate headquarters are located in Santa Clara, California. www.apm.com.

The overall utilization rate at fabrication plants (fabs) used for display panel production is expected to reach 90 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, up 7 percentage points from the same period in the previous year, and up 1 percentage point from the previous quarter, according to IHS Markit (Nasdaq: INFO).

2016_Display_Panel_Manufacturing_Monthly_Utilization_Rates_-_IHS_Markit

One of the contributing factors for driving up the fab utilization rate is the sudden rise in demand for larger TV panels, notably in 2016, when the average area size of overall TV panels increase by 1.9 inches from the previous year, raising the unit area by about 10 percent.

TV display panels, which account for about 70 percent of overall display area demand, suffered a fall in unit demand in recent times, but the area demand is expected to increase by 6 percent in 2016. A rise in TV panel demand is now projected to raise overall display panel area demand by 5 percent in 2016 compared to a year ago.

As a result, display panel makers are increasing the utilization rate of Gen 7 fabs and later Gen fabs, used mainly to produce TV panels, and can be expected to stay high in the fourth quarter of 2016 and beyond, according to the latest IHS Markit Display Production & Inventory Tracker report.

“Such a high utilization rate would suggest that these fabs are running at full loading, considering the remaining capacity is already allotted for test runs and maintenance,” said Alex Kang, senior analyst of display research at IHS Markit.

“This increase in display panel area demand has allowed panel manufacturers to sustain inventory levels that are considered healthy, and has prevented a sharp drop in utilization rate this year,” Kang added.

IHS Markit expects that panel manufacturers’ year-end panel inventory level will remain healthy at under four weeks. This will allow panel manufacturers to maintain a high utilization rate for a certain period of time regardless of demand fluctuations with sufficient space to pile up extra production stock.

With a healthy inventory outlook, panel manufacturers are projected to reach a fab utilization rate of between 85 and 90 percent in the first quarter of 2017 after the year-end peak season, which is up by between 5 and 10 percentage points since the first quarter of 2016.

 

IC Insights will release its November Update to the 2016 McClean Report later this month and will release its 20th anniversary edition of The McClean Report in January of next year.  The November Update includes the latest semiconductor industry capital spending forecast, a detailed forecast of the IC industry by product type through 2020, and a look at the top-25 semiconductor suppliers expected for 2016. The top-20 2016 semiconductor suppliers are covered in this research bulletin.

The forecasted top-20 worldwide semiconductor (IC and O S D—optoelectronic, sensor, and discrete) sales ranking for 2016 is shown in Figure 1.  It includes eight suppliers headquartered in the U.S., three in Japan, three in Taiwan, three in Europe, two in South Korea, and one in Singapore, a relatively broad representation of geographic regions.

The top-20 ranking includes three pure-play foundries (TSMC, GlobalFoundries, and UMC) and five fabless companies. If the three pure-play foundries were excluded from the top-20 ranking, U.S.-based fabless supplier AMD ($4,238 million), China-based fabless supplier HiSilicon ($3,762 million), and Japan-based IDM Sharp ($3,706 million), would have been ranked in the 18th, 19th, and 20th positions, respectively.  In August 2016, China-based contract assembler Foxconn bought a controlling interest (66%) in Sharp for $3.8 billion.

In total, the 17 non-foundry companies in the forecasted top 20-ranking are expected to represent 68% of the total $357.1 billion worldwide semiconductor market this year, up 10 points from the 58% share the top 17 companies held in 2006.

IC Insights includes foundries in the top-20 semiconductor supplier ranking since it has always viewed the ranking as a top supplier list, not a marketshare ranking, and realizes that in some cases the semiconductor sales are double counted.  With many of our clients being vendors to the semiconductor industry (supplying equipment, chemicals, gases, etc.), excluding large IC manufacturers like the foundries would leave significant “holes” in the list of top semiconductor suppliers.  As shown in the listing, the foundries and fabless companies are identified.  In the April Update to The McClean Report, marketshare rankings of IC suppliers by product type were presented and foundries were excluded from these listings.

Overall, the top-20 list shown in Figure 1 is provided as a guideline to identify which companies are the leading semiconductor suppliers, whether they are IDMs, fabless companies, or foundries.

Figure 1

Figure 1

Nine of the top-20 companies are forecast to have sales of at least $10.0 billion this year.  As shown, it is expected to take about $4.5 billion in sales just to make it into the 2016 top-20 semiconductor supplier list. Moreover, if Qualcomm’s purchase of NXP is completed, as is expected in late 2017, the combined annual semiconductor sales of these two companies will likely be over $25 billion going forward. Overall, no new entrants are expected to make it into the top-20 ranking in 2016 as compared to the 2015 ranking.

Intel is forecast to remain firmly in control of the number one spot in the top-20 ranking in 2016.  In fact, it is expected to increase its lead over Samsung’s semiconductor sales from only 24% in 2015 to 29% in 2016.  The biggest upward move in the ranking is forecast to be made by Apple, which is expected to jump up three positions in the 2016 ranking as compared to 2015.  Other companies that are forecast to make noticeable moves up the ranking include MediaTek and Nvidia, with each company expected to improve by two positions.

Apple is an anomaly in the top-20 ranking with regards to major semiconductor suppliers. The company designs and uses its processors only in its own products—there are no sales of the company’s MPUs to other system makers.  IC Insights estimates that Apple’s custom ARM-based SoC processors will have a “sales value” of $6.5 billion in 2016, which will place them in the 14th position in the forecasted top-20 ranking.

In total, the top-20 semiconductor companies’ sales are forecast to increase by 3% this year, which would be two points higher than IC Insights’ current worldwide semiconductor market forecast for 2016. Although, in total, the top-20 2016 semiconductor companies are expected to register a 3% increase, there are five companies that are forecast to display a double-digit 2016 jump in sales (Nvidia, MediaTek, Apple, Toshiba, and TSMC) and four that are expected to register a double-digit decline (SK Hynix, Micron, GlobalFoundries, and NXP).

The fastest growing top-20 company this year is forecast to be U.S.-based Nvidia, which is expected to post a huge 35% year-over-year increase in sales.  The company is riding a surge of demand for its graphics processor devices (GPUs) and Tegra processors with its year-over-year sales in its latest quarter (ended October 30, 2016) up 63% for gaming, 193% for data center, and 61% for automotive applications.

The second-fastest growing top-20 company in 2016 is expected to be Taiwan-based MediaTek, which is forecast to post a strong 29% increase in sales this year.  Although worldwide smartphone unit volume sales are expected to increase by only 4% this year, MediaTek’s application processor shipments to the fast-growing China-based smartphone suppliers (e.g., Oppo and Vivo), are forecast to help drive its stellar 2016 increase.

As expected, given the possible acquisitions and mergers that could/will occur over the next few years (e.g., Qualcomm and NXP), the top-20 ranking is likely to undergo a significant amount of upheaval as the semiconductor industry continues along its path to maturity.

Siemens and Mentor Graphics (NASDAQ: MENT) today announced that they have entered into a merger agreement under which Siemens will acquire Mentor for an enterprise value of $4.5 billion. Mentor’s Board of Directors approved and declared advisable the merger agreement, and Mentor’s Board of Directors recommends the approval and adoption of the merger agreement by the holders of shares of Mentor common stock.

“Siemens is acquiring Mentor as part of its Vision 2020 concept to be the Benchmark for the New Industrial Age. It’s a perfect portfolio fit to further expand our digital leadership and set the pace in the industry,” said Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG.

“With Mentor, we’re acquiring an established technology leader with a talented employee base that will allow us to supplement our world-class industrial software portfolio. It will complement our strong offering in mechanics and software with design, test and simulation of electrical and electronic systems,” said Klaus Helmrich, member of the Managing Board of Siemens.

Mentor is headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon, U.S., and has employees in 32 countries worldwide. In its fiscal year ended January 31, 2016, Mentor had over 5,700 employees and generated revenue of approximately $1.2 billion with an adjusted operating margin of 20.2%. Siemens expects these attractive margins to continue in the future and contribute significantly to the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software business of Siemens Digital Factory (DF) Division, which Mentor will join. Mentor serves a large, diverse customer base of marquee systems companies and IC/semiconductors companies with over 14,000 global accounts across communications, computer, consumer electronics, semiconductor, networking, aerospace, multimedia, and transportation industries. Mentor is viewed as a global leader in strategic industry segments including IC design, test and manufacturing; electronic systems design and analysis; and emerging markets including automotive electronics.

“Combining Mentor’s technology leadership and deep customer relationships with Siemens’ global scale and resources will better enable us to serve the growing needs of our customers, and unlock additional significant opportunities for our employees,” said Walden C. Rhines, chairman and CEO of Mentor. “Siemens is an ideal partner with financial depth and stability, and their resources and additional investment will allow us to innovate even faster and accelerate our vision of creating top-to-bottom automated design solutions for electronic systems. We are excited to join the Siemens family, as it is clear they share the same values and focus on customer success, and are pleased that this transaction provides immediate and certain value to our stockholders.”

Siemens expects to achieve synergies through a combination of revenue growth and anticipated margin expansion, with a total EBIT impact of over €100 million within 4 years from closing the transaction. Additionally, the transaction is expected to be EPS accretive within three years from closing. Closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected in Q2 of calendar 2017. Mentor will be part of the PLM software business of Siemens’ DF Division. DF is the industry leader in automation technology and a leading provider of PLM software.

“By adding Mentor’s electronic design automation solutions and talented experts to our team, we’re greatly enhancing our core competencies for product design that creates a very precise digital twin of any smart product and production line,” noted Helmrich.

Shares in Mentor Graphics jumped 18.5 percent to $36.37 in early U.S. trading, while Siemens was 1.1 percent higher by 1435 GMT.

The deal will boost its software revenue by about a third from 3.3 billion euros, to around 6 percent of group revenue.

Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan advised Siemens on the transaction, which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2017. Bank of America advised Mentor Graphics.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research, today announced the SIA Board of Directors has elected Tunç Doluca, President and CEO of Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: MXIM), as its 2017 Chair and Mark Durcan, CEO and Director of Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU), as its 2017 Vice Chair.

“We are excited to welcome Tunç Doluca as SIA’s 2017 Chair and Mark Durcan as SIA’s 2017 Vice Chair,” said John Neuffer, SIA President and CEO. “Both Tunç and Mark have tremendous technical backgrounds and each has more than three decades of experience driving research and innovation on behalf of their companies and our industry. With their many accomplishments, they will provide strong leadership for SIA and the industry in 2017.”

Tunç Doluca joined Maxim in 1984 as a design engineer and was named the company’s Vice President of R&D in 1993. In 2007, Tunç became the second CEO in the company’s history. During his tenure as CEO, he strengthened Maxim’s commitment to building a successful portfolio of innovative products by focusing product development around end market applications. He led the transition to a more flexible hybrid production model to improve overall manufacturing execution, and played a critical role in making Maxim one of the first analog companies to transition to 300mm wafer technology. Under Tunç’s leadership, Maxim has become a leading supplier of innovative analog, power, and mixed-signal products for new markets and applications that are making a positive impact on the world. Tunç holds a BSEE degree from Iowa State University and an MSEE degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“The semiconductor industry drives innovation and growth across the United States and around the world by enabling the systems and products we use to work, communicate, manufacture, and make new scientific discoveries,” said Doluca. “Now more than ever before, SIA’s work to advance manufacturing and semiconductor research, expand markets, and defend against threats is vital. I look forward to contributing to that effort in 2017 as SIA chair and helping to ensure the U.S. semiconductor industry remains the world’s most innovative sector.”

A 32-year company veteran, Mark Durcan rose from his first role as a Process Integration Engineer to Chief Technical Officer, President, and, ultimately, CEO in 2012. Under his leadership, the company has delivered the continual innovation that makes Micron one of the top memory manufacturers in the world. Mark is a key technical decision maker guiding Micron’s next-generation technologies to market. He is also the Chairman of the Micron Technology Foundation, Inc., which was formed to advance STEM education and support civic and charitable institutions in the communities where Micron has facilities. Mark earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from Rice University.

“It is an honor to serve as 2017 SIA vice chairman,” said Durcan. “Serving as the voice and chief advocate for our industry, SIA unites around common challenges and seeks to advance government policies that promote U.S. competitiveness and remove barriers to innovation. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to promote the semiconductor industry’s policy priorities in the coming year.”

About SIA

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) is the voice of the U.S. semiconductor industry, one of America’s top export industries and a key driver of America’s economic strength, national security, and global competitiveness. Semiconductors – microchips that control all modern electronics – enable the systems and products we use to work, communicate, travel, entertain, harness energy, treat illness, and make new scientific discoveries. The semiconductor industry directly employs nearly a quarter of a million people in the U.S. In 2015, U.S. semiconductor company sales totaled $166 billion, and semiconductors make the global trillion dollar electronics industry possible. SIA seeks to strengthen U.S. leadership of semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research by working with Congress, the Administration and other key industry stakeholders to encourage policies and regulations that fuel innovation, propel business and drive international competition. Learn more at www.semiconductors.org.

The MEMS microphone market has enjoyed continuous growth since its debut. The “More than Moore” market research and strategy consulting company, Yole Développement (Yole) forecasts a 10% CAGR between 2015 and 2021. According to its analysts, this growth is due a strong demand coming from the smartphone and home appliance market segment. Today, MEMS microphones’ penetration rate in smartphones is already close to 100%.

Under this context, the reverse engineering and costing company, System Plus Consulting, proposes today a comprehensive technical analysis of the 4 microphones embedded in Apple iPhone 7 Plus. What are the technologies selected by Apple for its latest smartphone and proposed by the leading MEMS companies Goertek/Infineon Technologies, Knowles and STMicroelectronics? What is the added-value of each device? Are there strong differences?

Entitled “Apple iPhone 7 Plus: MEMS Microphones”, System Plus Consulting’s report includes a relevant physical analysis of the 4 MEMS microphones, a detailed description of the manufacturing process flow with the related cost analysis as well as a estimated selling price. Every day, System Plus Consulting’s team is analyzing and modeling production cost and selling price of semiconductors, electronic boards and systems. Discover today the reverse engineering & costing analysis of the MEMS microphones selected by Apple. What’s inside?

The Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus each are both featuring the following MEMS microphones:
• A front-facing top microphone,
• Two front-facing bottom microphones,
• And a rear-facing top microphone.
“In every iPhone 7 Plus we examined, we observed a Knowles design win for the rear-facing top microphone and an STMicroelectronics design win for the front-facing top microphone,” explains Sylvain Hallereau in charge of costing analyses for IC, Power and MEMS at System Plus Consulting.

From their side, the two front-facing bottom microphones were sourced by either Knowles or Goertek.

The competitive landscape of the MEMS microphones industry is showing a lot of companies including Knowles, AAC Technologies, Infineon Technologies, Goertek, STMicroelectronics, Gettop, InvenSense, Bosch Akustica, and Cirrus Logic. Knowles, AAC and Goertek are the top players of the consumer market field. Knowles also addresses, in a leading position, the medical application of hearing aids.

On the manufacturing process side, System Plus Consulting’s team is highlighting in the report, the full in-house manufacturing microphone developed by STMicroelectronics. “Indeed, for the 1st time, the leading company now makes the MEMS die internally without relying on the Japanese company, OMRON,” commented Sylvain Hallerau. “This strategic choice confirms a new manufacturing process developed by STMicroelectronics.” Under a different strategy, Goertek still relies on Infineon Technologies for die manufacturing. The company integrates the latest Infineon Technologies MEMS microphone process, which delivers a differential MEMS microphone using a dual backplate technology. The third manufacturer, Knowles, makes strategic technical choices internally which allows the company to propose the smallest MEMS die.

Each four microphones share the same Apple-specific package dimensions. However they present total different internal structures. System Plus Consulting’s engineers list for example: the number of substrate metal layers, the embedded capacitance and more.

“The 4 MEMS devices do present any significant technical innovations, like the dual backplane of Infineon Technologies used in the Goertek device,” commented Michel Allain, System Plus Consulting’s CEO. “In addition, the key change is probably located at the supply chain level. Indeed some players decided to manage internally the full manufacturing steps of their devices; some selected leading partners to provide them the relevant solutions. And these strategies are directly impacting the cost analysis and at the end the selling price of each MEMS component”. 

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE together with the Austrian company EV Group (EVG) have successfully manufactured a silicon-based multi-junction solar cell with two contacts and an efficiency exceeding the theoretical limit of silicon solar cells. For this achievement, the researchers used a “direct wafer bonding” process to transfer a few micrometers of III-V semiconductor material to silicon, a well-known process in the microelectronics industry. After plasma activation, the subcell surfaces are bonded together in vacuum by applying pressure. The atoms on the surface of the III-V subcell form bonds with the silicon atoms, creating a monolithic device. The efficiency achieved by the researchers presents a first-time result for this type of fully integrated silicon-based multi-junction solar cell. The complexity of its inner structure is not evident from its outer appearance: the cell has a simple front and rear contact just as a conventional silicon solar cell and therefore can be integrated into photovoltaic modules in the same manner.

Wafer-bonded III-V / Si multi-junction solar cell with 30.2 percent efficiency ©Fraunhofer ISE/A. Wekkeli

Wafer-bonded III-V / Si multi-junction solar cell with 30.2 percent efficiency ©Fraunhofer ISE/A. Wekkeli

“We are working on methods to surpass the theoretical limits of silicon solar cells,” says Dr. Frank Dimroth, department head at Fraunhofer ISE. “It is our long-standing experience with silicon and III-V technologies that has enabled us to reach this milestone today.” A conversion efficiency of 30.2 percent for the III-V / Si multi-junction solar cell of 4 cm² was measured at Fraunhofer ISE’s calibration laboratory. In comparison, the highest efficiency measured to date for a pure silicon solar cell is 26.3 percent, and the theoretical efficiency limit is 29.4 percent.

The III-V / Si multi-junction solar cell consists of a sequence of subcells stacked on top of each other. So-called “tunnel diodes” internally connect the three subcells made of gallium-indium-phosphide (GaInP), gallium-arsenide (GaAs) and silicon (Si), which span the absorption range of the sun’s spectrum. The GaInP top cell absorbs radiation between 300 and 670 nm. The middle GaAs subcell absorbs radiation between 500 and 890 nm and the bottom Si subcell between 650 and 1180 nm, respectively. The III-V layers are first epitaxially deposited on a GaAs substrate and then bonded to a silicon solar cell structure. Subsequently the GaAs substrate is removed, and a front and rear contact as well as an antireflection coating are applied.

“Key to the success was to find a manufacturing process for silicon solar cells that produces a smooth and highly doped surface which is suitable for wafer bonding as well as accounts for the different needs of silicon and the applied III-V semiconductors,” explains Dr. Jan Benick, team leader at Fraunhofer ISE.

“In developing the process, we relied on our decades of research experience in the development of highest efficiency silicon solar cells.” Institute Director Prof. Eicke Weber expresses his delight: “I am pleased that Fraunhofer ISE has so convincingly succeeded in breaking through the glass ceiling of 30 percent efficiency with its fully integrated silicon-based solar cell with two contacts. With this achievement, we have opened the door for further efficiency improvements for cells based on the long-proven silicon material.”

“The III-V / Si multi-junction solar cell is an impressive demonstration of the possibilities of our ComBond® cluster for resistance-free bonding of different semiconductors without the use of adhesives,” says Markus Wimplinger, Corporate Technology Development and IP Director at EV Group. “Since 2012, we have been working closely with Fraunhofer ISE on this development and today are proud of our team’s excellent achievements.” The direct wafer-bonding process is already used in the microelectronics industry to manufacture computer chips.

On the way to the industrial manufacturing of III-V / Si multi-junction solar cells, the costs of the III-V epitaxy and the connecting technology with silicon must be reduced. There are still great challenges to overcome in this area, which the Fraunhofer ISE researchers intend to solve through future investigations. Fraunhofer ISE’s new Center for High Efficiency Solar Cells, presently being constructed in Freiburg, will provide them with the perfect setting for developing next-generation III-V and silicon solar cell technologies. The ultimate objective is to make high efficiency solar PV modules with efficiencies of over 30 percent possible in the future.

The young researcher Dr. Romain Cariou carried out research on this project at Fraunhofer ISE with the support of a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship. Funding was provided by the EU project HISTORIC. The work at EVG was supported by the Austrian Ministry for Technology.

Since President Obama took office in 2009, the Administration has focused on promoting innovation for the purposes of strengthening the economy, improving quality of life, and protecting the safety and security of our country.

Last week, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) announced the formation of a new working group focused on strengthening the U.S. semiconductor industry in ways that benefit the nation’s economic and security interests.

Semiconductors are essential to many aspects of modern life, from cellphones and automobiles to medical diagnostics to reconnaissance satellites and weapon systems. The semiconductor industry directly employs 250,000 workers, is the third largest source of U.S. manufactured exports, and has the highest level of investment in research and development (R&D) as a percentage of sales of any major industry. In addition, the semiconductor industry creates foundational technologies that enable innovation in virtually every sector of the U.S. economy. A loss of leadership in semiconductor innovation and manufacturing could have significant adverse impacts on the U.S. economy and even on national security.

In a world where the supply chains are global, policies being pursued by other countries are posing new challenges to the U.S. semiconductor industry. Specifically, some countries that are important in this domain are subsidizing their domestic semiconductor industry or requiring implicit transfer of technology and intellectual property in exchange for market access. Such policies could lead to overcapacity and dumping, reduce incentives for private-sector R&D in the United States, and thereby slow the pace of semiconductor innovation and realization of the economic and security benefits that such innovation could bring.

The industry may also be approaching technological and economic inflection points. Based on the currently commercialized approach to semiconductor technology, the industry may soon be unable to continue the pace of advance described by “Moore’s Law”—doubling the processing power of chips every 18–24 months—a pace that has brought with it rapid advances in the capabilities of systems that use semiconductors, opened up new applications, and thus fueled economic growth while increasing quality of life and strengthening national security. Indeed, the exponentially growing cost of designing and fabricating higher-performance chips in the conventional mold is already stifling innovation, making it more difficult for startups and new ideas from university research to create new markets—a key source of competitive advantage for America’s entrepreneurial economy.

Additional public and private investments in R&D are almost certain to be required if the past remarkable pace of improvements in price and performance of semiconductors and the benefits deriving therefrom are to continue—R&D that looks to create new technologies that can leapfrog beyond the limits of today’s technology and explore entirely new computer architectures and their integration into systems well beyond the traditional computing sphere, including automotive and other mobile applications.

The time is therefore right for a fresh look at the policy issues shaping innovation and global competition in the semiconductor industry. The new PCAST working group will identify the core challenges facing the semiconductor industry at home and abroad and identify major opportunities for sustaining U.S. leadership. Based on its findings, the working group will deliver a set of recommendations on initial actions the Federal government, industry, and academia could pursue to maintain U.S. leadership in this crucial domain.

The full working group includes the following members:

  • John Holdren (Director, OSTP; PCAST Co-Chair); Working Group Co-Chair
  • Paul Otellini (Former President and CEO, Intel); Working Group Co-Chair
  • Richard Beyer (Former Chairman and CEO, Freescale Semiconductor)
  • Wes Bush (Chairman, CEO, and President, Northrop Grumman)
  • Diana Farrell (President and CEO, JP Morgan Chase Institute)
  • John Hennessy (President Emeritus, Stanford University)
  • Paul Jacobs (Executive Chairman, Qualcomm)
  • Ajit Manocha (Former CEO, GlobalFoundries)
  • Jami Miscik (Co-CEO and Vice Chairman, Kissinger Associates; Co- Chair, President’s Intelligence Advisory Board)
  • Craig Mundie (President, Mundie and Associates; Former Senior Advisor, Microsoft; Member of PCAST)
  • Mike Splinter (Former CEO and Chairman, Applied Materials)
  • Laura Tyson (Distinguished Professor of the Graduate School, UC Berkeley; Former CEA Chair and NEC Director)