Propelled by 51% share of IDM sales and 65% share of fabless sales, U.S. companies captured 55% of the total worldwide IC market in 2019.
North American Semiconductor Equipment Industry Posts February 2020 Billings
North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $2.37 billion in billings worldwide in February 2020 (three-month average basis), according to the February Equipment Market Data Subscription (EMDS) Billings Report published today by SEMI. The billings figure is 1.2 percent higher than the final January 2020 level of $2.34 billion, and is 26.2 percent higher than the February 2019 billings level of $1.88 billion.
COVID-19 To Have Significant Effect on Worldwide Semiconductor Market in 2020, According to IDC
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is affecting China and is spreading within East Asia and into Europe and North America. In addition to the human cost of life, the impact of the spread of the virus on the global economy is only beginning to be appreciated and has deep implications for the world’s technology supply chain. A new International Data Corporation (IDC) report, Impact of COVID-19 on the Worldwide Semiconductor Market Forecast (IDC #US46115520), provides IDC’s view on the impact the COVID-19 virus will have on the semiconductor market.
A Nanoscale Laser Made of Gold and Zinc Oxide
Tiny particles composed of metals and semiconductors could serve as light sources in components of future optical computers, as they are able to precisely localize and extremely amplify incident laser light. A team from Germany and Sweden led by Prof. Dr. Christoph Lienau and Dr. Jin-Hui Zhong from the University of Oldenburg has now explained for the first time how this process works. The study is published in the current issue of the journal Nature Communications.
Putting Artificial Intelligence to Work in the Lab
An Australian-German collaboration has demonstrated fully-autonomous SPM operation, applying artificial intelligence and deep learning to remove the need for constant human supervision. The new system, dubbed DeepSPM, bridges the gap between nanoscience, automation and artificial intelligence (AI), and firmly establishes the use of machine learning for experimental scientific research.
IAR Systems Extends Capabilities for Safety-Critical Applications Based on Renesas RX MCUs
Latest version of the functional safety edition of IAR Embedded Workbench for Renesas RX includes new features and updated device support, enabling companies to maximize efficiency and future-proof their industrial applications.
ACM Research Launches Stress-Free Polishing Tool for Advanced Packaging Applications; Delivers First Tool to Leading Chinese OSAT
ACM Research, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACMR), a leading supplier of wafer processing solutions for semiconductor and advanced wafer-level packaging applications, today introduced the Ultra SFP ap tool for advanced packaging solutions. The Ultra SFP ap is designed to address yield issues arising from through-silicon via (TSV) processes and fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP), such as copper overburden post-TSV fill and wafer warpage issues that plague FOWLP processes.
“Black Swan” Event Triggers Revision to 2020 IC Market Forecast
The recent surge of the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) and its anticipated negative impact on the global economy and IC market definitely fits the definition of a Black Swan event.
Fish Scales Could Make Wearable Electronics More Sustainable
Flexible temporary electronic displays may one day make it possible to sport a glowing tattoo or check a reading, like that of a stopwatch, directly on the skin. In its current form, however, this technology generally depends on plastic. New research in ACS Nano describes a way to make these displays, which would likely be discarded after a single use, more environmentally friendly using a plentiful and biodegradable resource: fish scales.
Power Integrations’ SCALE-iDriver for SiC MOSFETs Achieves AEC-Q100 Automotive Qualification
Power Integrations (Nasdaq: POWI), the leader in gate-driver technology for medium- and high-voltage inverter applications, today announced that its SIC118xKQ SCALE-iDriver™, a high-efficiency, single-channel gate driver for silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, is now certified to AEC-Q100 for automotive use. Devices can be configured to support gate-drive voltage requirements of commonly used SiC MOSFETs and feature sophisticated safety and protection features.
