Free registration on www.i-micronews.com ISSUE NВ°144 25/04/2013 T H E D I S R U P T I V E INSIDE 3 LemoptixвЂ™s MEMS-based laser scanning and microprojection technologies S E M I C O N D U C T O R LED 11 T E C H N O L O G I E S POWER ELECTRONICS Aledia makes its first LEDs on 8-inch silicon wafers using cost-disruptive microwire technology 17 PL AT IN U M PA R T NE R S: IXYS introduces the smallest footprint surface mount package for 1.2KV to 1.8KV power semiconductors Everywhereyoulookв„ў MEMS EDITORIAL Top 30 MEMS companies The fast growing market for sensors for smart phones is re-shuffling the ranks of MEMS suppliers. For the first time, suppliers of inertial sensors have surpassed the major makers of micro mirrors and inkjet heads that have long dominated the industryвЂ™s annual ranking of the Top 30 MEMS companies. S TMicroelectronics (ST) increased MEMS sales by ~10% in 2012, to become the first company with $1 billion in MEMS revenue, moving past Texas Instruments to become the sectorвЂ™s largest company. Robert Bosch saw 14% growth, to ~$842 million in MEMS sales, pushing ahead of both Texas Instruments and Hewlett Packard for the first time to become the second ranking player, according to YoleвЂ™s figures. Both ST and Bosch have been aggressively expanding their consumer product lines to offer customers a broad range of sensors, and increasingly also combinations of sensors in a single package for easier integration at lower cost. Their growing volumes also help keep their fabs running more efficiently, for the assured manufacturing capability that volume users demand. >p.5 STMicroelectronics increased its MEMS sales by ~10% in 2012. This company becomes the 1st company with $1B in MEMS revenue. 825 842 10 00 1 200 1 000 645 800 600 65 60 60 AAC OM RO N ULI 54 75 NIX 81 81 83 91 93 130 152 161 178 179 200 187 187 247 249 266 268 276 279 356 400 386 440 US$ M M A G A Z I N E FLI Status of the MEMS Industry report, to be released Q2, 2013. (Courtesy of Yole DГ©veloppement) ADVANCED PACKAGING ZOOM Hurel receives $9.2 million series a funding from Spring Mountain Capital Hurel announced that Spring Mountain Capital has organized and closed a $9.2 million Series A private equity financing facility for the company. F unds from the financing will support the commercial launch of HurelвЂ™s current products, the continued research and development of its technologies and future products, and other general corporate purposes. Spring Mountain, operating through its SMC Select CoInvestment Fund I, L.P., is the lead investor; Spring Mountain also organized co-investment participations by several other private investor entities. вЂњThis investment refl ects our belief in HurelвЂ™s management, its scientifi c leader ship, and its produc t strength,вЂќ said Spring MountainвЂ™s Managing Partner Avi Faliks, Ph.D. >p.8 Yo l e D Г© v e l o p p e m e n t recently issued its Biophotonics market report. Thanks to life science and health applications, the report proposes an estimated market growth of $23B-$36B between 2012-2017, with a strong CAGR increase for emerging opportunities in imaging and sensing modalities. In local Japanese affairs, one hot topic is the MICвЂ™s (the Japanese governmentвЂ™s Ministry of In t e r n a l A f f a i r s a n d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s) announcement that the number of Japanese people aged 65 or older ( вЂњpensioner sвЂќ ) exceeded 30 million in October 2012. The last time this happened was way back in 1950. When you consider that JapanвЂ™s total population is 127.5 million, pensioners now account for 25%. ItвЂ™s interesting to note that while Japan is вЂњaging fastвЂќ, its total population is decreasing, which begs the question: is this the same for other countries? The answer is yes. This phenomena is not exclusive to Japan, but appears in other developed countries as well, and it has created a sense of urgency to improve a number of currently outdated and unbalanced healthcare systems. In other news, Biotech 2013 will take place in Tok yo from May 8 вЂ“ 10. On May 9, Yole DГ©veloppement will host a market trends/ analysis seminar titled вЂњPoint-of-Care Testing finds Applications in Many FieldsвЂќ. WeвЂ™re very excited to meet our great customers and discuss new emerging technologies, such as those linked to life science and healthcare applications. MS IC S ME KIO MS M SPE EASU CIA REM LTI E ES NT INC . NY SO RS YST E ace RK MA osp Aer UTC INT QU LEX TRI HO NEY WE LL GE SEN SIN G SAT A SEN MU RAT A N TEC INF HN INE OLO ON GIE S INV ENS ENS E AKM KO EPS O SEI CAN ON TEC HN OLO GIE S SEM FR ICO EESC ND UCTALE OR ANA LOG DEV ICE S AVA GO SO DEN STM ICR OEL ECT RO NIC S RO BER TB OS CH TEX AS INS TRU ME NTS HEW LET TP ACK ARD ELE KNOW CTR LES ON ICS PAN ASO NIC 0 Biophotonics enables point-of-care testing Yutaka Katano General Manager, Japan Office Business Development Manager Yole DГ©veloppement PHOTOVOLTAICS GLOBALFOUNDRIES demonstrates 3D TSV capabilities on 20nm technology First Solar to acquire TetraSun to expand addressable market opportunity Fab 8 i n N ew Yo r k d e li ve r s f un c t i o n a l 20 n m silicon with Through-Silicon-Vias (TSVs). First Solar announced it is acquiring TetraSun, a solar photovoltaic technology startup which has deve lop e d a br eak-thr ough c e ll ar c hite c t ur e capable of conversion efficiencies exceeding 21 percent with commercial-scale manufac turing costs comparable to conventional multicrystalline silicon solar cells. G LOBALFOUNDRIES announced the accomplishment of a key milestone in its strategy to enable 3D stacking of chips for next-generation mobile and consumer applications. At its Fab 8 campus in Saratoga County, N.Y., the company has demonstrated its first functional 20nm silicon wafer s with integrated Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs). Manufactured using GLOBALFOUNDRIESвЂ™ leading-edge 20nmLPM process technology, the TSV capabilities will allow customers to stack multiple chips on top of each other, providing another avenue for delivering the demanding per formance, power, and bandwidth requirements of F irst Solar signed a definitive agreement to acquire TetraSun from JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation and other investors, including TetraSun management. Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2013, were not disclosed. First Solar and JX Nippon Oil & Energy also have entered into discussions on an agreement to distribute the technology in Japan. electronic devices. >p.14 >p.15 2 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 TO MEET US CONTENT INSIDE EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS MEMS MEDTECH COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTORS LED IMAGING OPTOELECTRONICS ADVANCED PACKAGING PHOTOVOLTAICS NANOTECHNOLOGY POWER ELECTRONICS 3 4 5 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Editorial Staff Board Members: Jean-Christophe Eloy - Media Activity, Editor in chief: Dr Eric Mounier - Editors: Alexandre Avron, FrГ©dГ©ric Breussin, Lionel Cadix, Paul Danini, Wenbin Ding, Dr. Г‰ric Mounier, Pars Mukish, Laurent Robin, Milan Rosina, Benjamin Roussel, Dr. Philippe Roussel - Media & Communication Manager: Sandrine Leroy Media & Communication Coordinators: Clotilde Fabre, Camille Favre - Layout: atelier JBBOX - Production: Kzen вЂў SPIE - Defense, Security & Sensing, April 29 to May 3 вЂ“ Baltimore, USA One of the largest exhibitions for optics, lasers, sensors, image processing, spectroscopy, infrared systems, optoelectronic components, and more for defense and security applications. Come and visit Yole DГ©veloppement experts on booth # 2106 in Zone 2. success of the compound semiconductor industry by encouraging the sharing of best manufacturing technologies and practices among peers in an open, informal environment. We feature the fundamentals of device production including design, materials, fabrication, test and operationsвЂ™ practices. Come and visit Yole DГ©veloppement experts on booth # 207 вЂў BIOTech 2013, May 8 to 10 - Tokyo, Japan AsiaвЂ™s LARGEST consisting of 3 events - PARTNERING, CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION. Grab the latest research achievements in Japan/ Asia. (600 exhibitors & 250 presentations). Come and listen to Yole DГ©veloppement Biotech expert on May 9, from 3.00PM to 4.00PM : Point of care testing finds applications in many fields: from emergency diagnostics to industrial testing вЂў PCIM Europe, May 14 to 16, 2013 - Nuremberg, Germany From latest developments of power semiconductors, passive components, products for thermal management, new materials, sensors as well as servo-technology and the wide area of power quality and energy-management - PCIM offers a comprehensive, focused and compact presentation of products all under one roof! Benefi t from the success of such a well established international exhibition with conference and tutorials. Come and visit Yole DГ©veloppement experts on booth #134 Hall 7. Participate to Yole DГ©veloppement Market Briefing on May 15 from 1:30 to 3:30 in the Forum Area вЂў CS Mantech, May 13 to 16 - New Orleans, LS, USA The 28th International Conference on Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology mission is to foster the growth and GOLD PARTNERS SAVE THE DATE SEPTEMBER 11-12, 2013 Seattle, WA, USA CONSULTING About Yole DГ©veloppement Founded in 1998, Yole DГ©veloppement has grown to become a group of companies providing marketing, technology and strategy consulting, media in addition to corporate finance services. With a strong focus on emerging applications using silicon and/or micro manufacturing, Yole DГ©veloppement group has expanded to include more than 50 associates worldwide covering MEMS, Compound Semiconductors, LED, Image Sensors, Optoelectronics, Microfluidics & Me dic al, Photovolt aic s, Advanc e d Pac kaging, Nanomaterials and Power Electronics. The group supports industrial companies, investors and R&D organizations worldwide to help them understand markets and follow technology trends to develop their business. Consulting вЂў Market data, market research & marketing analysis вЂў Technology analysis вЂў Reverse engineering & costing services вЂў Strategy consulting вЂў Patent analysis More information on www.yole.fr Reports вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў Collection of technology & market reports Manufacturing cost simulation tools Component reverse Patent investigation Engineering & Costing analysis Financial services вЂў Mergers & Acquisitions вЂў Due diligence & valuation вЂў Fundraising вЂў Coaching of emerging companies вЂў IP portfolio management, valuation & optimization More information on www.yolefinance.com вЂњMEMS in Motion is a different way of doing businessвЂ¦youвЂ™re going to see a lot more of these in the future. IвЂ™ll attend again, and IвЂ™d recommend it to other FRPSDQLHVLQWKH0(06ВїHOGВґ John Brashear, VectorNav Technologies MEMS in Motion 2012 Participant вЂњI love MEMS in Motion. I will absolutely dedicate the time to make sure I attend QH[WWLPHВґ Kevin Shaw, Sensor Platforms MEMS in Motion 2012 Participant вЂњI am extremely pleased with MEMS in Motion. It was great and I am looking IRUZDUGWRQH[W\HDUВ¶VVXPPLWВґ Vincent Fortin, Teledyne DALSA MEMS in Motion 2012 Participant вЂњSome conferences you have just speakers and listeners, presentation after presentation. Forums like MEMS in Motion force interaction between people which tend to be more productive meetings. I would recommend this event to RWKHULQGXVWU\SHRSOHВІSHUFHQWВґ Tom Flynn, Coventor MEMS in Motion 2012 Participant Industry leaders will gather for the third edition of the two-day MEMS in Motion event. Qualified attendees will enjoy exclusive plenary sessions; hours of one-on-one meeting opportunities, plus a variety of social activities. Mark your calendar, and help shape the future of inertial devices. Media вЂў Online disruptive technologies website: www.imicronews.com вЂў Editorial webcasts program вЂў Six magazines: Micronews - MEMS Trends вЂ“ 3D Packaging вЂ“ iLED вЂ“ Power DevвЂ™ - New in 2013: Image Sensors Industry вЂў Communication & Webcasts services For more information, please contact S.Leroy at leroy@yole.fr Contacts PLATINIUM SPONSORS For more information about : вЂў Consulting Services : Christophe Fitamant (fitamant@yole.fr) вЂў Financial Services: GГ©raldine Andrieux-Gustin (Andrieux@yole.fr) вЂў Reports: David Jourdan (jourdan@yole.fr) вЂў Media & Communication : Sandrine Leroy (leroy@yole.fr) 25/04/2013 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 3 INSIDEвЂ¦ Lemoptix MEMS-based laser scanning and microprojection technologies Based on its proprietar y MEMS platform, Lemoptix designs, develops, and licenses next-generation laser scanning and microprojection technologies. L emoptix specializes in developing nextgeneration laser scanning and microprojection technologies based on its proprietary MEMS platform. Launched in 20 0 8, i n L a u s a n n e , S w i t z e r l a n d, t h e company is a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Its MEMS technology is rapidly expanding into a wide range of applications. вЂњOur main focus is on head-up displays and pic opr ojec tor s,вЂќ s ays Raja Yazigi, vice pr e s ide nt of busine s s deve lopme nt at Lemoptix. вЂњBut we discover a new application about every two weeks now.вЂќ ASICs ASICs are at the heart of LemoptixвЂ™s MEMS technology, and its MEMS are ac tuated magnetically. Using LemoptixвЂ™s ASIC means it can sense the position of the MEMS mirror. So the ASIC acts as both a driver and a sensor, which forms a feedback loop for good control of the mirror angleвЂ”resulting in high resolution and luminosity. вЂњOur MEMS driver, which is a standard CMOS ASIC, was developed in-house,вЂќ explains Yazigi. вЂњThe MEMS driver is half of the electronics, and the other half is a solution to process the video for the application. We also developed the method to process this digital information.вЂќ Lemoptix is on its 2nd-generation ASIC, and is adding new features to each generation. вЂњWeвЂ™ll release the 3rd-generation ASIC, with new eye safety functions, by the end of this year,вЂќ says Yazigi. LemoptixвЂ™s MEMS platform LemoptixвЂ™s MEMS scanning mirror platform uses standard manufacturing processes and tools quite similar to those used by the semiconductor industry. Its MEMS mirrors are fabricated on silicon wafers and rely on waf e r-l eve l p a c k a gin g, whi c h e nab l e s integration into the overall hosting architectures. The company created an ultraminiature laser microprojector optical engine, MVIEW, which is built around the MEMS scanning mirror platform and integrates MEMS, scanning mirror, red-blue-green laser light sources, and beam compacter optics into a compact, plug-and-play package. вЂњToday, MVIEW is a mere 1.5cc in volume and 5mm in thickness, but it could be made smaller. This results in a microprojection system ideal for use in applications such as head-up displays in cars or mobile devices,вЂќ says Yazigi. Embedding its MVIEW modules enables the pr oje c tion of c onte nt and inf or mation direc tly from a device onto any nearby sur face, which, according to Lemoptix, allows users to view and share information without the typical limitations of physical displays. The companyвЂ™s laser scanning micromirrors are integrated into optical applications such as 3D sensing, printer s, and industrial sensorsвЂ”enabling development of smaller, higher-resolution and lower-cost products. вЂњWith our MEMS laser scanning technology, in handheld devices where power is limited, weвЂ™re able to provide more than 20 lumens for a microprojec tion system power consumption between 1 to 1.5 W with no visible speckles,вЂќ notes Yazigi. вЂњCurrent resolution is WVGA, moving toward 720p.вЂќ LemoptixвЂ™s MEMS technology also recently passed one of the industryвЂ™s most rigorous reliability tests, in which its unpackaged MEMS mirrors underwent testing for 1000 hours at 85В°C and 85% humidity. This was the first test in the automotive qualification process; other tests to meet IEC, JEDEC, AEC, and MIL standards for storage temperature, shock resistance, vibration, thermal cycling, etc., are still ongoing. Diverse applications Head-up displays for the automotive industry are a particularly promising application of LemoptixвЂ™s technology, and the company has prototypes available. вЂњ WeвЂ™r e wor k ing with c us tome r s in the automotive industry and several others on head-up technology. WeвЂ™re also involved in augmented reality glasses, which are another head-mounted display type, in goggles, LemoptixвЂ™s ultraminiature laser microprojector optical engine, MVIEW. (Courtesy of Lemoptix) which is a head-mounted display, and in helmet-mounted displays for bikers,вЂќ says Yazigi. Pic o pr oje c tor s e mb e dde d in handhe ld devicesвЂ”such as smartphones, laptops, and tabletsвЂ”is another key area Lemoptix is focusing on. Yet another application is gesture control. вЂњToday, the trend for laptops and tablets is to be able to sense the environment for gesture control for gaming or other features like eye tracking. WeвЂ™re ver y involved in this,вЂќ says Yazigi. The company is also working on L IDAR applic ations for sensing objec t s in the pathway of vehicles, as well as medical applications, such as dental imaging, that require 3D scanning and printing. a c o m p a ny c o m e s t o u s, r a t h e r t h a n attempting to start from scratch, it can save 90% of their R&D costs and go to market within a year,вЂќ notes Yazigi. Future goals Since Lemoptix is still a young start-up, вЂњthe company is in to win.вЂќ T heir goal is to continue licensing the companyвЂ™s technology and see it become popular in the market. вЂњWe expect soon to see our products in the hands of consumers.вЂќ says Yazigi. License-based business model LemoptixвЂ™s business model is license-based, meaning that the company doesnвЂ™t do any manufac tur ing, aside f r om c r eating prototypes and samples. Instead, Lemoptix licenses its technology to companies such as Hamamat su Photonic s, a Jap an-b a s e d manufacturer of optoelectronics. Lemoptix encourages other companies to explore the licensing options it of fer s, because their calculations show that вЂњif Lemoptix Multidisciplinary Expertise Interface Optical Engine Digital Processing RGB Laser Driver Zero Speckle solution Power Management ASIC MEMS Driver/Sensing 2D MEMS Mirror About Lemoptix L e m o p t i x i s a S w i s s c o m p a n y, headquartered in Lausanne. It is a Spinof f fr om Swiss Federal Institute of Te c h n o l o g y ( E P F L ) , L a u s a n n e , Switzerland (in 2008). With more than 14 years R&D on MEMS scanning mirror t e c h n o l o g y, i t d e v e l o p e d s t r o n g multidisciplinar y exper tise in MEMS mirror modeling, design & fabrication and, System & module development, including optical & electronics subsystems. Lemoptix business model is licensing. It is financially profitable in 2011 and 2012 and backed by private investors. www.lemoptix.com Lemoptix multidisciplinary expertise (Courtesy of Lemoptix) 4 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS Thermo compression bonding technologies Thermo-compression bonding (TCB) technology is a fascinating alternative to the established C4 flip-chip technology with mass reflow. T CB can master a couple of challenges which would be show stoppers for C4: вЂў TCB is capable for ultra-fine pitch Cupillar flip chip (40Ој pitch and less) вЂў Based on local reflow TCB can deal with warped (thin) die and warped substrate, which is normally a no-go for mass reflow вЂў 22 nm CMOS nodes and below are especially sensitive to silicon/substrate CTE mismatch stress, which can be significantly reduced by the TCB gradient bonding method (which is not an available option for mass reflow) TCB bonding has been introduced in mass production in combination with NCP (nonconductive paste) pre-application. This is a smart approach to overcome the voiding issues of capillary underfill (CUF) for fine bump pitches. The TCB process, however, gets very challenging for ultra-thin dies like for TSV memory stack production, as the bleed can climb up to the top of the die. For this reason there are lots of activities to replace NCP by NCF (non-conductive foil). NCF, however, demands for higher bond force, which - in combination with 30Ој thin die - does not make people feel very confident. For this reason the step back to post-applied underfill like CUF (capillary underfill) can be frequently observed, but also MUF (molded underfill) becomes more and more attention. The Fico molding machine of our sister company is already capable to underfill gaps of 30Ој thickness. Challenges and opportunities Thermo-compression comes with a lot of technical challenges. In contrast to the current C4 flip-chip technology thermocompression requires much higher forces, while at the same time demanding a five-fold increase in placement accuracy. Another crucial requirement is high co-planarity of bond head and pedestal, as well as a sophisticated bond control which is capable of smoothly switching between bond force control and bond height control. Besi/Datacon has chosen a unique approach to tackle this challenge. In contrast to the usual approach of building heavy and stiff systems by adding sufficient mass to the mechanical structures, Besi/Datacon uses a patented mechatronic approach which is based on light weight machine design, proper kinematics and enhanced servo control. This approach allows unique opportunities to end- up with a high speed thermo-compression bonder which has small footprint while maintaining exceptional placement accuracy at high bond forces. The mechatronic approach is not only capable to tackle the high accuracy/ high bond force/productivity challenge. It also allows for an automatic tilt diagnostic procedure at any bond location, and automatic adjustment of the bond head tilt. Finally, the mechatronic approach of the Datacon 8800 CHAMEO TC allows dual head bonding on a single substrate, which is a unique advantage for the processing of high density substrate with pre-applied NCP, as it avoids NCP dry-out because of the double throughput of the substrates. Ready for high volume production? Our customers give us a clear message about the requirements for high volume production: TCB bonding needs to run robustly with high yield, and it needs to become as easy and productive as C4 flip-chip bonding. High yield is related to the TCB вЂњcore capabilitiesвЂќ which are high accuracy, automated co-planarity, bond control and thin die handling. All these capabilities are in place, but in order to Fully automatic thermo-compression production line (Courtesy of Besi) maint ain a r obust pr oduc tion pr ocess throughput is usually compromised, even if the machine could run at a higher speed. TC bonders must be equipped with sufficient diagnostics for capability integrity in order to utilize maximum machine productivity without compromising the yield. As most TC products are still in a pilot phase and not in mass production, a final statement about readiness for high volume production will clearly have some limits in confidence level. The big challenge is to run steep mass production ramps with the guarantee that the production equipment does not vary from tool to tool. This will be the next focus where vendors of ther mo-compr e ssion bonder s have to concentrate their attention. w w w. b e s i .c o m Dr. Hugo Pristauz, Vice president of Besi Flip Chip division. D r. P r i s t a u z held various management positions in Besi R&D and Marketing since 1999, among others being responsible for the c omplete development of the highly successful 8800 platform. Today as Vice President of the Flip Chip division he is responsible for the development and marketing ac tivitie s of all B e si f lip c hip equipment. Dr. Pristauz holds a PhD in electrical engineering with a main focus on control engineering. After graduation he worked as a university teacher before starting a career in the semiconductor industry. The equipment & materials business ZLOOJURZE\;LQWKHQH[WВїYH\HDUV Equipment & Materials for 3DIC & Wafer-Level-Packaging 'LVFRYHUWKH1(:UHSRUWRQL0LFURQHZVFRPUHSRUWV 25/04/2013 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 5 MEMS Top 30 MEMS companies: STMicroelectronics and Robert Bosch rise to top of Yole DГ©veloppementвЂ™s annual ranking From page 1 S T, Bosch and other major inertial sensor suppliers saw strong revenue growth despite the 20%-30% drop in average s e llin g p r i c e s f o r a c c e l e r o m e t e r s an d gyroscopes over the year-because of even bigger ramps in unit volume. вЂњST increased unit production by 58%, to 1.3 billion MEMS devices in 2012, up to some 4 million units a day-not counting its foundry business,вЂќ notes Yole Market & Technology Analyst, Laurent Robin. вЂњItвЂ™s hard for many companies to match that.вЂќ Yole calculates the MEMS industry overall saw another ~10% growth in 2012 to become an ~$11 billion business- in a year when the semiconductor industry saw a ~2% decline. The Top 30 companies account for nearly 75% of that total MEMS market. The traditional gap between the big four MEMS maker s and the rest of the pack narrowed this year, as strong demand for more MEMS sensors in both consumer and automotive markets drove strong growth a c r o s s a r a n g e o f s up p li e r s . K n owl e s Electronics saw better than 20% growth to climb into four th place with some $440 million in revenues from MEMS microphones, closing in on HP. Panasonic and Denso were close behind with more than $350 million in MEMS sales in their largely automotive markets. Mobile phones and tablets were the real sweet spot for big growth oppor tunities though. Chinese electret microphone supplier AAC made the top companies ranking for the first time as its MEMS microphone sales jumped ~90% to ~$65 million, as it became the second source for the iPhone. InvenSense saw some 30% growth as it ramped up production of its inertial sensors. Triquint saw a 27% increase in revenues from its BAW filters. Murata moved sharply up the ranking as its acquisition of VTI created ~$179 million in combined MEMS revenue. Meanwhile, the traditional major MEMS markets for micromirrors and inkjet heads have matured and slowed, with demand for inkjet heads particularly hit by the consumer pr inter mar ket вЂ™s rapid tur n away fr om replaceable heads to page-wide and fi xedhead technologies. That hit revenues at both the inkjet companies and their manufacturing partners. Yole defines MEMS as three dimensional struc tures made by semiconduc tor-like processes, with primarily mechanical, not e l e c t r o n i c , f u n c t i o n. We a l s o i n c l u d e magnetometers, as they are now so closely integrated with MEMS inertial sensors, and all microfluidics, including those on polymer. We figure MEMS units and value at the first level of packaged device. For companies that do not release MEMS revenues, we estimate the figures based on our data for product market size, market share, product teardowns, reverse costing, and discussions with the companies. www.yole.fr Advantest enters MEMS testing market with multiple system installations at FreescaleВ® semiconductorвЂ™s facilities in Arizona and Asia MEMS pressure sensor for tablets Advantest has entered the high-growth market for testing MEMS-based sensor s by installing V93000 Smar t Scaleв„ў systems at several of Freescale SemiconductorвЂ™s facilities around the world. Measurement Specialties has introduced a digital barometric pressure sensor in a QFN package which draws only 0.6ОјA. I n addition to using AdvantestвЂ™s testers for engineering development at FreescaleвЂ™s Sensor and Actuator Solutions Division engineering center in Tempe, Arizona, the semiconductor manufacturer has started to employ the V93000 platform in production testing of its newest generations of MEMSbased sensors being manufactured in Asia. AdvantestвЂ™s versatile V93000 Smart Scale platform, equipped with Pin Scale 1600 digital channel cards, can be confi gured to provide the lowest cost of test for highvolume sensors. While the ultra-compact A-Class test head enables a small footprint, the V93000вЂ™s robust system resources and its unique, processor-based universal pin architecture combine to deliver unmatched parallelism and high multi-site efficiency in testing all current and emerging sensor technologies. The tester is equipped with drivers for all major MEMS handlers and can communicate with the handler during the test flow. This is a key performance attribute in testing MEMS, which requires the handler to move between different orientations during test runs. вЂњIn extensively evaluating testers for its MEMS applications, Freescale conducted comparative reviews of various systems to find the solution that would meet its technical r e q uir e m e nt s,вЂќ s ai d S a e B um M y un g, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Advantest. вЂњThe combination of the V93000 platformвЂ™s cost efficiencies, the high-volume productivity enabled by our Pin Scale 1600 cards and our around-the-clock engineering suppor t ser vice s wer e ins tr ument al in winning this business.вЂќ The Advantest V93000 tester has a successful track record with Freescale. The company contracts with outsource semiconductor assembly and testing (OSAT ) facilities throughout Asia that are using V93000 systems. вЂњUsing AdvantestвЂ™s V93000 systems in MEMS testing will enable us to continue to lower our cost of test and improve the time to market for our newest sensor products,вЂќ said Seyed Par ansun, V ic e Pr e side nt and G e ne r al Manager of FreescaleвЂ™s Sensor and Actuator Solutions Division. The V93000 platform has the flexibility to test a wide range of semiconductor devices used in a variet y of applic ations, from sensors to wireless communications. The testerвЂ™s per-pin accuracy and high throughput enable customer s to quickly ramp to production volumes, shortening their time to market. For nearly two decades, the V93000 platform has been used in developing and producing multiple generations of logic and high-speed memor y ICs by fabless companies, OSAT foundries and integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) around the world. www.advantest.co.jp www.freescale.com S tandby power of the MS5637 is less than 0.15ОјA at 25В°C and supply voltage ranges from 1.5V to 3.6V. The MEMSbased sensor has a footprint of 3 x 3 x 0.9mm. The MS5637 uses an integrated 24-bit ADC to precisely process pressure and temperature values in as little as 0.5ms. It uses a highlinearity pressure sensor to provide an altitude resolution of 13cm (5.1in) at sea level for highly accurate measurements. The ADC, with internal factory-calibrated coefficients that do not require additional programming, easily interfaces with any microcontroller via an I2C interface. The sensor operates from 300 mbar to 1,200 mbar over an extended temperature range of -40В°C to +85В°C, with a long term stability of В±1 mbar per year. www.meas-spec.com MEPTEC PRESENTS Which of todayвЂ™s IP portfolios will enable tomorrowвЂ™s successful gyro growth? MEMS Gyroscope Patent Investigation Discover the NEW report on www.i-Micronews.com/reports Eleventh Annual MEMS TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM MEMS-Enabled e-Health Revolution MEMS and NEMS Based Applications for Emerging Healthcare Off-body, On-body, and In-body May 22, 2013 Holiday Inn San Jose San Jose, California Association Sponsor R E G I S T E R O N L I N E T O D AY AT W W W. M E P T E C . O R G 6 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 MEMS IDT announces worldвЂ™s lowest jitter MEMS oscillators with integrated frequency margining capability IDTвЂ™s 4H LVDS / LVPECL MEMS oscillators with 100 femtoseconds typical phase jitter and adaptable output frequency reduces BER in high-performance 10GbE and networking applications. I ntegrated Device Technology (IDT В®) announced the industryвЂ™s first differential MEMS oscillators with 100 femtosecond (fs) typical phase jitter performance and integrated frequency margining capability. The extremely low phase jitter and adaptable output frequency of IDTвЂ™s high-performance oscillators significantly reduce bit error rate (B E R) in 10 gi gab i t E t h e r n e t (10 G b E) s w i t c h e s, r o u t e r s, a n d o t h e r r e l a t e d net working equipment. The IDT 4H per formance MEMS oscillators feature a differential LVDS / LVPECL output and the lowest phase jitter in their product class (100 fs @ 1.875 - 20 MHz and sub-300 fs @ 12kHz - 20 MHz), satisfying the low-jitter chipset requirements of high-per formance net working applications. Integrated frequency margining capabilit y enables c u s t o m e r s t o f i n e -t un e t h e o s c illat o r frequency during operation in the application by up to В±1000 ppm, minimizing BER and facilitating margin testing. IDTвЂ™s 4H MEMS oscillators are available in multiple package sizes including the smaller 3225 (3.2 x 2.5 mm) to save board space and cost in densely populated applications. IDT is the only supplier to offer this combination of MEMS oscillator performance, features, and small package size. вЂњIDTвЂ™s latest series of MEMS oscillators build upon the standard 4M and enhanced 4E oscillator seriesвЂ™ to address the demanding performance requirements of 10GbE and networking applications,вЂќ said Christian Kermarrec, Vice President and General Manager of the Timing and Synchronization Division at IDT. www.idt.com Ultra-high performance MEMS oscillators (Courtesy of IDT) Tessera Technologies announces refocused DigitalOptics business strategy and restructuring DOC will concentrate on its differentiated technology and leverage partner relationships. Company operating expenses in DOC and corporate overhead are expected to be reduced by $78 Million or approximately 45%, excluding charges. T essera Technologies announced that it is refocusing its DigitalOptics Corporation (вЂњDOCвЂќ) business strategy to achieve the full potential of its differentiated imaging tec hnology while r educing cost s. T he Company expec t s to r educe operating expenses in DigitalOptics Corporation (вЂњDOCвЂќ) and Corporate Overhead by approximately $78 million, or 45%, on an annualized basis exiting 2013, as compared to 2012. The Company has determined that it is no longer necessary for DOC to be a vertically integrated camera module supplier. DOC will instead focus its strategy on the differentiated MEMSrelated technologies, where it has proprietary assembly technology and expertise, and will partner with third-party manufacturers to produce other components of the full camera module. DOC will continue to productize the mems|cam technology throughout the rest of the year, and expects to ship small production volumes of its technology in 2013. The refocused DOC strategy and restructuring resulted from a business strategy review directed by a committee of independent directors (the вЂњCommitteeвЂњ), led by Richard S. Hill, former chairman and CEO of Novellus Sys tems. T he C ommit te e wor ke d with management to evaluate the CompanyвЂ™s overall business opportunity, strategy and operating model. The Committee and the Board of Directors will continue to monitor the DOC business closely to ensure that its strategy and business model are appropriate for the market opportunity. The CompanyвЂ™s restructuring will reduce spending in DOC and Corporate Overhead, but not in the CompanyвЂ™s Intellectual Property business. As a result of DOCвЂ™s refocused business strategy and previously announced cost reductions, the Company expects its reported Corporate Overhead to be at an annual run rate of approximately $29 million exiting 2013, compared to $47 million in 2012; and DOC operating expenses, excluding cost of revenues and restructuring, impairment and other charges, to be at an annual run rate of approximately $53 million exiting 2013, compared to $88 million in 2012. These reductions will occur throughout the rest of this calendar year. DOC also expects cost of revenues to decline from $40 million in 2012 to approximately $15 million in 2013 as a result of the change in estimated production volumes and previously announced actions. DOCвЂ™s refocused strategy includes initiatives across multiple fronts: DOC will accelerate the use of par tner manufacturers for the production of camera modules and will focus its own manufacturing on the lens barrel assembly, which is a highermargin component for which DOC has unique proprietary technology. This approach will cut DOCвЂ™s expected capital spending in 2013 by roughly half вЂ” to a range of between $5 million and $7 million, as compared to the CompanyвЂ™s previous estimate of $10 million to $15 million. DOC is consolidating its manufac turing capabilities into its Taiwan facility and expects to cease all operations at its leased facility in Zhuhai, China. DOC will transfer a portion of the manufacturing equipment located there to Taiwan. DOC will terminate its current lens manufacturing program and instead will focus on designing lenses that its partners can produce for use in DOCвЂ™s proprietary assembly technology. The Company expects to take a total charge of between $17 million and $23 million, whic h inc lude s r e s t r u c t ur ing, impairment of assets and other related exit costs, with the majority taken in the first quarter of 2013 and the remainder in the second quarter of 2013. www.tessera.com Will NVM replace DRAM and NAND in 2018 ? Emerging Non Volatile Memories (NVM) Discover the NEW report on www.i-Micronews.com/reports 25/04/2013 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 7 MEMS STMicroelectronics leads european research to secure lead in advanced MEMS devices SGX launch innovative MEMS pellistor STMicroelectronics (ST) has begun working with research par tners to develop a pilot line for next-generation MEMS devices augmented with advanced technologies such as piezoelec tric or magnetic materials and 3D packaging. The project was launched by the European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) Joint Under taking (JU), a public-private par tnership in nanoelectronics. SGX Sensor tech has reinforced its position as a leading designer and manufac turer of gas sensor s with the launch of a new pellistor product. I n coordinating the в‚¬28M, 30-month Lab4MEMS project, ST is working with universities, research institutions and technology businesses across nine European countries. The project benefits from STвЂ™s MEMS facilities in France, Italy and Malta to establish a complete set of manufacturing competencies for next-generation devices, spanning design and fabrication to test and packaging. With over 800 MEMS-related patents, more than three billion devices shipped and extensive in-house production capabilities currently producing more than 4 million MEMS devices per day, ST is ideally placed to lead the Lab4MEMS research into next-generation devices. The project will develop technologies such as Piezoelectric (PZT) thin films to enhance current puresilicon MEMS, enabling improvements such as larger displacement, higher sensing functionality and greater energy density. These are needed to build smart sensors, ac tuator s, micr o pumps and energy harvesters meeting the demands of future data-storage, ink-jet, healthcare, automotive, i n d u s t r i a l - c o n t r o l a n d s m a r t- b u i l d i n g applications, as well as consumer applications such as smartphones and navigation devices. The projec t will also develop advanced packaging technologies and ver tic al interconnections using flip-chip, throughsilicon vias and through-mold vias, enabling 3D-integrated devices for applications such as body area sensors and remote monitoring. A key target is to perfect a PZT deposition process compatible with mass production, and integrate it into complex MEMS processes to enable innovative actuators and sensors on System-On-Chip industrial products. L ab 4MEMS is one of the Key Enabling Tec hnologie s (KE T ) Pilot-L ine pr ojec t s contrac ted by the ENIAC JU to develop technologies and application areas with substantial societal impact. вЂњThe ENIAC JU research agenda has synergies with STвЂ™s commitment to improving quality of life thr ough tec hnology,вЂќ said Rober to Zafalon, European Programs Manager, R&D and Public Af fair s, S TMicroelec tronic s. вЂњLab4MEMS is an important project that will benefit consortium members and stakeholder s, including ENI AC member states. Ultimately, we expect the results to translate into long-term prosperit y and valuable knowledge-based employment opportunities.вЂќ The ENIAC JU is a public-private partnership i nv o l v i n g E N I A C m e m b e r s t a t e s , t h e European Union, and the Association for European Nanoelectronics Activities (AENEAS). It is currently contributing some в‚¬1.8bn towards the costs of R&D projects, which it selec t s thr ough a competitive process assessing responses to its Calls for Proposals. The Lab4MEMS project, coordinated by ST, was selected in 2012 and work began in January 2013. A n industrial-suited MEMS has been developed for a new generation of lowpower and rugged sensor s for the detection of combustible gases, in particular methane. Innovative process technologies combined with optimized sensing and filter materials are engineered to achieve e xc e ptional p e r f or manc e c ompar e d to existing products. These sensors can provide a significant power reduction, in continuous op e r ation and c ompar e d with e xis ting pellistor gas sensors it can be up to 50 percent. www.st.com SGX MEMS pellistor (Courtesy of SXG) Tronics reports record 2012 income of в‚¬16.7million Tronic s closed a ver y successful 2012 with total income of в‚¬16.7million ($ 22,1M), в‚¬1.8million in net prof it ($ 2,4M) and expanded its investments in submicron and glass technologies. T ronicsвЂ™ income exceeded expectations in 2012 thanks to strong growth of its high p e r f or manc e iner tial s e ns or business, as well as a significant increase in its contract manufacturing customer base. TronicsвЂ™ traditional high performance inertial MEMS manufacturing business expanded significantly in both Europe and Asia. This growth was driven not only by the better economic conditions, but also by TronicsвЂ™ growing reputation as a key player in the field. The company was also able to add several impor tant customers to its contract manufacturing portfolio with applications in a var iet y of mar ket s suc h as medic al diagnostics, RF MEMS, industrial sensors, consumer goods, and defense. Its Dallas entity was particularly successful in winning new contracts with promising non-consumer MEMS volumes. This product diversity is very positive in terms of risk management, in the current global MEMS industr y, which is heavily dependent on consumer iner tial MEMS. 2012 also yielded a solid balance sheet with close to 4 million Euros cash and a debt/ equity ratio below 35 percent. Thanks to these robust financial results, the company was able to invest signif ic antly in new generation equipment and new technologies. It is specifically addressing submicron MEMS demand, glass-based MEMS applications, and is investing several million in a new nanowirebased inertial sensor technology that has the potential to be a game changer. The company now employs more than 80 people, and believes it is well positioned to continue broadening its customer base in the coming 2 years. www.tronicsgroup.com 0(060DUNHW%ULHВїQJ at TRANSDUCERS 2013 Barcelona, Spain - Powered by Yole DГ©veloppement FREE ADMISSION On June 17 & 18 - At 12:45 AM Conference Room, Level 1 <ROH'pYHORSSHPHQWLQYLWHVWR\RXWREHSDUWRILWV0(060DUNHW%ULHВїQJLQ%DUFHORQD DW7UDQVGXFHUV&RPHDQGOHDUQPRUHDERXWWKH0(06PDUNHWWUHQGV 7KLV EULHВїQJ LQFOXGHV WZR VHVVLRQV 0(06 PDQXIDFWXULQJ WHFKQRORJLHV HPHUJLQJ 0(06GHYLFHVDQGPRUHВ«)XOOSURJUDPZLOOEHDYDLODEOHVRRQ For more information, please contact S. Leroy (leroy@yole.fr) 3RZHUHGE\ 6XSSRUWHGE\ The micron silicon heater design delivers improved resistance to shock, with millimetre diced components this unique structure allows reductions in the sensor size and a large flexibility within the certified package design. To read full article, please visit envirotechonline website www.envirotech-online.com ATEC and Sencio sign strategic deal to strengthen assembly services for MEMS and Sensors Captive manufac turing agreement expands SencioвЂ™s capacity for highvolume, automotive qualified assembly of MEMS and integrated sensor systems. I ndependent package development and assembly specialists Sencio BV announced a deal with Automated Technology (Phil) Inc. to create a captive assembly line at ATECвЂ™s facilities in Laguna, Philippines. This strategic agr e ement enable s Senc io to of fer it s customer s cost-ef fec tive, high-volume, TS16949 qualified assembly while maintaining transparency, production oversight and control over the supply chain. This initial agreement provides Sencio with manufacturing space for a Class 10k cleanroom environment, and the option of an additional space as required. Preparing the cleanroom and moving in the first equipment is already underway. Following the pr oven вЂ�c opy exac tlyвЂ™ appr oac h to technology transfer, the first assembly line is a direct copy of SencioвЂ™s current multi-chip module (MCM) line in Nijmegen. The first qualified products are expected in October 2013. Initial capacity is estimated to be 2.5 million devices per year, rising to 6-8 million per year by 2015. www.sencio.nl 8 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 MEDTECH Seventh Sense Biosystems announces initiation of registration trial for painless TAPв„ў blood collection device Seventh Sense Biosystems, a privately held medical device company developing integrated blood micro-collection and analysis platforms, announced that it has initiated a registration trial for its painless TAPв„ў (Touch Activated Phlebotomy) blood collection device. T he company expec t s to f ile for marketing authorization in the United States and in the European Union in the second quarter, and anticipates receiving its E.U. CE Mark and U.S. regulatory approval later this year. The companyвЂ™s propriety TAP Blood Collection device is designed to address deficiencies in the current blood collection process, including patient anxiety that can negatively impact compliance with prescribed testing. The TAP p lat f o r m i s e x p e c t e d t o o f f e r gr e at e r ef ficiency over existing blood collection methods by providing a faster pathway to diagnostic results, while also increasing safety and eliminating pain. вЂњH Business Wire - Seventh Sense Biosystems begins the registration trial for its painless TAP (Touch Activated Phlebotomy) blood collection device. (Courtesy of Seventh Sense Biosystems) www.7sbio.com Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are developing a medical instrument that will be able to quickly detect a suite of biothreat agents, including anthrax, ricin, botulinum, shiga and SEB toxin. T вЂў SpinDx, the latest medical diagnostic tool developed at Sandia вЂњThis will take things to the next level,вЂќ said Singh. In addition to the broader suite of toxins and bacterial agents that the device w o u l d t e s t f o r, t h e p r o j e c t i n c l u d e s comprehensive testing with animal (mouse) samples. This is an important step, Singh said, since toxins may behave differently in live animals an d human s t han in lab o r at o r y b l o o d samples. вЂњWe are getting closer and closer to translational elements of research, which involve s te s ting in animal and c linic al facilities. This is part of the maturation of our bioresearch activities at Sandia.вЂќ The new NIH project includes collaborators with expertise in animal modeling as well as device manufacturing. The University of Texas Medical Branch, with whom Sandia enjoys a year s-long p a r t n e r s h i p, t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e U. S . Department of AgricultureвЂ™s Western Regional Re s ear c h C enter in A lbany, C alif., ar e HAMBURG GERMANY 6 TO 7 JUNE providing Sandia with expert insight into toxins and diseases at animal lab facilities. Bio-Rad, a manufacturer and distributor of a variety of devices and laboratory technologies, is serving as a consultant on the project to evaluate plans for product development, assist with manufacturersвЂ™ criteria on the device that is developed, and provide important feedback when a prototype is built. Although the latest NIH award represents a c o nt inuing s u c c e s s s t o r y f o r S an diaвЂ™s mic r of luidic s/bior e s ear c h wor k, Singh stresses that it was part of a thoughtful multi-year strategy. The need for diagnostic devices for biodefense is not going away, Singh said, since there are always new diseases springing up that lack good diagnostic assays. Expanding into those areas, he said, will keep SandiaвЂ™s bioresearch efforts engaged for years to come. Register now and get a second delegate pass for free Industry Delegate в‚¬ 799 Academic Delegate в‚¬ 350 Pre Doctoral Full Time Student в‚¬ 150 Exhibition Only Passes FREE t Biobanking: Preparation, Storage & Analysis Rainer Cramer Christoph Merten Professor, University of Reading Principal Investigator, European Molecular Biology Laboratory t Chemistry Automation & Liquid Handling Anthony Davies Director, High Content Research Facility, (INCHA) Graziano Pesole t Drug Discovery Automation: High-content Hakim Djaballah Michael Quail Director, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Team Leader, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Stevan Djuric Rivka Ravid Senior Director, Abbott Laboratories Brain Bank Consultant, Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences Hakon Hakonarson Director, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia t Next-Gen Sequencing Primary Media Partner Professor, Universita di Bari Spencer Shorte Director, Institut Pasteur Brian Kirby Register now at EuroLabAutomation.com Hur elвЂ™s suite of ar tif ic ial tis sue and microfluidic products, which are based on cultures of actual, living cells, are aimed at transforming the way preclinical drug discovery is conducted, reducing drugmaker sвЂ™ and r e gulator sвЂ™ r elianc e on problematic animal tests, and improving the success rate of drug candidates that advance to clinical trials. We are gratified to have such an insightful, experienced, and supportive capital partner as Spring Mountain behind us.вЂќ www.hurelcorp.com EuropeвЂ™s premier event dedicated to automation Keynote Speakers t Nano & Microfluidics We think that Hurel, with its potential to reduce clinical trial failures, speed timeto-market, and dramatically reduce the cost of new medicines, is such a company.вЂќ Hurel CEO Robert Freedman said, вЂњSpring MountainвЂ™s investment provides the capital to enable us to fully execute our business plans and make a direct impact in the marketplace. European Lab Automation Congress and Exhibition, Conference Streams Screening & Cell Based Assays urel has assembled a talented business team and a core group of scientists who are leaders in the fields of artificial tissue constructs and microfluidics. Together, they have created products that are technologically sophisticated yet, in their simplicit y, geared for industrial use. Spring MountainвЂ™s focus is finding companies with game-changing business propositions, which of ten do not f it neatly into established produc t, market, or investment categories. www.sandia.gov within life science. 2for1 Passes Hurel receives $9.2 million series A funding from Spring Mountain Capital From page 1 Point-of-care market research of physicians, lab directors, nursing professionals and patients provides an addressable market e s timate of ove r $1.0 billion by 2017, par ticularly in areas such as diabetes, c ar diovascular disease, and infec tious disease. New instrument will quickly detect botulinum, ricin, other biothreat agents he device, once developed, approved by the Food and Drug Administration and commercialized, would most likely be used in emergency rooms in the event of a bioterrorism incident. вЂњThis is an unmet need for the nationвЂ™s biodefense program,вЂќ said Anup Singh, Senior Manager for SandiaвЂ™s biological science and technology group. вЂњA point-of-care device does not exist.вЂќ SandiaвЂ™s work is funded by a recent grant вЂ“ nearly $4 million over four years вЂ“ from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. NIH has funded a number of recent projects at Sandia. SandiaвЂ™s bioscience s and mic r of luidic s program areas have continued to evolve with a string of notable projects, including: вЂў MicroChemLab, a trailblazer in lab-on-a-chip technology, developed in the early 1990s вЂў T h e вЂњ s ali v a d ev i c e вЂќ an d a f o ll ow-up technology, RapiDx, developed in the earlyto-mid 2000s ZOOM Head, Cornell University Henk Stunnenberg Thomas Laurell Head, Nijmegen Center for Molecular Sciences Professor, Lund University Joe Liscouski Greg Wendel BioMEMS and microsensors are reshaping healthcare applications BioMEMS Head, Sample Management Group Novartis Executive Director, Institute for Laboratory Automation Sponsors Supporting Partner - Bio Region enquiries@selectbio.com +44 (0)1787 315110 Woodview, Bull Lane, SUDBURY, CO10 0FD, UK selectbio.com Discover the NEW report on i-Micronews.com/reports 25/04/2013 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 9 MEDTECH Biomagnetics unveils worldвЂ™s first urine-based tuberculosis diagnostics tool Better than X-rays: A more powerful terahertz imaging system B i o m a gn e t i c s D ia gn o s t i c s, a d eve l o p e r o f r evo lu t i o n a r y dia gn o s t i c s s ys tems and te c hnology f or HI V, hepatitis, tuber c ulosis, c holer a and malar ia dete c tion, and other innovative te c hnologie s, in a new vide o unveiled the worldвЂ™s first urine-based tuberculosis diagnostics tool. Low-energy teraher tz radiation could potentially enable doc tor s to see deep into tissues without the damaging effects of X-rays, or allow security guards to identify chemicals in a package without opening it. T his revolutionar y optical biosensor diagnostics device was developed by top scientists, chemists and engineers at Los Alamos National Laborator y via a cooperative research and development agreement between the two organizations. The waveguide-based system is capable of providing a qualitative tuberculosis diagnosis using only a few drops of human urine in a timeframe of only 15 to 20 minutes. This is a signif ic ant br eak thr ough c ompar e d to sputum, blood and skin tests that often take several days or weeks for results. Recently developed PCR-based diagnostics which take approximately two hours to produce results are significantly more expensive. www.biomagneticsbmgp.com Their approach enables light to hitch a ride with free electrons on the surface of the metallic electrodes to form a class of surface waves called surface plasmon waves. By coupling the beam of light with sur face plasmon waves, the researchers created a funnel to carry light into nanoscale regions near device electrodes. Waveguide Amplification Laser Diode B ut itвЂ™s been difficult for engineers to make power ful enough systems to accomplish these promising applications. Now an electrical engineering research team at the University of Michigan has developed a laser-powered terahertz source and detector system that transmits with 50 times more power and receives with 30 times more sensitivit y than existing technologies. This offers 1,500 times more powerful systems for imaging and sensing applications. вЂњWith our higher-sensitivity terahertz system, you could see deeper into tissues or sense small quantities of illegal drugs and explosives from a farther distance. ThatвЂ™s why itвЂ™s important,вЂќ said Mona Jarrahi, U-M Assistant Professor of elec trical engineering and computer science and leader of the project. JarrahiвЂ™s research team accomplished this by funneling the laser light to specif ically selected locations near the deviceвЂ™s electrode that feeds the antenna that transmits and receives the terahertz signal. Detector Miniaturized sensor array Miniaturized sensor array (Courtesy of Biomagnetics) The excited surface plasmon waves carry optical photons where they need to be much faster and much more efficiently, Jarrahi said. вЂњWhen you want to generate or detec t terahertz radiation, you have to convert photons to electron hole pairs and then quickly drift them to the contact electrodes of the device. Any delay in this process will reduce the device effi ciency,вЂќ Jarrahi said. вЂњWe designed a struc ture so that when photons land, most of them appear to be right next to the contact electrodes.вЂќ According to Jarrahi, the output power of the terahertz sources and the sensitivity of the terahertz detectors can be increased even further by designing optical funnels with tighter focusing capabilities. Norris, an expert on terahertz technology, is director of the U-M Center for Photonic and Multiscale Nanomaterials. Terahertz systems that are powered by lasers have b e e n t he mo s t suc c e s s f ul in t he marketplace so far, thanks to the costeffective, compact and high-power lasers available. Other researcher s are using different approaches to powering terahertz systems, though. T h e s t u d y, вЂњ S i g n i f i c a n t p e r f o r m a n c e enhancement in photoconductive terahertz optoelectronics by incorporating plasmonic contact electrodes,вЂќ is published in the current edition of Nature Communications. In addition to Jarrahi, author s include: Christopher Berr y and Ning Wang, U-M doctoral students in electrical engineering and computer science; and Mohammad Reza Hashemi and Mehmet Unlu, U-M postdoctoral researchers in electrical engineering and computer science. The research was funded by the Michigan Space Grant Consortium, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research and Army Research Office. www.umich.edu Register today To attend editorial webcast 2013 PROGRAM: May 14 Non mainstream packaging in MEMS, LED, Power ElectronicsвЂ¦ July 9 IR imagers: How cost decrease will generate new markets Hosted by: Join the live webcast: On June 11, 2013 - 08:00 AM PST* You are looking for new partners, applications, technological solutions or funding opportunities in the Smart Systems area? 6LOLFRQ0LFURГЂXLGLFV Myth or Reality? Are there biological applications where siliconвЂ™s added value would justify a higher consumer price? Come to meet with COWIN experts at BioSensing on May 13вЂ“14, Sitges, Spain. *8:00 AM San Francisco; 5:00 PM Paris, 12:00 AM Tokyo For more information and to register, please go to www.i-micronews.com/webcasts.asp or click here COWIN Marketplace is the right place to COme to WIN! Powered by: More information and registration : J. Mouly (mouly@yole.fr) or www.cowin4u.eu 10 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTORS WhatвЂ™s happening in the Silicon Carbide world? The SiC Power Center, Enterprise Europe Network and Yole DГ©veloppement present: International SiC Power Electronics Applications Workshop 2013. T he SiC Power Center, Enterprise Europe Network and Yole DГ©veloppement are proud to announce their third collaboration on the International SiC Power Elec tr onic s Applic ations Wor k shop (ISiCPEAW), taking place in Stockholm, Sweden from June 9 - 11. This yearвЂ™s ISiCPEAW is a three-day event consisting of a two-day workshop covering the latest Silicon Carbide technology innovations in the Power Electronics area, and a one-day tutorial prior to the workshop. As in past years, the Organizing Committee has created an attractive program and invited key industry players to present their latest products & services. Registration is now open, so make sure youвЂ™re a part of ISiCPEAW 2013! Each year, international experts meet at ISiCPEAW to share expertise, discuss recent developments and swap visions of SiC electronics applications. In 2012, the workshop attracted more than 200 attendees from around the world, and the Organizing Committee expects no less in 2013. ISiCPEAWвЂ™s 2013 program includes: - A six-session workshop dedicated to Silicon Carbide technology and its applications. Over two exciting days, the Committee invites you to discover the latest Silicon Carbide innovations and related applications. YouвЂ™ll also gain a thorough understanding of the industryвЂ™s status from key industrial experts, covering R&D projects, industrialization phases and everything in-between. - An exhibition area and numerous business-tobusiness (B2B) matchmaking opportunities. - A tutorial dedicated to Silicon Carbide devices, packaging technology and applications. The event takes place at Scandic Hasselbacken Stockholm, located on beautiful DjurgГҐrden Island in the middle of Stockholm. D onвЂ™ t mis s ISi C PE AW 2013вЂ™s p owe r f ul program. Visit the official website www. b2match.eu/isicpeaw2013 and register today! ISiCPEAW 2013 Workshop. The workshop aims to promote the latest Silicon Carbide research and development results by bringing together the f ieldвЂ™s foremost experts from both academia and industry. Focus is placed on the use of SiC technology in Power Electronics applications, components, modules, packaging, reliability an d b e nc hmar k ing wit h s ilic o n P owe r Electronics. The workshop is created by SiC experts and reflects SiCвЂ™s status from an industry point-of-view. Specialists from around the world will present their views on current status, ongoing development and application opportunities in Power Electronics, as well as comment on the latest products and solutions. Additionally, every speaker will be available for detailed technical discussions. Exhibition & B2B Matchmaking More than just a conference, ISiCPEAW 2013 includes debates and networking throughout the event. An exhibition area set up by Yole Amec enters solid-state lighting market Company debuts MOCVD platform for low-cost high-volume manufacture of HB-LEDS, with extendibility to GaN-on-Silicon applications. A t SEMICON China, Advanced MicroFabrication Equipment (AMEC) made its Solid-State Lighting (SSL) market debut with a new multi-reactor Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) cluster tool. The Prismo D-Blueв„ў MOCVD platform enables high-volume manufac turing of sophisticated GaN, InGaN and AlGaN ultrathin laye r e d s t r u c t ur e s r e quir e d f o r hi ghbrightness LEDs. W i t h p r e c i s e p a r a m e t e r c o n t r o l, f u l l automation and an unusually compact design, itвЂ™s a new-generation MOCVD tool built for L E D m a n u f a c t u r i n g m u s t- h ave s: h i g h productivity, high yields and lowest possible cost-of-ownership. A Prismo tool has already been shipped to a customerвЂ™s LED production line in China. The patented architecture can accommodate up to four reactors. Each reactor can be controlled independently - an inventive design that enables exceptional manufacturing flexibility. Right Tool. Right Market. Right Time: Solid-State Lighting is a natural market move for AMEC. An emerging innovation leader, the company provides advanced processing technologies and tools to the global semiconductor industry. More than 200 AMEC etch stations are operating in production at 16 leading semiconductor fabs across Asia. The silicon technology experience, process knowledge, disciplined R&D protocols and materials engineering pedigree that produced AMECвЂ™s semiconductor front-end equipment were applied to develop the Prismo D-Blue platform. AMECвЂ™s new LED customers will also b e ne f it f r o m t he c o mp any вЂ™s s t r inge nt supplier-management protocols. The timing is good for a new MOCVD player вЂ“ especially one with an R&D and manufacturing hub in Shanghai. Between now and 2017, the market for MOCVD tools is estimated to be $4.3 billion, according to research f irm Yole Developpement. China will continue to dominate global manufacturing activity. With bulb prices dropping, LEDs are becoming the de-facto alternative to traditional incandescent lights for retrofits and new builds. Cheaper bulbs mean tighter margins for LED manufacturers, which makes production efficiencies more essential than ever. This puts AMECвЂ™s highproductivity tool in a sweet spot. The Prismo D-Blue MOCVD Tool: Excellent Process Performance & Capital Productivity: The Prismo platform can process up to 216 2-inch wafers simultaneously. The processing capability will extend to 4, 6 and 8-inch wafer production. Beyond the multi-reactor architecture configured for maximum process flexibility, the Prismo excels in every key performance category. Finally, the Prismo is optimized for easy maintenance - imperative in a fast-moving, cost-conscious LED production fab. Special innovations embodied in the Prismo D-Blue MOCVD platform are protected by a portfolio of more than 100 patents (granted and pending). In addition, the tool follows semiconductor manufacturing disciplines and complies fully with SEMI standards. Prismo D-Blue is a trademark of AMEC. www.amec-inc.com DГ©veloppement and dedicated to SiC industry experts will be featured, along with B2B m a t c h m a k i n g a r r a n g e d by E nt e r p r i s e European Network. DonвЂ™t miss the opportunity to meet the SiC industryвЂ™s key players, share opinions, and debate technology issues, business development, market organization and more. Save the dates: June 9 - 11, in Stockholm, Sweden! Tutorial The tutorial will highlight the following subjects: SiC device design & operation, packaging technology, system application and device driver issues. The tutorial day/site is J un e 9 at t h e K T H c a mp u s in c e nt r al Stockholm - one day before the workshop begins. The official ISiCPEAW 2013 program will be available soon. DonвЂ™t miss out on this once-a-year chance to make new contacts and meet industry leaders! Contacts: Attendees & Speakers: Karin Pagard вЂў karin.pagard@acreo.se Exhibition area: Sandrine Leroy вЂў leroy@yole.fr Veeco MOCVD chosen for CEA-Leti and AlediaвЂ™s new nano-LED venture Veeco Instruments announced that C E A-L e t i ha s s e le c t e d Ve e c oвЂ™s Tu r b o D i s c В® K4 6 5 i M e t a l O r g a n i c Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) system for its program with Aledia, its nanowire-LED partner. A ledia is a start-up company spun out of the CE A-L eti labs in 2011, and b a s e d at t h e C E A s i t e. It c o unt s among its three founders two former CEA researcher s, Xavier Hugon and Philippe Gilet. AlediaвЂ™s goal is to manufacture 3D nanowirebased LEDs for solid-state lighting applications on thin silicon wafer substrates, of 8 inches or greater in diameter, at a cost signif icantly below that of conventional planar LEDs. Nanowires are thin crystalline structures that, when electrically charged, can emit a broader spectrum of light than conventional L E D s, an d c a n b e gr own o n in du s t r ystandard silicon substrates. B2B Matchmaking: HГҐkan Sehlin вЂў hakan.sehlin@acreo.se AlediaвЂ™s nanowire technology was originally developed at CEA-Leti, and Aledia and CEALeti continue to develop nanowire technology in close cooperation. www.b2match.eu/isicpeaw2013 www.veeco.com 25/04/2013 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 11 LED Cree introduces XLamp XQ LEDs, delivering breakthrough size and light distribution Cree announces the availability of a new product family, XLamp В® XQ LEDs, featuring a unique combination of small size, novel light distribution and high-reliability design. T his combination of features enables the next generation of designs for applications that require broader light distribution such as omni-directional lamps and fixtures. The XQ LEDs are CreeвЂ™s smallest lighting-class LEDs at just 1.6 mm x 1.6 mm, 57 percent smaller than CreeвЂ™s XLamp XB package. Built on CreeвЂ™s revolutionary SC3 Technologyв„ў Platform, the ceramic-based XQ LEDs are designed to deliver the long-term calculated lifetimes of CreeвЂ™s other high-power LEDs, such as the high performing XP or XT LEDs. The XQ LEDвЂ™s new light-emission pattern directs more light towards the edge rather than the center of the package. Compared to existing LEDs, XQ LEDs allow the use of fewer packages to achieve a wide, distributed light pattern. Together, these innovations can enable manufacturers to increase the light output, expec ted lifetime and omnidirectionality of their designs. вЂњThe high reliability of the ceramic-based XQ-B LED allows us to offer a high-quality solution that does not compromise on lifetime,вЂќ says A new ВЈ1million growth facility will allow Cambridge researchers to further reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of LEDs Gallium nitride has been described as вЂњthe most important semiconductor since siliconвЂќ and is used in energy-saving LED lighting. A new ВЈ1million growth facility will allow Cambridge researcher s to fur ther r e duc e the c os t and impr ove the efficiency of LEDs, with potentially huge costsaving implications. A new facility for growing Gallium Nitride вЂ“ the key material needed to make energy-saving light-emitting diodes (LEDs) вЂ“ has opened in Cambridge, enabling researchers to expand and accelerate their pioneering work in the field. Gallium Nitride LEDs are already used in traffic lights, bicycle lights, televisions, computer screens, car headlamps and other devices, but they are too expensive to be used widely in homes and offices. The main reason for this is that they are normally grown on expensive substrates, which pushes up the price of LED lightbulbs. The new Gallium Nitride growth reactor at Cambridge will allow researchers to further improve a method of growing low-cost LEDs on silicon substrates, reducing their cost by more than 50% and opening them up for more general use. LED technology is already so energy-efficient that it is estimated that the overall demand for electricity would fall by at least 10% if every home and business in the UK switched to LED lighting. This would save the UK over ВЈ2 Billion per year in electricity costs. Further developments planned in the new reactor would result in an additional ВЈ1 Billion per Plessey releases its first GaN on silicon LEDs Plessey announced that samples of it s Gallium Nitr ide on silic on L ED p r o d u c t s ( p / n P L W 111 0 1 0) a r e available. T hese entry level products are the first LEDs manufactured on 6-inch GaN on silicon substrates to be commercially available anywhere in the world. Plessey is using its proprietary large diameter GaN on silicon process technology to manufacture the LEDs on its 6-inch MAGICTM (Manufactured on GaN I/C) line at its Plymouth, England facility. The use of PlesseyвЂ™s MAGIC GaN line using standard semiconduc tor manufac turing processing provides yield entitlements of greater than 95% and fast processing times providing a significant cost advantage over sapphire and silicon carbide based solutions for LEDs of similar quality. www.plesseysemiconductors.com ye a r e l e c t r i c i t y s av i n g s . In a d d i t i o n, researchers are developing colour-tunable LED lighting, which would have the quality of natural sunlight, bringing considerable health benefi ts to users. University scientists are also starting to investigate the potential of Gallium Nitride in electronics, which it is thought could have similarly significant energy-saving consequences вЂ“ perhaps cutting nationwide electricity consumption by a further 9%. T h e r e a c t o r, w h i c h i s f u n d e d b y t h e Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), was opened today (March 28) by David Willetts MP, the Minister for Universities and Science. It marks the latest chapter in a decade-long research project to make LEDs the go-to technology for lighting, led by Professor Sir Colin Humphreys in the UniversityвЂ™s Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy. Read the complete www.i-micronews.com www.cam.ac.uk article on Martin Hockemeyer, Vice-Chairman of the Board of TELEFUNKEN Licht AG. вЂњThe unique optical advantage of the XQ-B gives us the opportunity to create the brilliant look that our customers are looking for.вЂќ The XQ family includes two new LEDs, the XQ-B and the XQ-D. In cool white (5000 K), the XQ-B LED delivers up 160 lumens-perwatt at 0.18 W, and the XQ-D LED delivers up to 130 lumens-per-watt at 1 W. Both LEDs are a v a i l a b l e i n 27 0 0 - K t o 6 5 0 0 - K c o l o r temperatures with minimum 80 CRI option. CreeВ® XLamp XQ LED samples are available now and production quantities are available with standard lead times. Visit www.cree. com/xq to learn more about CreeвЂ™s latest innovation. www.cree.com ZOOM Aledia makes its first LEDs on 8-inch silicon wafers using cost-disruptive microwire technology Aledia announced that it has made its first LEDs on 8-inch (200mm) silicon wafers. T he cost of AlediaвЂ™s LED 3D chips based on microwires is expected to be four times less than traditional planar (2D) LEDs. Additionally, Aledia announced its first-round financing totalling в‚¬10 million (approximately $13M) with leading US and European investors, which was closed in 2012. Aledia solves the important cost issue in the very large and growing LED market. The continued integration of LEDs into new applications, such as general lighting, depends on LEDs becoming available at substantially lower prices than today. AlediaвЂ™s microwire technology enables the steep cost reduction that is vital for the further transition to LED. The Aledia LED technology, made on large-size silicon wafers and with very low materials cost, represents a cost-disruptive solution to this problem. Furthermore the new LED technology is compatible with silicon CMOS technology and will be manufactured directly in existing high-volume silicon foundries. вЂњSince our financing last year, we have scaled up our microwire manufacturing process and transferred it to 8-inch (200mm) silicon wafers. We can now push forward to optimize the performance of these products and bring them to market,вЂќ indicated Giorgio Anania, Aledia Cofounder, President and CEO. Investors in AlediaвЂ™s first-round financing included Sofinnova Partners, a leading European venture capital fund and an active investor in energy; New-York based Braemar Energy Ventures, a leading US energy technology investor with various investments in the LED and illumination area; Demeter Partners, the largest France-based cleantech investor; and CEA Investissement, the venture capital arm of CEA, FranceвЂ™s Commissariat Г lвЂ™Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives. The 3D GaN-on-Silicon microwire technology was developed over a six year period at the LETI-CEA in Grenoble, France. As part of its spin-out from CEA, Aledia received exclusive worldwide rights to all present and future CEA patents on microwire technology as applied to the area of lighting. Several additional patents have already been filed directly by Aledia. www.aledia.com Aledia 8-inch (200mm) silicon wafers (Courtesy of Aledia) 12 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 IMAGING SiOnyx announces IR enhanced ultra-low light CMOS image sensors SiOnyx XQEв„ў sensors enable new capabilities in biometrics, eye-tracking, natural human interface, and night vision. S iOnyx announces the XQEв„ў family of CMOS image sensor s. XQE image sensor s deliver unprecedented performance advantages in infrared imaging with sensitivity enhancements as high as 10x incumbent solutions. The SiOnyx XQE family in c lu d e s t hr e e n ew hi gh p e r f o r man c e sensors: the 1.3M pixel XQE-1310, the 1.0M pixel XQE-0920, and the 0.6M pixel XQE0570. The XQE sensor family is based upon SiOny xвЂ™ break through black silicon semiconduc tor process technology that enhances the sensitivity of silicon based light detectors. вЂњ T h e s e n ew XQ E s e n s o r s r e p r e s e n t a tremendous accomplishment for our sensor team and our company,вЂќ said Stephen Saylor, President and CEO of SiOnyx. вЂњSince CCD and CMOS sensors were invented decades ago, image sensor development has focused almost entirely on capturing images in the visible spectrum. XQE sensors build upon this foundation of excellence and add a new dimension of extraordinarily high sensitivity in the near infrared spectrum.вЂќ Infrared (IR) sensitivity is critical in many exis ting and emer ging mas s-mar ket applic ations inc luding biometr ic s, eye tracking, natural human inter face (i.e. gesture UI) and sur veillance. In human interface applications like eye tracking and biometrics, IR sensing has the advantage of operating over a wide variety of lighting conditions without interfering with the userвЂ™s visual experience. In surveillance, enhanced IR sensitivity takes advantage of the naturally occurring IR вЂ�nightglowвЂ™ to enable imaging under conditions that normally require very expensive image intensified night vision equipment. вЂњIR imaging is a fundamental enabler for any man-machine interface,вЂќ said Dr. Homayoon Haddad, Vice President of Engineering and CTO of SiOnyx. вЂњApplications as diverse as autonomous vehicles and gaming depend on IR light to enable systems to measure, analyze, and adapt to the environment around them.вЂќ All sensors in the XQE family share the benefits of ultra-low read noise for extended low light imaging and 72dB of native dynamic range. Additionally, all XQEв„ў sensors have on-chip HDR features that allow up to 120dB dynamic range capability. XQE sensors are fabricated with a standard CMOS process that offers low power, low dark current, and no sensor cooling requirements. For applications from moonless night sky surveillance (<0.001 Lux) to biometrics and gesture UI, the SiOnyx XQE image sensors will redefine the way IR imaging systems are specified and deployed. sionyx.com Vision Research unveils the next-generation of digital high-speed imaging at 2013 NABвЂ“ the PhantomВ® Flex4K Flex4K will offer levels of flexibility never before available on a high-speed camera. V ision Research is previewing the next member of its award-winning digital c in e m a p r o du c t lin e at t h e 2013 National Association of Broadcasters show. Redefining whatвЂ™s possible when it comes to high-speed imaging, the Phantom Flex4K of f e r s e xc e pt ional image qualit y, new workflow options, a user-friendly camera control interface and improved performance at standard frame rates. At its full acquisition resolution of 4096 x 2304 the camera is capable of recording from 24 to over 900 frames-per-second (fps), and up to 1,000 fps at 4096 x 2160 resolution. Another notable feature of the camera s ys t e m i s t h e n ew o n- c am e r a c o nt r o l interface, still in development. All capture, playback and save parameters will be set from the built in menu on the right side of the camera body, no separate sof tware connec tion is necessar y. Shor tcuts are available for popular functions and multiple user presets exist to allow for a quick setup. Monitoring, playback and save controls will be available from both sides of the camera. вЂњWe are excited to announce the Phantom Flex4K, our first professional cinema camera that is designed to capture normal frame rates, and high speed up to 1,000 fps at 4k resolutions,вЂќ said Toni Lucatorto, Cinema Product Manager at Vision Research. вЂњWe are previewing the Phantom Flex4K in its current form here at NAB, however, there are still features to turn on and work to be done. We plan to use the summer to roll out those features and really run the camera through its paces before it officially hits the market. When finished it will truly be an amazing piece of technology that has the potential to revolutionize cinematography and overall video production.вЂќ www.visionresearch.com The Phantom Flex4K will suppor t three distinct in-camera workflows to address dif fer ent pr oduc tion st yles. PhantomвЂ™s uncompressed raw format ensures the fastest high-speed workflow on set and maximum quality and versatility for postp r o d u c t i o n . A l t e r n a t i v e l y, r e c o r d compressed fi les for a simplifi ed workfl ow directly out of the camera. 2x 3G-SDI video outputs are also available and compatible with the industryвЂ™s latest field recorders. Capture the full 4K super 35mm sensor and then save those fi les at full resolution, or choose to save them at 2K resolution for a r ic h, over-sampled image. Sync-sound frame rates and time code is fully supported. For high-speed capture, it вЂ™s possible to record up to 1,000 fps at 4K resolution of 4 0 9 6 x 216 0, u p t o 2 , 0 0 0 f p s w h e n windowed down to 1920 x 1080, and over 3,000 fps at 1280 x 720. AltaSens introduces latest generation 1/3вЂќ CMOS sensor AltaSens introduced two new p r o d u c t s: t h e A L 3 0 2 10 C i m a g e sensor, it s latest generation 1/3вЂќ C M O S s e n s o r, a n d t h e A LW P U, a companion Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) processing unit. T he WDR ASIC solution was recently on display throughout the four-day China P u b l i c S e c u r i t y E x p o (C P S E) a n d attracted a variety of customers interested in the exciting new capabilities offered by AltaSens. In addition, AltaSens will demonstrate WDR applications at ISC West 2013 in Las Vegas on April 10-12 at booth 3037. AltaSens plans to market the WDR ASIC solution throughout the securit y, video conference, and medical industries as a highperformance WDR HD sensor with multiple programmable image capture speeds up to 60 fps. The AL30210 and ALWPU are fully qualifi ed to JESD-47, Qualif ication of Integrated Circuits and elements of JESD22, JESD85, an d J E SD78 a s ap p lic ab l e. T h e s e n s o r a n d A S IC m e e t a l l R o H S a n d R E A C H environmental requirements and are in mass production. Four versions of the sensor are available: вЂў A L 30210 C-1, 60 de gr e e s C St andar d Product вЂў A L 3 0 210 C -2 , 8 5 d e g r e e s C H i g h Temperature Sensor вЂ“ Proven Performance for Demanding Environments вЂў AL30210M-1, Monochrome, 60 degrees C Standard Product вЂў AL30210M-2, Monochrome, 85 degrees C H i g h Te m p e r a t u r e S e n s o r вЂ“ P r o v e n Performance for Demanding Environments The Phantom Flex4K (Courtesy of Vision Research) www.altasens.com Sapphire & Imaging seminar June19, 2013 Room 402c, TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall, Taipei Satellite event of Photonics Festival 2013 Agenda: s)MAGING The camera module business for mobile phones and tablets: who will win the game? s3 APPHIRE Sapphire covers for mobile displays: just a buzz or a revolution for the industry? Powered by General information and registration: Mei-LingTsai (meiling.tsai@yole.com.tw) or CamilleFavre (favre@yole.fr) 13 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 OPTOELECTRONICS Using optical links, IBM achieves ultrahigh-speed communications Alfalight sells commercial component product line to Compound Photonics. Ultrafast supercomputers that operate at speeds 100 times faster than current systems may now be one step closer to reality. High efficiency and wavelength stabilized laser technology is key. Alfalight retains defense segment product lines to focus growth on military/aerospace customers. A team of IBM researchers working on a DARPA-funded program has found a way to transmit massive amounts of data with unprecedented low power consumption, increasing the speed by 66 percent and shattering the previous power efficiency record by one-half. Scientists predict that the supercomputers of the future - so-called exascale computers will enable them to model the global climate, run molecular-level simulations of entire cells, design nanostructures and much more. вЂњWe envision machines reaching the exascale mark around 2020, but a great deal of research must be done to make this possible,вЂќ said Jonathan E. Proesel, a research staff member at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center. To achieve this feat, researchers must find a way to quickly move large amounts of data within the supercomputer while simultaneously keeping power consumption in check. Proesel and colleagues created an optical communication link operating at 25 Gb/s using 24 mW of total wall-plug power, or 1 pJ/bit. The link combines circuits in IBMвЂ™s 32-nm silicon-on-insulator CMOS technology with advanc e d VC SEL s and photo dete c tor s fabricated by Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations USA (formerly Emcore). To read more visit photonics website. www.photonics.com Photo Diode TX Circuits Lasers 150 Ојm RX Circuits 150 Ојm Optical link test chips, including transmitter circuits, laser diodes, photodiodes and receiver circuits. (Courtesy of IBM) Cisco unveils CPAK 100G silicon photonics-based optical transceiver Cisco has announced initial deployment plans for its much-discussed CPAK 100-Gbps pluggable transceiver, based on the nLight silicon photonic s technology it gained when it acquired Lightwire. T he optical transceiver, designed as a smaller, lower-cost alternative to CFP transceivers, will find its first use on Cisco ONS 15454 MS TP 100G coherent transponders. T he Cis c o ONS 15 45 4 MS T P will sp or t 10 0Gbas e -L R4, -SR10, and -ER4 C PAK pluggables as client side interfaces. The company also plans to integrate the CMOSenabled CPAK on routing and switching line cards, Bill Gartner, vice president and general manager of CiscoвЂ™s High End Routing and Optical business unit, told attendees at the Optical Society of AmericaвЂ™s Executive Forum on March 18. He said the company also will explore using the nLight technology to enable other form factors. Responding to a question from the audience regarding the advantages of the CPAK versus the CFP2 form factor modules that should become available soon, Gartner says that CiscoвЂ™s original design goal was something better than the CFP devices that originally were the focus of transceiver vendor sвЂ™ development efforts. If one takes into account the var ying roadmaps dif ferent module suppliers are following as they develop CFP2 devices, Gartner asserted that the CPAK still offers significant cost, power, and footprint advantage over what could be considered the marketplaceвЂ™s вЂњaverageвЂќ offering. вЂњCPAK represents a significant advancement in optical networking, providing dramatic space and power efficiencies,вЂќ said Eve Griliches, Vice President, ACG Research, via a Cisco press release. вЂњThe timing for this solution could not be more ideal, as network traffic volumes continue to escalate, with no end in sight. If the telecommunications industry is to advance and enable a new generation of services, it will need a new generation of optics, and the Cisco CPAK represents one of the early options in this area.вЂќ To read more visit lightwaveonline website. www.lightwaveonline.com A lfalight has sold its commercial segment product lines and semiconductor fab assets to Compound Photonics, a technology leader in high-definition laser projection light engines for mobile devices. Alfalight retains its d e f e n s e lin e s o f b u s in e s s t o f o c u s o n developing and manufacturing ruggedized component and system-level solutions for defense customers. Compound Photonics will fully support AlfalightвЂ™s commercial business and customers, and the two companies will also cooperate on component-level strategy. вЂњ T hi s t r an s a c t i o n e nab l e s A l f ali ght t o increase our investment in the development and production of laser-based solutions for defense, aer ospace, and r elated highper formance applic ations,вЂќ said Mohan Warrior, president and CEO of Alfalight. вЂњWith a fabless model, Alfalight can better expand our engineering capabilities and align our system manufacturing infrastructure for the challenging requirements of this market.вЂќ вЂњAdding Alfalight вЂ™s highly-ef f icient and wavelength-stabilized diode laser components to our technology por tfolio strengthens our position as a ver ticallyintegrated projection light engine manufacturer,вЂќ said Jonathan A. Sachs, Ph.D., president and CEO of Compound Photonics. вЂњWe look forward to continuing to supply AlfalightвЂ™s commercial customers with products they have come to rely upon, as well as delivering new, high-performance p h o t o ni c s c o mp o n e nt s f o r t h e ir n e x tgeneration systems.вЂќ A s par t of the transac tion, the t wo companies have signed a strategic supply agreement that ensures Alfalight a continued source of high-performance laser components from Compound Photonics, enabling it to further grow its business of delivering leading-edge, ruggedized electrooptical products and subsystems for defense and aer ospac e applic ations. E xample s include laser-based visible and infrared illumination, las e r-initiate d or dnanc e, targeting, tracking, and locating, and eyesafe non-lethal ocular disruptors. Alfalight remains an ITAR-registered company. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Both companies remain independent and privately held. www.alfalight.com www.compoundphotonics.com Pyreos heads east with expanded Asia operations Pyreos announces the 2nd stage of its global expansion has been completed, with the appointment of ten sales and distribution channel par tner s to suppor t customers in Asia-Pac, to help deal with the exceptional interest levels in the Pyreos gesture sensor product from mobile phone and tablet computer manufacturers in China, Taiwan, Hong-Kong and Japan. S cottish company, a pioneer of next generation infrared sensor products and touchless gesture control for mobile phones & tablets вЂў Adds ten South-East sales channel partners to cope with unprecedented demand for gesture sensor product вЂў Interest accelerated after recent launch of gesture enabled Samsung Galaxy 4 Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jeff Gray says: вЂњThere is phenomenal interest in our low power gesture sensor in that region, which has intensified since the introduction of the Galaxy 4 by Samsung which has gesture functionality. Many customers have told us that they see our gesture sensing as the lowest power and more long term solution for mobile and tablet devices that can work from close-up to a few meters of distance. It is gr eat to add so many well est ablished distribution par tners to suppor t our customers in their respective regions in AsiaPac.вЂќ Jeff Wright, CEO & Co-Founder of Pyreos comments: вЂњThese developments will ensure customers in Asia-Pac can rapidly access our gesture sensor produc ts as well as our industrial sensor products and receive world class sales and customer support from our partners.вЂќ Pyreos is a leading supplier of next generation infrared sensor products. Its unique, patented technology is enabling ground-breaking new applications including: touchless gesture control of mobile phones and tablet pcs; prevention of gear box failure in the engines of wind turbines, ships and helicopters; the early detection of serious medical illnesses, including diabetes and other life threatening conditions. www.pyreos.com Avago set to acquire CyOptics in $400M cash deal Maker of single mode indium phosphide lasers and detectors to boost AvagoвЂ™s presence in data centers and silicon photonics. A vago Technologies, the San Jose-based semiconductor manufacturer spun out of Agilent Technologies, is set to ac quir e indium phosphide (InP) optoelectronics specialist CyOptics for $400 million in cash. The deal, which still needs to be ratified by US regulators, follows a sharp recent uptick in fortunes for the Pennsylvania company. Following years of heavy losses, CyOptics swung to a net profit in 2010 and has nearly doubled its revenues since. Avago is aiming to exploit the companyвЂ™s single mode laser and detector technologies in the f as t-gr owing dat a c enter inter c onne c t business, where there is escalating demand f or longer-r eac h high-spe e d c able s as internet traffic continues to spiral. Whereas AvagoвЂ™s existing produc ts are t ypically based around VCSEL sources, C yOptic s is seen as having higher-end technologies that are complementary to the e xis ting p or t f olio. Avago als o s e e s an opportunity to play in the emerging field of silicon photonics through the deal. AvagoвЂ™s CEO Hock Tan said: вЂњWe believe CyOpticsвЂ™ leading InP technology and optical manufacturing capability will strengthen AvagoвЂ™s fiber-optics portfolio and accelerate our ability to capture next generation 40G and 100G enterprise and data center sockets. We also see interesting revenue growth opportunities in delivering a broad range of proprietary components to the market.вЂњ To read more please visit optics.org website. optics.org 25/04/2013 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 14 ADVANCED PACKAGING GLOBALFOUNDRIES demonstrates 3D TSV capabilities on 20nm technology From page 1 T SVs are vertical vias etched in a silicon wafer that are filled with a conducting material, enabling communic ation between vertically stacked integrated circuits. The adoption of three-dimensional (3D) chip stacking is increasingly being viewed as an alternative to traditional technology node scaling at the transistor level. However, TSVs present a number of new challenges to semiconductor manufacturers. GLOBALFOUNDRIES utilizes a вЂњvia-middleвЂќ approach to TSV integration, inserting the TSVs into the silicon after the wafers have completed the Front End of the Line (FEOL) flow and prior to starting the Back End of the Line (BEOL) process. This approach avoids the high temperatures of the FEOL manufacturing process, allowing the use of copper as the TSV fill material. To overcome the challenges a s s o c iat e d wi t h t h e mi gr at i o n o f T S V technology from 28nm to 20nm, GLOBALFOUNDRIES engineers have developed a proprietary contact protection scheme. This scheme enabled the company to integrate the TSVs with minimal disruption to the 20nm-LPM platform technology, demonstrating SRAM functionality with critical device characteristics in line with those of standard 20nm-LPM silicon. As the fabless-foundry business model evolves to address the realities of dynamic market, foundries are taking on increasing responsibility for managing the supply chain to deliver end-to-end solutions that meet the requirements of the broad range of leadinge d g e d e s i g n s . To h e l p a d d r e s s t h e s e challenges, GLOBALFOUNDRIES is engaging early with partners to jointly develop solutions that will enable the next wave of innovation in the industry. This open and collaborative BEoL FEoL TSV (Courtesy of GLOBALFOUNDRIES) approach will give customers maximum choice and flexibility, while delivering cost savings, faster time-to-volume, and a reduction in the technical risk associated with developing new technologies. www.globalfoundries.com A*STAR and UTAC to develop 2.5D TSI platform SingaporeвЂ™s UTAC to co-develop 2.5D Through-Silicon-Interposer with A*STARвЂ™S Institute of Microelectronics for volume manufacturing. A *STARвЂ™s Institute of Microelectronics (IME) and United Test and Assembly Center (UTAC), a leading outsourced assembly and test (OSAT) provider, have announced a collaboration to develop a 2.5D Through-Silicon-Interposer (TSI) platform which will enable UTAC to join the scarce list of suppliers in offering fi ne-pitch 2.5D TSI packaging solutions. This collaboration builds on the technology expertise of both partners and leverages IMEвЂ™s cutting-edge 300mm Through-SiliconVia (TSV)/ TSI fabrication and assembly infrastructure to develop and prototype 2.5D TSI-based systems. IME will contribute it s deep R& D experience in design and advanced packaging to develop optimized solutions to address electrical, thermal, thermo-mechanical and reliability requirements for applications including mobile devices such as tablets and smart phones. The optimized 2.5D TSI technology from this collaboration will be transferred to U TAC f o r high vo lum e manu f a c t ur in g, enabling UTAC to shor ten their time-tomarket significantly. With the 2.5D/3D IC process technologies gradually being accepted by industry, IME has been ac tively engaging leading companies from the supply chain to drive the mass production of 2.5D/3D ICs. В«IMEвЂ™s strong commitment in accelerating industry adoption of 2.5D and 3DIC design and manufacturing as well as our breadth of expertise in 200mm and 300mm back-endof-line (B E O L) c ap abilit ie s pr e s e nt an attractive value proposition to companies to collaborate with us,вЂќ said Prof. Dim-Lee MORE THAN 300 TECHNICAL PAPERS COVERING: 3D/TSV Advanced Packaging Modeling & Simulation Optoelectronics Interconnections Materials & Processing Applied Reliability Assembly & Manufacturing Technology Electronic Components & RF Emerging Technologies Conference Sponsors: Kwong, Executive Director of IME. вЂњIME looks forward to working with our partners to develop innovative 3D IC solutions and carr y 3D integration for ward toward numerous applications that can be commercialized.В» вЂњL everaging on IMEвЂ™s leading 3D IC capabilities, we believe that we will be able to better respond to market demands and support our customers with services that of fer them faster time-to-market, strengthening our leadership in the 3D IC arena,вЂќ said Dr William John Nelson, Group President and Chief Executive Of ficer of UTAC. Micron, Samsung, Hynix agree to 3-D memory spec The Micron-led Hybrid Memory Cube Consor tium has issued version 1.0 of it s s p e c if ic at ion f o r a ve r t ic al memory stack with a defined logiclayer interface. N ow the group will turn its focus to higher-speed variations of a dynamic r an d o m -a c c e s s m e m o r y (D R A M) module stacked using through-silicon vias. In its next-generation spec, the group aims to increase short-reach data rate across modules from the current 10, 12.5 and 15 Gbits/second up to 28 Gbits/s. Speeds for ultra-shor t reaches within a die will go from 10 Gbits/s to 15 Gbits/s in the spec, which is expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2014. The HMC group consists of more than 100 companies including MicronвЂ™s rivals Samsung and SK Hynix as well as potential customers such as AMD, Cray, Fujitsu, IBM, Marvell, ST Microelectronics and Xilinx. Missing are big potential users including Intel and Nvidia. Last year, a top Nvidia technical exec said the graphics chip company doesnвЂ™t want a memory cube with a logic layer, although it is pursing 3-D ICs. So far, Micron insists the logic interface is required to hit its target data rates and bandwidth. вЂњThe logic also ensures resiliency and repair-ability in the field,вЂќ said a spokesman for group. Previously, Micron said it will deliver 2- and 4-Gbyte versions of the stack before June. They will provide aggregate bi-directional bandwidth of up to 160 Gbytes/second. The top three memory makers expressed support for the spec in a press statement. To read more, visit eetimes website www.a-star.edu.sg www.utacgroup.com HIGHLIGHTS В„ 41 Technical sessions including: s4 Interactive Presentation sessions s1 Student Poster session В„ 16 CEU-approved professional development courses В„ Technology Corner Exhibits, featuring over 90 industry-leading vendors В„ 5 Special Invited sessions В„ Several evening receptions www.eetimes.com Over the next ВїYH\HDUV[JODVV ZDIHUGHPDQG LVH[SHFWHGIRU WKHVHPLFRQGXFWRU PDQXIDFWXULQJ LQGXVWU\ Glass Substrates for Semiconductor Manufacturing В„ Wednesday luncheon speaker В„ Many opportunities for networking В„ Great location 'LVFRYHUWKH1(:UHSRUWRQ ZZZL0LFURQHZVFRPUHSRUWV 15 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 PHOTOVOLTAICS Cree SiC MOSFETs enable next-generation solar inverters from Delta Energy Systems Cree and Delta Energy Systems announce a breakthrough in the photovoltaic (PV) inverter industry with the release of DeltaвЂ™s new generation of solar inverters, which utilize SiC power MOSFETs from Cree. S iC MOSFET Technology can significantly improve weight, cost and efficiency in PV inverters T h e u s e o f Si C M O S F E Ts in t h e n e x tgeneration PV inverters can enable significant new milestones in power density, efficiency and weight. Cr ee r eleased the f ir s t silic on-c ar bide MOSFETs, used for their ability to cut losses and allow PV inver ter s to run at higher efficiencies and higher power densities, in 2011 and a dramatically improved, secondgeneration SiC MOSFET in 2013. Now, as a milestone product announcement, Delta Ener gy Systems, a subsidiar y of Delt a Electronics Group, one of the worldвЂ™s largest and most respected providers of power management solutions, has incorporated CreeВ® SiC MOSFETs into its next-generation solar power inverter. Utilizing 1200-V SiC MOSFETвЂ™s from Cree in an 11-kW PV inverter, Delta has already been able to extend the DC input voltage range while maintaining and even increasing the maximum efficiency of its previous products. The Delta 11-kW booster, which employs CreeвЂ™s SiC MOSFET and now has 1-kV DC input instead of 900-V, is targeted for release in Q2 2013. DeltaвЂ™s new generation of solar inverters, which employ SiC power MOSFETs (Courtesy of Cree) www.cree.com www.deltaenergysystems.com Spectrolab sets world record for solar cell efficiency for III-V cell without light concentration H ighest ever ener gy conver sion efficiency without solar concentration. Increased efficiency for ground-based applications. A Spectrolab solar cell recently set a world record by converting more energy from the sun into electricity than any other groundbased solar cell without solar concentration. The Boeing subsidiaryвЂ™s achievement in ground-based solar cell efficiency was verified by the U.S. Department of EnergyвЂ™s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo. The cell conver ted 37.8 percent of solar energy using a new class of high-efficiency multi-junction solar cell, created from two or mor e mater ials and leveraging B oeing te c hnology that make s s emic onduc tor materials more reliable. The record was set without concentration, the common practice of having lenses or mirrors focus solar rays on the cells. www.spectrolab.com GT Advanced Technologies and Powertec Energy sign memorandum of understanding GT Advanced Technologies and Powertec Energy (вЂњPowertecвЂќ) announced the execution of a memorandum of under standing (MOU), which states PowertecвЂ™s intention to purchase polysilicon technology and equipment from GT for their phase 2 and 3 expansion projects. D esign work for these projects has begun and Powertec currently expects to begin ordering GT equipment and technology in the second half of 2014. P o w e r t e c w a s f o u n d e d i n 2 010 w i t h WalsinLihwa Group, United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), and Sino American Silicon Products Inc. (SAS) as major shareholders. In 2011, Powertec began its phase 1 project, located in TaiwanвЂ™s Changbin Industrial Park, at whic h time it pur c hased 6,000 M TA polysilic on pr oduc tion te c hnology and equipment from GT. The equipment for phase 1 was shipped in 2012. PowertecвЂ™s phase 1 project is on track for commercial operation in the first half of 2014 in line with when the solar industr y, which has experienced a downturn since 2011, is expected to recover. вЂњWhen our plant is fully operational next year, we will immediately begin debottlenecking work to increase our phase 1 capacity to 7,500 MTA. We expect to produce high-quality polysilicon at a cash cost that will enable us to successfully compete on a global scale,вЂќ said YiYi Tai, Chairman of Power tec.вЂќIn addition, Power tec and GT have already star ted designing the phase 2 and 3 expansion projects. Construction of our next phase is expected to begin immediately after the successful star tup of phase 1. Total capacity at our current site is expected to reach 27,500 MTA after all three phases are completed.вЂќ With increasing demand for higher solar power conversion ef ficiency, polysilicon quality is becoming increasingly important. In addition, there is strong demand in Taiwan f r o m l e a d i n g Ta i w a n s e m i c o n d u c t o r companies such as UMC and SAS for ultra high-quality electronic-grade polysilicon. PowertecвЂ™s phase 1 high-quality capacity as well as phase 2 and 3 elec tronic grade capacity are expected to meet not only future solar demand, but also domestic semiconductor industry demand in Taiwan. www.gtat.com www.powertec-energy.co.uk ZOOM SunPower launches X-Series family of solar panels with world-record efficiencies of 21.5 percent SunPower introduced its SunPower X-Series Solar Panels (X-Series), a new product line for the residential market that offers an unprecedented 21.5 percent efficiency. T he X-Series delivers more energy, higher reliabilit y and superior aesthetics than conventional solar panels. The new world-record efficiency of this product line has received third-party validation by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The X-Series is made with SunPowerвЂ™s thir d-generation MaxeonВ® solar cells which are built on a solid copper foundation for high reliability and performance. This foundation makes them virtually impervious to the corrosion and cracking that typically degrade conventional panels. As a result, SunPower solar panels are backed by the industryвЂ™s first combined 25-year product and power warranty. The X-Series de livers approximately eight to 10 percent more energy per rated watt when compared with conventional solar panels. Features include: вЂў High energy output with no light induced degradation вЂў Better low-light and spectral response, gener ating elec tr ic it y ear lier in the morning and longer in the evening вЂў Low temperature coefficient, allowing for m o r e e l e c t r i c i t y g e n e r at i o n o n h o t rooftops The X-Series surpasses the performance o f the SunPower E-Series Solar Panels, which placed first, second and third in the 2012 testing conducted by third-par t y Photon International Magazine for it s annual f ield per formance test. The additional energy generated, along with the high efficiency and reliability delivered by the X-Series, results in approximately 75 percent more energy production over the first 25 years, when compared to a conventional solar system covering the same sized roof. With the sleek appearance of a jet-black glass panel with a black frame and all-back contac t solar cells, the SunPower Signatureв„ў Black design allows the panels to blend seamlessly into the rooftop. SunpowerвЂ™s modules are both aesthetic and highly efficient (Courtesy of Sunpower) The new X-Series is now available in a 250 watt small format and a 345 watt standard size format for the residential market, and can be ordered in the U.S. via SunPowerвЂ™s North American dealer network. X-Series joins the SunPower E20 Series Solar Panels, offering customers a choice of high efficiency SunPower products. www.sunpowercorp.com First Solar to acquire TetraSun to expand addressable market opportunity From page 1 T etraSunвЂ™s core technology is a proprietar y cell architecture which breaks the historical tie between highefficiency and high-cost. Compared to other high-ef f icienc y cr ystalline silicon cells, TetraSunвЂ™s advanced cell design is simpler and optimized for manufacturing, requiring fewer process steps with wider tolerances. The design enables high-volume production with higher yields using readily available equipment. Cost-effectiveness is further enhanced by using large-format (156 mm) n-type wafers and eliminating the need for expensive silver and transparent conductive oxide (TCO). The technology also benefits from a low temperature coefficient of power, which produces superior energy yields in hot climates compared to t ypical silicon PV modules. First Solar tentatively plans to begin commercial-scale manufacturing of the new technology in the second half of 2014. All fourteen of TetraSunвЂ™s associates will join First Solar and continue to be based in San Jose, Calif. The technical team brings First Solar significant expertise in silicon PV R&D and a track record of innovation at companies like SunPower and Fraunhofer ISE, where they earned world-records for silicon cell efficiency. www.firstsolar.com 16 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 NANOTECHNOLOGY Flexible electronics could transform the way we make and use electronic devices Nearly ever yone knows what the inside of a computer or a mobile phone looks like: A stiff circuit board, usually green, crammed with chips, resistors, capacitors and sockets, interconnected by a suburban sprawl of printed wiring. F lexible electronics open the door to foldaway smartphone displays, solar cells on a roll of plastic and advanced medical devices - if we can figure out how to make them. But what if our printed circuit board was not stiff, but flexible enough to bend or even fold? Flexible electronics are in vogue for two reasons. First, they promise an entirely new design tool. Imagine, for example, tiny smartphones that wrap around our wrists, and flexible displays that fold out as large as a television. Or photovoltaic cells and reconfigurable antennas that conform to the roofs and trunks of our cars. Or flexible implants that c an m o ni t o r an d t r e at c an c e r o r h e lp paraplegics walk again. Penn StateвЂ™s interest in flexible and printed electronics is not just theoretical. In October 2011, the University announced a multi-year research projec t with Dow Chemical Corporation. Learn more about the partnership. Second, flexible electronics might cost less to make. Conventional semiconductors require complex processes and multi-billion dollar foundries. Researchers hope to print flexible electronics on plastic film the same way we print ink on newspapers. www.psu.edu Beneq to deliver thin film encapsulation system for OLED R&D to Fraunhofer COMEDD The ALD encapsulation R&D system will be delivered in the summer of 2013. B eneq, a global supplier of thin film coating equipment, announces the availabilit y of an R& D thin f ilm encapsulation system for 200Г—200 mm OLED substrates. The first system will be delivered in the summer of 2013 as part of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) project to the Germanbased Fraunhofer COMEDD. This research platform has been specifically designed together with the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Organics, Materials and Electronic Devices, known as COMEDD, which is an independent research institution of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Fraunhofer COMEDD offers a wide range of research, development and pilot production possibilities, especially for OLED lighting, organic solar cells and OLED microdisplays. What makes the B eneq OL ED thin f ilm encapsulation system unique from a technical point of view is that it is based on a cross-flow reactor, which has been optimized for the shortest possible cycle time, even at low processing temperatures, such as <100 В°C. This feature facilitates rapid prototyping of new OLED designs. Most importantly, the cross-flow reactor design enables process scale-up for large areas and high throughput, which is compatible with industrial requirements. The R&D system for 200Г—200 mm substrates is available as a stand-alone system and it can also be integrated with an MBraun glove box. Beneq has been invited as a sponsor and speaker at Fr aunhofer COMEDDвЂ™s f ir s t Industry Partners Day, which takes place in Dresden, Germany, on April 10, 2013. The ALD enc apsulation R& D system will be delivered in the summer of 2013. www.beneq.com www.comedd.fraunhofer.de/en Revolutionary new device joins world of smart electronics Researchers at the University of Exeter have developed a new photoelectric device that is both flexible and transparent. S Example of a flexible-circuit film displayed by a member of Professor Tom JacksonвЂ™s Electronics Research Group (Courtesy of the Penn StateвЂ™s University Park campus) mart electronics are taking the world by storm. From techno-textiles to transparent electronic displays, the world of intelligent technology is growing fast and a revolutionary new device has just been added to its ranks. Researcher s at the University of Exeter have developed a new photoelectric device that is both flexible and transparent. The device, described in a paper in the journal ACS Nano, converts light into electrical signals by exploiting the unique p r o p e r t ie s of t h e r e c e nt ly di s c ove r e d m a t e r ia l s g r a p h e n e a n d g r a p h E xe t e r. G r a p h E xe t e r i s t h e b e s t k n o w n r o o m temperature transparent conductor and graphene is the thinnest conductive material. At just a few atoms thick, the newly developed photoelectric device is ultralightweight. This, along with the flexibility of its constituent graphene materials, makes it perfect for incorporating into clothing. Such devices could be used to develop photovoltaic textiles enabling clothes to act as solar panels and charge mobile phones while they are being worn. Photosensitive materials and devices such as the one developed at Exeter can, in the future, also be used for intelligent windows that are able to harvest electricity and display images while r emaining transparent. Smart materials have almost unlimited potential applications from integral iPods and keyboards in clothing to electronic displays on glasses and goggles. Metallic nanostructures in smart materials typically cause a haze that prevents them from being truly transparent. The photosensitive device developed at Exeter contains no metals and is therefore completely transparent but, as it can detect light from across the whole visible light spectrum, it is as efficient at sensing light as other recently developed opaque p h o t o e l e c t r i c d ev i c e s . T h i s wo r k wa s financially supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). www.exeter.ac.uk ZOOM New approach to testing health, environmental effects of nanoparticles Earlier effor ts to determine the health and environmental effects of the nanopar ticles that are finding use in hundreds of consumer products may have produced misleading results by embracing traditional toxicology tests that do not take into account the unique proper ties of bits of material so small that 100,000 could fit in the period at the end of this sentence. T hat was among the obs er vations presented here at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the worldвЂ™s largest scientific society, by one of the emerging leaders in nanoscience research. The talk by Christy Haynes, Ph.D., was among almost 12,000 presentations at the gathering, which organizers expect to attract more than 14,000 scientists and others. Hayne s de live r e d t he inaugur al Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Lecture at the meeting, being held in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and downtown hotels. Haynes, who is with the Univer sit y of Minnesota, explained that as manufacturers began using or considering use of nan o p ar t ic le s in c o n s ume r an d ot he r products, concerns emerged about the possible health and environmental effects. More than 800 consumer products based on nanote c hnology ar e on the mar ket, according to some estimates. A new field s o m e t i m e s t e r m e d вЂњ n a n o t ox i c o l o g y вЂќ emerged in the last 10 years to investigate those concerns. вЂњInitial work focused on using the toxicology test s that had been used for year s to evaluate bulk materials,вЂќ Haynes said. вЂњNanoparticles, however, are inherently different. A nanoparticle of material used in food or a cosmetic lotion may contain just a few atoms, or a few thous and atoms. Regular-sized pieces of that same material might c ont ain billions of atoms. T hat dif ference makes nanopar ticles behave differently than their bulk counterparts.вЂќ Hayne s s aid t hat s ome of t he e ar lie r вЂњWhile these results can be useful, there are t w o i m p o r t a n t l i m i t a t i o n s ,вЂќ H a y n e s explained. вЂњA cell can be alive but unable to func tion properly, and it would not be apparent in those tests. In addition, the nature of nanoparticles - theyвЂ™re more highly reactive - can cause вЂ�false positivesвЂ™ in these assays.вЂќ ability to function normally, rather than just it s abilit y to sur vive the exposure. In addition, they have implemented measures to reduce вЂњfalse-positiveвЂќ test results, which overestimate nanoparticle toxicity. One of the teamвЂ™s s afet y te s t s, for ins t ance, determines whether key cells in the immune s ys t e m c an s t ill wo r k n o r m all y af t e r exposure to nanoparticles. In another, the scientist s determine whether bac teria exposed to nanopar ticles can still communicate with each other, engaging in the critical biochemical chatter that enables bacteria to form biofilms, communities essential for them to multiply in ways that lead to infections. Haynes described a new approach used in her teamвЂ™s work in evaluating the toxicity of nanoparticles. It focuses on monitoring how exposure to nanoparticles affects a cellвЂ™s portal.acs.org nanotoxicology tests did not fully take those an d o t h e r f a c t o r s int o a c c o unt wh e n evaluating the effects of nanoparticles. In some cases, for instance, the bottom line in those tests was whether cells growing in laborator y cultures lived or died af ter exposure to a nanoparticle. 17 | ISSUE NВ°144 | 25/04/2013 POWER ELECTRONICS APEI and GaN Systems demonstrate high efficiency DC-DC boost converter with ultra-high speed gallium nitride switch The converter demonstrated at APEI, exploited the ultra-high switching capability of GaN SystemsвЂ™ high power switch to achieve a 1 MHz switching capability. A rkansas Power Electronics International (APEI), and GaN Systems announced the test results for a gallium nitride power switch based DC-DC boost converter. The converter demonstrated at APEI, Inc. exploited the ultra-high switching capability of GaN SystemsвЂ™ high power switch to achieve a 1 MHz switching capability. In addition, the boost converter was able to demonstrate over 98.5% ef ficiency at 5 kW output power. Testing demonstrated turn-on and turn-off transitions of only 8.25 ns and 3.72 ns, respectively. The co-development of the gallium nitride power switch and boost conver ter were funded in part by Sustainable Development Te c h n o l o g y C a n a d a w i t h t h e g o a l o f demonstrating the effi ciency, performance and reliability of gallium nitride power devices for hybrid and electric vehicles (HEVs and EVs). Other key applications for gallium nitride power devices include high efficiency power supplies, solar inverters and industrial motor drives. Gallium nitride power switches offer increased s ys te m p e r f o r manc e a dvant age s ove r traditional power semiconductor devices when used in power conversion systems. вЂњWide bandgap semiconductor technology, such as gallium nitride, enables increased power density for modern power electronic systems,вЂќ said Dr. Ty McNutt, Director of Business Development at APEI, вЂњand we are e xc ite d to b e deve loping nove l p owe r packages and high performance systems around these ultra-high speed devices.вЂќ A s new gallium nitride devices become av a i l a b l e a t i n c r e a s i n g p ow e r l e ve l s, demonstration in high-power systems is paramount to customer acceptance. вЂњThe ultra-high switching frequency that gallium nitride enables is one key to reducing the size and weight of power electronic systemsвЂќ, said Girvan Patterson, CEO of GaN Systems, вЂњand these test results demonstrate first-hand the system-level benefits enabled by this exciting technology.вЂќ www.gansystems.com www.apei.net The gallium nitride power switch based DC-DC boost converter. (Courtesy of GaN Systems) ZOOM IXYS introduces the smallest footprint surface mount package for 1.2KV to 1.8KV power semiconductors вЂњThe market demands smaller footprint solutions for 1.2KV to 1.8KV power semiconductors.вЂќ I X YS Corporation, a leader in power semiconductors and IC technologies for energy efficient products used in power conversion and motor control applications, announcedthe D2-Pak (TO-263) and D3-Pak (TO-268) packages with higher вЂ�creepageвЂ™ spacing which enables higher voltage power semiconductors to be used in these Surface Mount Devices (SMD). вЂњThe market demands smaller footprint s o l u t i o n s f o r 1. 2 K V t o 1. 8 K V p o w e r semiconductors. The main reason for this is the higher power demands which are realized by higher voltages instead of higher current. Key inverter applications and markets under Yole DГ©veloppementвЂ™s scrutiny Inverter Technology Trends & Market Expectations Discover the NEW report on i-Micronews.com/reports By using a higher voltage the conduction losses in copper wires are less for power control circuits; therefore, thinner copper conductors or traces on PCB circuits can be used. These SMDs improve energy efficiency, reduce cost, reduce size and reduce weight when used in power electronics,вЂќ commented Mr. Jeroen van Zeeland, head of marketing at IXYS Germany. SMDs are preferred for lower cost alternatives to modules and to other bulkier discrete components in integrated power designs. Until now there was no such solution for applications higher than 1.2KV. The new IXYS D2-Pak and D3-Pak designs now offer the standard footprint, but with compliance to the high voltage вЂ�creepageвЂ™ specifications. For D3-Pak the creepage distance between the terminal to the copper of the backside is greater than or equal to 5.80 mm. The same value for the D2-Pak is greater than or equal to 4.70 mm. This enables the use of 1.2KV D3-Pak in pollution degree 2 industrial designs. In addition to industrial power control applications, these devices target other 1.2KV to 1.8KV power supply, UPS, renewable energy, motor drives and medical applications. The following products are already available: вЂў CMA30E1600PZ (D2-PakHV, single SCR with 30A and 1600V) вЂў DMA10P1600PZ (D2-PakHV; phase-leg for diode bridges with 10A and 1600V) вЂў CMA50E1600TZ (D3-PakHV, single SCR with 50A and 1600V) вЂў DSP45-16TZ (D3-PakHV; phase-leg for diode bridges with 45A and 1600V) вЂў Standard delivery mode for D2-Pak is Tape & Reel and tube for D3-Pak (T& R on request) www.ixys.com ! !!! ! !"# "!""## #"# "#!# "#"" # " !#" # # # !#""#! "#!"#!#"#!!#!#!#!#" # # #! !""#!#!"# "!""#""" !#!"#! !#" "##!#"" ! !! 25/04/2013 | ISSUE NВ°144 | YOLE IN THE PRESS Mainly driven by the Wafer-Level Packaging industry, the glass wafer market is expected to grow from $158M in 2012 to $1.3B by 2018, at a CAGR of ~41% over the next five years вЂњI nitially driven by CMOS Image Sensor and MEMS applications, this growing industry will be supported by relevant end-applications such as LED, memory and logic IC, where glass is on its way to being commercialized. In terms of wafers shipped, a 4x glass wafer growth is expected in the semiconductor industry over the next five years, achieving more than 15M 8вЂќ EQ WSPY by 2018,вЂќ explains Amandine Pizzagalli, Market and Technology Analyst, Equipment & Materials Manufacturing, at Yole DГ©veloppementвЂ¦ To read the complete story, go to I-Micronews.com Sources: SemiconductorPackagingNews вЂ“ GlassGlobal вЂ“ ElectroIQ вЂ“ SlideShare вЂ“ efytimes вЂ“ CircuitNet вЂ“ Electronicspecifier вЂ“ Electronic EETimes вЂ¦ Did you know? TECHNOLOGY & MARKET REPORTS Discover Yole DГ©veloppement two most recent reports. Detailed information about Yole DГ©veloppementвЂ™s technology & market analysis is available on www.i-micronews.com, Reports section. MEMS Gyroscope Patent Investigation вЂњInvestigating the MEMS gyroscope patent situation is essential to understanding the present business climate and anticipating future developments,вЂќ explains Yole DГ©veloppement. Through requests made to Micropatent and several other databases, Yole DГ©veloppement has developed a unique methodology for defining not only the patent landscapeвЂ™s technical segmentation, but also which patents are the most innovative, either for future preparation or for use in current production. By blending its technical knowledge, business acumen and patent search abilities, Yole DГ©veloppement has created the report, MEMS Gyroscope Patent Investigation. This report provides unique analysis and tremendous added value. Key features: вЂў Gyroscope marketвЂ™s status and technological developments - MEMS gyroscope market and 2013 competition - Technology trends for front-end manufacturing, assembly and software вЂў Statistical analysis of existing IP - Patent landscape overview - Top industrial and academic players - Details on geography, inventors, legal status, etc. - Collaborations mapping - Segmentation by patent type (MEMS design/IC/ Software) вЂў Patent ranking and in-depth analysis of 30 key patents selected by Yole DГ©veloppement вЂў Focus on STMicroelectronics, InvenSense and Bosch patent portfolios вЂў Analysis of the link between IP and industry trends Top 10 assignees for MEMS gyro patents (relevant and related included) (Source: MEMS Gyroscope Patent Investigation report, April 2013, Yole DГ©veloppement) Assignee 0 100 200 Number of patent families 300 400 500 447 PANASONIC (JP) SONY (JP) 125 BOSCH (DE) 89 51 ADI (US) 31 WACOH (JP) 57 ST (FR/IT) 32 CEA (FR) 26 9 14 20 HONEYWELL (US) 42 SEIKO EPSON (JP) 37 472 MURATA (JP) 47 9 Relevant 29 Related 1 17 18 Released in April 2013 Glass Substrates for Semiconductor Manufacturing вЂњGlass wafer market will reach more than 15M 8вЂќ EQ WSPY by 2018,вЂќ estimates Yole DГ©veloppement SiC: more devices, more business and more applications SiC has reached the industrialization stage, but itвЂ™s still a small market with only ~$70M in revenue forecasted in 2012 for SiC chips (defense-related apps excluded). However, expectations remain very high: SiC MOSFET is now available at a lower market price thanks to 6В» wafer introduction, and provides faster epitaxy and better yield, among other advantagesвЂ¦ Yole DГ©veloppementвЂ™s webcast dedicated to the SiC industry is still available on w w w. i - m i c r o n e w s . c o m , A r c h i v e d Webcast section. Feel free to register to view it. This analysis provides a glass substrate wafer forecast for the next five years and predicts future application trends. In addition to key insights into future glass technology trends & challenges, the report delivers an overview of glassвЂ™s functionalities and the end-applications that use glass. вЂњInitially driven by CMOS Image Sensor and MEMS applications, this growing industry will be supported by relevant end-applications such as LED, memory and logic IC, where glass is on its way to being commercialized.В» explains Amandine Pizzagalli, Market and Technology Analyst, Equipment & Materials Manufacturing, at Yole DГ©veloppement. 2012 overall glass substrate market: breakdown by glass material supplier Figures available in the report Key features: вЂў Key technical insight into glass substrateвЂ™s future technology trends & challenges вЂў Supply chain analysis of key end applications using glass вЂў Glass substrate market metrics (wspy and value) - Breakdown by end-application: Forecast 2012 -2018 for MEMS, CMOS Image Sensors, LED, Memory, Logic IC, RF/Analog ICs, Power, Ојbatteries, Optoelectronic component, Ојfluidic - Breakdown by Wafer-Level Packaging & Ојstructuring platforms: Forecast 2012-2018 for Support Substrate, WLCapping, 3D TGV/2.5D Interposer, Carriers, Microstructuring - Breakdown by wafer size Released in April 2013 %&%&% "$ %"$ #$" $" International Exhibition and Conference for Power Electronics, Intelligent Motion, Renewable Energy and Energy Management Nuremberg, 14 вЂ“ 16 May 2013 Powerful? вЂ¦then you are right here! #&&! $ &!&# &!!&# %%&%% The marketplace for developers and innovators. Future starts here! 18 More information at +49 711 61946-0 pcim@mesago.com or pcim-europe.com