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New S&P Analysis: Stressed semiconductor industry needs water, gets liberal sprinkling of state support

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By Christopher Rogers, senior researcher, Panjiva, part of S&P Global

The global semiconductor industry is in the midst of a period of upheaval driven by both short- and long-term factors.

The most obvious has been the imbalance in supply versus demand shown by shortages in the automotive industry, as discussed in Panjiva’s research of May 18, resulting in higher prices.

There are also emergent challenges from water shortages in Taiwan – which accounted for 14.4 percent of global exports in 2019 – that are causing power shortages and potential semiconductor fabrication facility closures, according to Nikkei Asia. [Read more…] about New S&P Analysis: Stressed semiconductor industry needs water, gets liberal sprinkling of state support

Ambarella, Lumentum and ON Semiconductor collaborate on AI processing based 3D sensing for next-gen AIoT devices

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Ambarella, an AI vision silicon company, Lumentum, a designer and manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products, and ON Semiconductor, a provider of CMOS image sensor solutions, have partnered to produce two new joint reference designs that they say will “accelerate artificial intelligence of things device deployment across verticals”.

The designs build on the companies’ previous joint solution for contactless access systems.

By combining the data from Lumentum’s high-performance VCSEL array illuminators and an ON Semiconductor image sensor using Ambarella’s AI SoC, higher levels of accuracy and more intelligent decision-making can be achieved in next-generation AIoT devices for biometric access control, 3D electronic locks and other intelligent sensing applications. [Read more…] about Ambarella, Lumentum and ON Semiconductor collaborate on AI processing based 3D sensing for next-gen AIoT devices

Semiconductor Industry Association to discuss global chip shortage with US government

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The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) is to meet with officials in the administration of newly elected president of the United States, Joe Biden, to discuss the ongoing global shortage in chips, which is affecting many areas of manufacturing and the wider economy.

The SIA released a statement from its president and CEO, John Neuffer, welcoming the upcoming meeting at the White House between Biden Administration officials and leaders from the semiconductor industry and other sectors to discuss the global chip shortage, President Biden’s infrastructure plan, and other issues related to the semiconductor supply chain.

In the statement, Neuffer says: “We welcome this high-level engagement between the White House and industry leaders and see it as an important opportunity for a discussion on the need to fund investments in domestic semiconductor manufacturing and research to help ensure the long-term strength and resilience of America’s semiconductor supply chain.” [Read more…] about Semiconductor Industry Association to discuss global chip shortage with US government

Bosch produces its first semiconductor wafers through ‘fully automated’ fabrication process

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Bosch says it has produced the first semiconductor wafers through its “fully automated” fabrication process at its facility in Dresden, Germany.

The industrial giant describes it as “a milestone on the path to the chip factory of the future”.

Bosch says this is a key step toward the start of production operations at the factory, which is scheduled for late 2021. [Read more…] about Bosch produces its first semiconductor wafers through ‘fully automated’ fabrication process

SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit to Spotlight Digital Transformation, Microelectronics Industry Innovation and Growth

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Global industry executives from all seven SEMI regions will gather online for the inaugural SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit, February 15-19, 2021, for keynotes on the power of technology to unite the world and insights on how the microelectronics industry can shape the digital future.

The virtual event will connect industry leaders and stakeholders across the entire electronics design and manufacturing value chain for the latest developments, trends and innovations in key areas of industry growth including smart mobility, smart medtech, and MEMS and sensors. Registration is open.

Semiconductors are revolutionizing the way people work and live by driving innovation across smart technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), 5G and quantum computing and industries such as transportation and healthcare. [Read more…] about SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit to Spotlight Digital Transformation, Microelectronics Industry Innovation and Growth

SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit announced

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Global industry executives from all seven SEMI regions will gather online for the inaugural SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit, February 15-19, 2021, for keynotes on the power of technology to unite the world and insights on how the microelectronics industry can shape the digital future.

The virtual event will connect industry leaders and stakeholders across the entire electronics design and manufacturing value chain for the latest developments, trends and innovations in key areas of industry growth including smart mobility, smart medtech, and MEMS and sensors. Registration is open. [Read more…] about SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit announced

New Chinese chipmaker’s progress could ease pain of US restrictions

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The progress made by a relatively new Chinese chipmaker, called ChangXin Memory Technologies, could help ease the pain caused by increasingly wide-ranging US restrictions against China’s tech companies.

US President Donald Trump has already effectively banned Huawei from doing business in the country, which has led to American companies to shun the Chinese telecommunications and smartphones giant. And in the latest move, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration has introduced new rules prohibiting non-US companies from selling any chips made using American technology to Huawei “without a special license”.

Huawei has found it difficult to source chips and other components for its equipment, for which, in turn, the company has found fewer buyers. [Read more…] about New Chinese chipmaker’s progress could ease pain of US restrictions

China’s biggest chipmaker to double investment in capital goods to $7 billion

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China’s largest chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International is to double its investment in capital goods to $6.7 billion, according to a report on the Nikkei Asian Review website. 

The company is somewhat flush with cash as a result of net profit skyrocketing by 644 percent in the second quarter. Part of the increase is due to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei stockpiling chips.

Huawei is trying to prepare for any potential shortage in its supply chain caused by the ban imposed on its activities in the US and Europe. [Read more…] about China’s biggest chipmaker to double investment in capital goods to $7 billion

Spending on chip manufacturing equipment to reach record high of $70 billion in 2021

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Global sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment by original equipment manufacturers are projected to increase six percent to $63.2 billion in 2020, compared to $59.6 billion in 2019, before logging record high revenue of $70 billion in 2021 on the strength of double-digit growth, according to industry association SEMI.

The group revealed the figures is its Mid-Year Total Semiconductor Equipment Forecast – OEM Perspective at the annual SEMICON West exposition.

Growth across a number of semiconductor segments is expected to power the expansion. The wafer fab equipment segment – which includes wafer processing, fab facilities, and mask/reticle equipment – is expected to rise five percent in 2020 followed by 13 percent growth in 2021 driven by a memory spending recovery and investments in leading-edge and China. [Read more…] about Spending on chip manufacturing equipment to reach record high of $70 billion in 2021

Canon launches new semiconductor lithography system

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Canon has launched the FPA-8000iW, which it describes as the first Canon semiconductor lithography system to support manufacturing using large panels that are common in back-end processing.

Integrating a proprietary projection optical system, the FPA-8000iW i-line stepper offers a wide exposure field and fine 1 µm† pattern resolution.

The FPA-8000iW was designed to meet the needs of manufacturers aiming for high production efficiency through the use of 515 x 510 mm organic panel substrates for Panel Level Packaging (PLP) applications. [Read more…] about Canon launches new semiconductor lithography system