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At this year’s APEC in Long Beach, California, Wolfspeed CEO Gregg Lowe’s speech was a major highlight of the conference program. Lowe, the chief of the only vertically integrated silicon carbide (SiC) company and cheerleader of this power electronics technology, didn’t disappoint.

In his plenary presentation, “The Drive for Silicon Carbide – A Look Back and the Road Ahead – APEC 2024,” he called SiC a market hitting the major inflection point. “It’s a story of four decades of American ingenuity at work, and it’s safe to say that the transition from silicon to SiC is unstoppable.”

Figure 1 Lowe: The future of this amazing technology is only beginning to dawn on the world at large, and within the next decade or so, we will look around and wonder how we lived, traveled, and worked without it. Source: APEC

Lowe told the APEC 2024 attendees that the demand for SiC is exploding, and so is the number of applications using this wide bandgap (WBG) technology. “Technology transitions like this create moments and memories that last a lifetime, and that’s where we are with SiC right now.”

Interestingly, just before Lowe’s presentation, Balu Balakrishnan, chairman and CEO of Power Integrations, raised questions about the viability of SiC technology during his presentation titled “Innovating for Sustainability and Profitability”.

Balakrishnan’s counterviews

While telling the Power Integrations’ gallium nitride (GaN) story, Balakrishnan narrated how his company started heavily investing in SiC 15 years ago and spent $65 million to develop this WBG technology. “One day, sitting in my office, while doing the math, I realized this isn’t going to work for us because of the amount of energy it takes to manufacture SiC and that the cost of SiC is so much more than silicon,” he said.

“This technology will never be as cost-effective as silicon despite its better performance because it’s such a high-temperature material, which takes a humongous amount of energy,” Balakrishnan added. “It requires expensive equipment because you manufacture SiC at very high temperatures.”

The next day, Power Integrations cancelled its SiC program and wrote off $65 million. “We decided to discontinue not because of technology, but because we believe it’s not sustainable and it’s not going to be cost-effective.” he said. “That day, we switched over to GaN and doubled down on it because it’s low-temperature, operates at temperatures similar to silicon, and mostly uses same equipment as silicon.”

Figure 2 Balakrishnan: GaN will eventually be less expensive than silicon for high-voltage switches. Source: APEC

So, why does Power Integrations still have SiC product offerings? Balakrishnan acknowledged that SiC can go to higher voltages and power levels and is a more mature technology than GaN because it started earlier.

“There are certain applications where SiC is very attractive today, but I’ll dare to say that GaN will get there sometimes in the future,” he added. “Fundamentally, there isn’t anything wrong with taking GaN to higher voltages and power levels.” He mentioned a 1,200 GaN device Power Integrations recently announced and claimed that his company plans to announce another GaN device with even a higher voltage very soon.

Balakrishnan recognized that there are problems to be solved. “But these challenges require R&D efforts rather than a technology breakthrough,” he said. “We believe that GaN will get to the point where it’ll be very competitive with SiC while being far less expensive to build.”

Lowe’s defense

In his speech, Lowe also recognized the SiC-related cost and manufacturability issues, calling them near-term turbulence. However, he was optimistic that undersupply vs demand issues encompassing crystal boules, substrate capability, wafering, and epi will be resolved by the end of this decade.

“We will continue to realise better economic value with SiC by moving from 150-mm to 200-mm wafers, which increases the area by 1.7x and decreases the cost by about 40%,” he said. His hopes for resolving cost and manufacturability issues also seemed to lie in a huge investment in SiC technology and the automotive industry as a major catalyst.

For a reality check on these counterviews about the viability of SiC, a company dealing with both SiC and GaN businesses could offer a balanced perspective. Hence, Navitas’ booth at APEC 2024, where the company’s VP of corporate marketing, Stephen Oliver, explained the evolution of SiC wafer costs.

He said a 6-inch SiC wafer from Cree cost nearly $3,000 in 2018. Fast forward to 2024, a 7-inch wafer from Wolfspeed (renamed from Cree) costs about $850. Moving forward, Oliver envisions that the cost could come down to $400 by 2028 while being built on 12-inch to 15-inch SiC wafers.

Navitas, a pioneer in the GaN space, acquired startup GeneSiC in 2022 to cater to both WBG technologies. At the show, in addition to Gen-4 GaNSense Half-Bridge ICs and GaNSafe, which incorporates circuit protection functionality, Navitas also displayed Gen-3 Fast SiC power FETs.

In the final analysis, Oliver’s viewpoint about SiC tilted toward Lowe’s pragmatism in SiC’s shift from 150-mm to 200-mm wafers. The recent technology history is a testament to how economy of scale has been able to manage cost and manufacturability issues, and that’s what the SiC camp is counting on.

A huge investment in SiC device innovation and the backing of the automotive industry should also be helpful along the way.

Related Content

• Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology overview
• GaN’s applications roadmap spotted at CES 2023
• The diverging worlds of SiC and GaN semiconductors
• SiC and resurgence of semiconductor vertical integration
• The GaN semiconductor design view from upcoming APEC show

The post Silicon carbide (SiC) counterviews at APEC 2024 appeared first on EDN.

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Epitaxial deposition and process equipment maker Veeco Instruments Inc of Plainview, NY, USA has released its fifth Sustainability Report highlighting its progress towards environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. Reflecting 2023 data, this Sustainability Report demonstrates continued progress and commitment to executing a robust sustainability strategy, says the firm...

Riber S.A. of Bezons, France — which makes molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems as well as evaporation sources — has received an order from a US customer for a Compact 21 research MBE system, for delivery in 2024, to be used for the development of III-V semiconductor materials and devices for microelectronics and photonics...

MACOM Technology Solutions Inc of Lowell, MA, USA (which designs and makes RF, microwave, analog and mixed-signal and optical semiconductor technologies) has received two awards at US-based aerospace & defense technology company Northrop Grumman Corp’s Supplier Excellence Awards...

General purpose input-output (GPIO) pins are the simplest peripherals.

The link to an object under control (OUC) may become inadvertently unreliable due to many reasons: a loss of contact, short circuit, temperature stress or a vapor condensate on the components. Sometimes a better link can be established with the popular bridge chip by simply exploring the possibilities provided by the chip itself.

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

The bridge, such as NXP’s SC18IM700, usually provides a certain amount of GPIOs, which are handy to implement a test. These GPIOs preserve all their functionality and can be used as usual after the test.

To make the test possible, the chip must have more than one GPIO. This way, they can be paired, bringing the opportunity for the members of the pair to poll each other.

Since the activity of the GPIO during test may harm the regular functions of the OUC, one of the GPIO pins can be chosen to temporary prohibit these functions. Very often, when this object is quite inertial, this prohibition may be omitted.

Figure 1 shows how the idea can be implemented in the case of the SC18IM700 UART-I2C bridge.

Figure 1: Self-testing GPIO using the SC18IM70pytho0 UART-I2C bridge.

The values of resistors R1…R4 must be large enough not to lead to an unacceptably large current; on the other hand, they should provide sufficient voltage for the logic “1” on the input. The values shown on Figure 1 are good for the most applications but may need to be adjusted.

Some difficulties may arise only with a quasi-bidirectional output configuration, since in this configuration it is weakly driven when the port outputs a logic HIGH. The problem may occur when the resistance of the corresponding OUC input is too low.

If the data rate of the UART output is too high for a proper charging of the OUC-related capacitance during the test, it can be decreased or, the corresponding values of the resistors can be lessened.

The sketch of the Python subroutine follows:

PortConf1=0x02 PortConf2=0x03 def selfTest(): data=0b10011001 bridge.writeRegister(PortConf1, data) #PortConfig1 data=0b10100101 bridge.writeRegister(PortConf2, data) #PortConfig2 #--- write 1 cc=0b11001100 bridge.writeGPIO(cc) aa=bridge.readGPIO() # 0b11111111 if aa != 0b11111111 : return False # check #---- write 0 cc=0b00000000 bridge.writeGPIO(cc) aa=bridge.readGPIO() if aa != 0b00000000 : return False # check # partners swap data=0b01100110 bridge.writeRegister(PortConf1, data) #PortConfig1 data=0b01011010 bridge.writeRegister(PortConf2, data) #PortConfig2 #---write 1 cc=0b00110011 bridge.writeGPIO(cc) aa=bridge.readGPIO() if aa != 0b11111111 : return False # check #---- write 0 cc=0b00000000 bridge.writeGPIO(cc) aa=bridge.readGPIO() if aa != 0b00000000 : return False # check # check quasy-bidirect data=0b01000100 bridge.writeRegister(PortConf1, data) #PortConfig1 data=0b01010000 bridge.writeRegister(PortConf2, data) #PortConfig2 #---write 1 cc=0b00110011 bridge.writeGPIO(cc) aa=bridge.readGPIO() if aa != 0b11111111 : return False # check #---- write 0 cc=0b00000000 bridge.writeGPIO(cc) aa=bridge.readGPIO() if aa != 0b00000000 : return False # check return True

—Peter Demchenko studied math at the University of Vilnius and has worked in software development.

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The post A self-testing GPIO appeared first on EDN.

20 independent sine waves up to 400 MHz can be controlled on one generator channel

Spectrum Instrumentation has released a new firmware option for its range of versatile 16-bit Arbitrary Waveform Generators (AWGs) with sampling rates up to 1.25 GS/s and bandwidths up to 400 MHz. The new option allows users to define 23 DDS cores per AWG-card, that can be routed to the hardware output channels. Each DDS core (sine wave) can be programmed for frequency, amplitude, phase, frequency slope and amplitude slope. This enables, for example, the control of lasers through AODs and AOMs, as often used in quantum experiments, with just a few simple commands – instead of making large data array calculations. The DDS output can be synchronized with external trigger events or by a programmable timer with resolution of 6.4 ns.

DDS – Direct Digital Synthesis – is a method for generating arbitrary periodic sine waves from a single, fixed-frequency reference clock. It is a technique widely used in a variety of signal generation applications. The DDS functionality implemented on Spectrum Instrumentation’s AWGs is based on the principle of adding multiple ‘DDS cores’ to generate a multi-carrier (multi-tone) signal with each carrier having its own well-defined frequency, amplitude and phase.

Advantages of using DDS for arbitrary waveform generators

With the ability to switch between the normal AWG mode (which generates waveforms out of pre-programmed data) and the DDS mode (which needs only a few commands to generate sine wave carriers), the Spectrum AWGs are highly versatile and can be adapted to almost any application. In DDS-mode, the AWG acts as a base for the multi-tone DDS. The units built-in 4 GByte of memory and fast DMA transfer mode then allows the streaming of DDS commands at a rate as high as 10 million commands per second! This unique capability provides the flexibility to perform user-defined slopes (e.g. s-shaped) as well as various modulation types (e.g. FM and AM) with simple, easy-to-use, DDS commands.

DDS in Quantum Experiments In DDS-mode, only a few commands are needed to e.g. generate a sine wave (orange block), accelerate the frequency (blue block) and lower the amplitude (green block).

For years now, Spectrum AWGs have been successfully used worldwide in pioneering quantum research experiments. Since 2021, Spectrum Instrumentation has been part of the BMBF (German federal ministry of education and research) funding program ‘quantum technologies – from basic research to market’ as part of the Rymax One consortium. The aim of this consortium is building a Quantum Optimizer. The development of the DDS option was based on feedback from the consortium partners and other research institutes worldwide.

The flexibility and fast streaming-mode of Spectrum’s AWGs, which also enables data to be streamed straight from a GPU, allows the control of Qubits directly from a PC. While using an AWG in this way offers full control of the generated waveforms, the drawback is that huge amounts of data need to be calculated. This slows the critical decision-making loop. In contrast, using the versatile multi-tone DDS functionality greatly reduces the amount of data that must be transferred, while still keeping full control. All the key functionality required for quantum research is built in. With just a single command users can apply intrinsic dynamic linear slope functions to produce extremely smooth changes to frequency and amplitude.

DDS controls waveforms in Test, Measurement and Communications

In many kinds of testing systems, it is important to produce and readily control accurate waveforms. The DDS option provides an easy and programmable way for users to produce trains of waveforms, frequency sweeps or finely tuneable references of various frequencies and profiles. Applications that require the fast frequency switching and fine frequency tuning that DDS offers are widespread. They can be found in industrial, medical, and imaging systems, network analysis or even communication technology, where data is encoded using phase and frequency modulation on a carrier.

Availability of DDS option 23 different AWGs are able to use the new DDS firmware option. They offer 16-bit resolution, up to 1.25 GS/s speed and up to 32 channels.

The DDS option is available now for the full range of M4i.66xx PCIe cards, M4x.66xx PXIe modules, portable LXI/Ethernet DN2.66x units and multi-channel desktop LXI/Ethernet DN6.66xx products. By simply performing a firmware update, all previously purchased 66xx series products can be equipped with the new firmware option. Programming can be done using the existing driver SDKs that are included in the delivery. Examples are available for Python, C++, MATLAB, LabVIEW and many more. The option is available now.

About Spectrum Instrumentation

Spectrum Instrumentation, founded in 1989, uses a unique modular concept to design and produce a wide range of more than 200 digitizers and generator products as PC-cards (PCIe and PXIe) and stand-alone Ethernet units (LXI). In over 30 years, Spectrum has gained customers all around the world, including many A-brand industry-leaders and practically all prestigious universities. The company is headquartered near Hamburg, Germany, known for its 5-year warranty and outstanding support that comes directly from the design engineers. More information about Spectrum can be found at www.spectrum-instrumentation.com

The post DDS Option for high-speed AWGs generates up to 20 sine waves appeared first on ELE Times.

Keynote speakers at the SEMI MEMS and Sensors Technical Congress (MSTC 2024) will highlight smart home and smart garment innovations driven by artificial intelligence (AI) as industry visionaries and experts gather May 1-2 at Covel Commons at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to discuss the latest MEMS and sensors trends and innovations. Registration is open.

Themed Sensorizing Our World: Technology Driving Global Solutions, MSTC 2024 will feature keynotes and technical sessions on critical MEMS and sensors topics. Highlights also include posters showcasing novel applications from the next generation of innovators and networking opportunities for participants to help grow their businesses.

Sponsored by the SEMI MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG), MSTC 2024 will offer a deep dive into how to bring sensor products to market, from design through fabrication and testing and packaging to end-use applications. Industry experts will explore the software and systems needed to expand both legacy and emerging MEMS and sensors to open new markets and business opportunities.

MSTC 2024 Keynote Speakers

MSTC 2024 Technical Sessions

MSTC 2024 will also showcase MEMS and sensors applications in the following areas:

• AI-driven Sensor Systems
• MEMS Emerging Technology & Devices
• New Frontiers in MEMS & Sensors Fabrication
• Revolutionary Sensors for Biomedical Applications
• Smart Environmental Sensors
• Positioning, Navigation & Timing

More MSTC 2024 Session Highlights

• Market and Technology Trends and Forecast
• Automotive Sensor Tech Showdown
• UCLA lab tours
• Networking reception showcasing technology application posters created by students from UCLA

The post MSTC 2024 to Spotlight Latest MEMS and Sensors Advances Driven by Artificial Intelligence appeared first on ELE Times.

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Global 300mm fab equipment spending for front-end facilities is forecast to reach a record US$137 billion in 2027 after topping US$100 billion for the first time by 2025 on the strength of the memory market recovery and strong demand for high-performance computing and automotive applications, SEMI highlighted today in its quarterly 300mm Fab Outlook Report to 2027 report.

Worldwide 300mm fab equipment investment is expected to increase 20% to US$116.5 billion in 2025 and 12% to US$130.5 billion in 2026 before hitting a record high in 2027.

“Projections for the steepening ramp of 300mm fab equipment spending in the coming years reflects the production capacity needed to meet growing demand for electronics across a diverse range of markets as well as a new wave of applications spawned by artificial intelligence (AI) innovation,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI President and CEO. “The newest SEMI report also highlights the critical importance of increases in government investments in semiconductor manufacturing to bolster economies and security worldwide. This trend is expected to help significantly narrow the equipment spending gap between re-emerging and emerging regions and the historical top-spending regions in Asia.”

Regional Growth

The SEMI 300mm Fab Outlook to 2027 report shows China continuing to lead fab equipment spending with US$30 billion in investments in each of the next four years fueled by government incentives and domestic self-sufficiency policies.

Supported by leading-edge nodes expansion for high-performance computing (HPC) and the memory market recovery, Taiwanese and Korean chip suppliers are increasing their equipment investments. Taiwan is expected to rank second in equipment spending at US$28 billion in 2027, up from US$20.3 billion in 2024, while Korea is expected to rank third at US$26.3 billion in 2027, an increase from US$19.5 billion this year.

The Americas is projected to double 300mm fab equipment investments from US$12 billion in 2024 to US$24.7 billion in 2027, while spending in Japan, Europe & the Middle East, and Southeast Asia are expected to reach US$11.4 billion, US$11.2 billion, and US$5.3 billion in 2027, respectively.

Segment Growth

Foundry segment spending is expected to decline 4% to US$56.6 billion this year due in part to the expected slowdown in mature nodes (>10nm) investment, though the segment continues to log the highest growth among all segments to meet market demand for generative AI, automotive and intelligent edge devices. The segment’s equipment spending is forecast to post a 7.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to US$79.1 billion from 2023 to 2027.

Demand for greater data throughput, crucial for AI servers, is driving strong demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and spurring increased investment in memory technology. Among all segments, memory is ranked second and is expected to post US$79.1 billion in equipment investments in 2027, a 20% CAGR from 2023. DRAM equipment spending is expected to rise to US$25.2 billion in 2027, a 17.4% CAGR, while 3D NAND investment is projected to reach US$16.8 billion in 2027, a 29% CAGR.

The Analog, Micro, Opto, and Discrete segments are projected to increase 300mm fab equipment investments to US$5.5 billion, US$4.3 billion, US$2.3 billion, and US$1.6 billion in 2027, respectively.

The SEMI 300mm Fab Outlook Report to 2027 report lists 405 facilities and lines globally, including 75 high-probability facilities expected to start operation during the four years beginning in 2024. The report reflects 358 updates and 26 new fabs/lines project since its last publication in December 2023.

For more information on the report or to subscribe to SEMI market data, visit SEMI Market Data or contact the SEMI Market Intelligence Team (MIT) at mktstats@semi.org.

The post 300mm Fab Equipment Spending Forecast to Reach Record $137 Billion in 2027, SEMI Reports appeared first on ELE Times.

Infineon Technologies AG has successfully completed its Share Buyback Program 2024, announced on 26 February 2024 in accordance with Article 5(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 and Article 2(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2016/1052. As part of the Share Buyback Program 2024, a total of 7,000,000 shares (ISIN DE0006231004) were acquired. The total purchase price of the repurchased shares was € 232,872,668. The average purchase price paid per share was € 33.27.

Alexander Foltin, Head of Finance, Treasury and Investor Relations of Infineon

The buyback was carried out on behalf of Infineon by an independent credit institution via Xetra trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, serving the sole purpose of allocating shares to employees of the company or affiliated companies, members of the Management Board of the company as well as members of the management board and the board of directors of affiliated companies as part of the existing employee participation programs.

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Are you ready to showcase your design talent and celebrate a remarkable milestone with PCBWay? We’re excited to announce the PCBWay 10th Badge Design Contest, inviting designers, makers, and dreamers like you to join us in commemorating our journey of innovation over the past 10 years and looking ahead to the future.

Introduction of PCBWay:

At PCBWay, we’re not just a company; we’re a community of innovators, dreamers, and makers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of technology and bringing ideas to life. Since our inception, we have been a driving force in the electronics industry, providing cutting-edge solutions and unparalleled service to our customers worldwide.

With a decade of experience under our belt, we have earned a reputation for excellence, reliability, and innovation. From PCB manufacturing to assembly, prototyping, and beyond, we offer a comprehensive suite of services tailored to meet the diverse needs of our clients.

Celebrating 10 Years of PCBWay:

Since our inception, PCBWay has been at the forefront of innovation, revolutionizing the electronics industry with our cutting-edge solutions and unwavering commitment to excellence. As we mark our 10th anniversary, we want to celebrate this incredible journey with you, our valued community members, who have been instrumental in our success.

PCBWay Capabilities:

1. Expert PCB Design:

With years of experience, our team excels in PCB design, handling projects of varying complexity with precision.

1. Comprehensive Solutions:

From initial 3D designs to hardware and software development, we offer end-to-end solutions for seamless integration and optimal performance.

1. Swift Turnaround:

Our powerful design capabilities ensure quick completion of PCB layouts, meeting tight deadlines without compromising quality.

1. Advanced Manufacturing:

We provide a range of manufacturing services including 3D printing, CNC machining, PCB fabrication, and assembly. Utilizing cutting-edge equipment and techniques, we deliver high-quality results for prototypes and mass production.

Explore PCBWay’s capabilities and milestones showcased on our Projects page. From innovative designs to remarkable achievements, witness our journey of excellence in the electronics industry. Discover how we’ve transformed ideas into reality and empowered creators worldwide. Join us in celebrating our achievements and exploring the endless possibilities at PCBWay Projects.

The Theme: A Decade of Innovation with PCBWay:

The theme of our contest encapsulates the essence of our journey: “A Decade of Innovation with PCBWay.” We invite you to unleash your creativity and design a badge that pays homage to the milestones we’ve achieved over the past decade while envisioning the limitless possibilities that lie ahead.

Design Requirements:

Your badge design must incorporate two key elements: the “PCBWay” logo and the number “10.” Feel free to explore various techniques, including PCB, PCB+SMT/THT, and PCB+3D printing, to create something that is not only visually captivating but also functional and innovative.

To access the PCBWay logo vector, simply click here.

How to Submit Your Design:

Submitting your design is easy! You can send it to us via email at sponsor@pcbway.com. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #PCBWay10BadgeContest when sharing your designs on social media to ensure maximum visibility.

Exciting Prizes Await:

We believe in rewarding creativity and innovation. That’s why the winner of our contest will receive a generous cash prize of $1,000! Additionally, two runner-ups will each receive a $200 PCBWay coupon.

But that’s not all! Selected designs that meet our requirements will be featured on our official channels and may even become the official badge for PCBWay’s 10th anniversary. Plus, we’ll provide a free prototyping service for these badges along with a $50 PCBWay coupon.

Important Dates to Remember:

Contest Opens: March 12, 2024

Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024

Winner Announcement: June 15, 2024

Join Us in Celebrating a Decade of Innovation:

This contest is more than just an opportunity to win prizes; it’s a chance to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve embarked on together over the past 10 years and to dream about the future possibilities with PCBWay.

So what are you waiting for? Dust off your design tools, unleash your creativity, and join us in celebrating a decade of innovation with PCBWay. We can’t wait to see the innovative and creative badges you design!

At PCBWay, we’re not just celebrating our 10th anniversary; we’re celebrating a decade of innovation, collaboration, and endless possibilities. Join us as we continue to shape the future of electronics and inspire the next generation of creators.

For design inspiration, visit PCBWay community: https://www.pcbway.com/project/

Join us TODAY and be a part of this momentous celebration.

The post Celebrate a Decade of Innovation with PCBWay: Join Our 10th Badge Design Contest! appeared first on Electronics Lovers ~ Technology We Love.

PCBWay stands as a prominent figure in the realm of printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing and assembly services, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of clients worldwide. With a reputation built on quality, reliability, and innovation, PCBWay prides itself on delivering cutting-edge PCB solutions that exceed industry standards. From rapid prototyping to full-scale production runs, PCBWay caters to a wide spectrum of requirements, including rigid, flexible, and rigid-flex PCBs, as well as advanced PCB assembly services. With a commitment to excellence and a customer-centric approach, PCBWay remains at the forefront of PCB technology, empowering businesses and individuals alike to bring their ideas to life with precision and efficiency.

PCBWay has recently introduced several upgrades to their flexible PCB offerings. These enhancements encompass new parameters and special processes, enriching the versatility and customization options available to customers. Let’s delve into each of these new features to understand their significance in the realm of flexible PCB fabrication.

New Parameters:

Expanded Layer Support:

PCBWay now supports flexible PCBs with up to 16 layers, providing customers with increased design flexibility and complexity.

High-Frequency Polyimide Option:

The addition of “High Frequency (DKs3.6)” for polyimide base material enables the fabrication of flexible PCBs optimized for high-frequency applications, such as wireless communication systems.

Transparent/Translucent PET Option:

Introducing “Transparent/Translucent” as an option for PET (polyethylene terephthalate) in the polyimide base material column offers aesthetically pleasing and visually appealing flexible PCB solutions.

Variable FPC Thickness:

Customers can now select from a range of thickness options for one-layer (0.025/0.05mm) and two-layer (0.08mm) flexible PCBs, catering to diverse application requirements.

Versatile Stiffener Choices:

The inclusion of “TOP Black FR4/BOT Black FR4” stiffeners, along with various thickness options (0.2mm/0.4mm/0.5mm/0.6mm/0.8mm/1.0mm/1.2mm/1.5mm), facilitates enhanced mechanical support and rigidity for flexible PCB designs.

Conductive Double-Sided Tape Options:

With the introduction of new drop-down options such as “HT-A1134/HDF-600/without,” customers can select the most suitable conductive double-sided tape for their specific application needs, ensuring reliable adhesion and electrical connectivity.

Increased Order Quantity Limit:

The updated order quantity limit of 3000 for flexible PCBs allows for larger production runs, enabling scalability and cost-effectiveness for mass production projects.

New Special Processes:

Stiffener Between Top and Bottom Edge Connector: This special process enhances the structural integrity and durability of flexible PCBs, particularly in applications where edge connectors are subjected to mechanical stress or handling.

• Single-Side Double Access: Offering access from both sides of the flexible PCB on a single layer provides greater flexibility in routing and connecting components, optimizing layout efficiency and minimizing space constraints.
• Peelable Soldermask: Peelable soldermask allows for easy removal or rework of solder mask material, enabling modifications or repairs to be carried out with precision and ease.
• Via Filled with Copper: Filling vias with copper enhances conductivity and thermal dissipation, improving the overall performance and reliability of flexible PCBs, especially in high-current or high-frequency applications.
• Edge Plating: Edge plating reinforces the edges of flexible PCBs with additional copper layers, enhancing structural integrity, EMI shielding, and solder joint reliability.
• Half-Cut: The half-cut process involves partially cutting through the flexible PCB substrate, allowing for precise bending or folding of the board without compromising electrical connectivity or mechanical strength.

The stack-up of FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit)

The stack-up of FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) with an air gap refers to the arrangement of layers within a flexible PCB where intentional gaps or spaces are introduced between certain layers. These gaps are filled with air, creating a void or airspace within the PCB structure.

The purpose of incorporating air gaps in the FPC stack-up is to achieve specific design objectives such as:

Reduced Dielectric Constant:

By introducing air as a dielectric material between layers, the overall dielectric constant of the PCB can be lowered. This can be advantageous in high-frequency applications where minimizing signal loss and maintaining signal integrity are critical.

Controlled Impedance:

Air gaps can help in controlling the impedance of transmission lines within the flexible PCB. By adjusting the dimensions and placement of air gaps, designers can achieve precise impedance matching for signals traveling through the PCB.

Improved Thermal Management:

Air has lower thermal conductivity compared to solid dielectric materials used in PCBs. Introducing air gaps can help in thermal isolation, reducing heat transfer between adjacent layers and improving thermal management within the flexible PCB.

Flexibility Enhancement:

In some cases, air gaps can enhance the flexibility and bendability of the flexible PCB. By strategically placing air gaps in areas where bending or folding is expected, designers can prevent stress concentrations and potential damage to the PCB during flexing.

Overall, the incorporation of air gaps in the FPC stack-up offers designers a versatile tool to optimize the performance, reliability, and manufacturability of flexible printed circuits for a wide range of applications.

In conclusion, PCBWay’s upgraded flexible PCB features empower customers with a comprehensive suite of options to tailor their designs according to specific performance, aesthetic, and production requirements. PCBWay provides comprehensive support for FPC manufacturing, including custom stack-up options, specialized processes like peelable solder mask, and a variety of material choices to meet the unique requirements of each project. Additionally, PCBWay offers services for rigid-flex PCBs, which combine the benefits of both rigid and flexible PCBs into a single design. These enhancements underscore PCBWay’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions and exceptional quality in the realm of flexible PCB fabrication.

The post Exploring PCBWay’s Enhanced Flexible PCB Features appeared first on Electronics Lovers ~ Technology We Love.

Company introduces Context Grounding to augment GenAI models with business-specific data, an IBM watsonx.ai connector, and updates for Autopilot

UiPath, a leading enterprise automation and AI software company, recently announced several new generative AI (GenAI) features in its platform designed to help enterprises realize the full potential of AI with automation by accessing powerful, specialized AI models tailored to their challenges and most valuable use cases. UiPath showcased its latest capabilities at the virtual AI Summit that took place on March 19th, 2024.

The UiPath Business Automation Platform offers end-to-end automation for business processes. There are four key factors that business leaders seeking to embed AI in their automation program must keep top of mind: business context, AI model flexibility, actionability, and trust. The new AI features of the UiPath Platform address these key areas to ensure customers are equipped with the tools necessary to enhance the performance and accuracy of GenAI models and tools and more easily tackle diverse business challenges with AI and automation.

“Businesses need an assortment of AI models, the best in class for every task, to achieve their full potential. Our new family of UiPath LLMs, along with Context Grounding to optimize GenAI models with business-specific data, provide accuracy, consistency, predictability, time to value, and empower customers to transform their business environments with the latest GenAI capabilities on the market,” said Graham Sheldon, Chief Product Officer at UiPath. “These new features ensure that AI has the integrations, data, context, and ability to take action in the enterprise with automation to meet our customers’ unique needs.”

At the AI Summit, UiPath announced:

Generative Large Language Models (LLMs) 

The new LLMs, DocPATH and CommPATH, give businesses LLMs that are extensively trained for their specific tasks, document processing and communications. General-purpose GenAI models like GPT-4 struggle to match the performance and accuracy of models specially trained for a specific task. Instead of relying on imprecise and time-consuming prompt engineering, DocPATH and CommPATH provide businesses with extensive tools to customize AI models to their exact requirements, allowing them to understand any document and a huge variety of message types.

Context Grounding to augment GenAI models with business-specific data

Businesses need a safe, reliable, low-touch way to use their business data with AI models. To address this need, UiPath is introducing Context Grounding, a new feature within the UiPath AI Trust Layer that will be entering private preview in April. UiPath Context Grounding helps businesses improve the accuracy of GenAI models by providing prompts and a foundation of business context through retrieval augmented generation. This system extracts information from company-specific datasets, like a knowledge base or internal policies and procedures to create more accurate and insightful responses.

Context Grounding makes business data LLM-ready by converting it to an optimized format that can easily be indexed, searched, and injected into prompts to improve GenAI predictions. Context Grounding will enhance all UiPath Gen AI experiences in UiPath Autopilots, GenAI Activities, and intelligent document processing (IDP) products like Document Understanding.

GenAI Connectors & IBM watsonx.ai

IBM used the UiPath Connector Builder to create a unique watsonx.ai connector. The new connector provides UiPath customers with access to multiple foundational models currently available in watsonx.ai. GenAI use cases, such as summarization, Q&A, task classification, and optimization for chat, are quickly integrated and infused into new and existing UiPath workflows and frameworks. IBM Watsonx customers can also access broader UiPath platform capabilities, such as Test Automation, Process Mining and Studio workflows, all within a low/no-code UX environment. IBM’s industry-leading consulting capabilities, coupled with the UiPath Business Automation Platform, will help support successful GenAI adoption, including the right strategy for infusing AI into more powerful, and complex automated workflows.

“IBM and UiPath strongly believe that AI and GenAI are rapidly changing the entire landscape of business globally,” said Tom Ivory, Senior Partner, Vice President, Global Leader of Global Automation at IBM. “We are excited that IBM’s watsonx.ai and UiPath’s Connector Builder together now help create insights, and efficiencies that result in real value for our customers.”

The IBM Watson Connector is now generally available through the Integration Service Connector Catalog.

Autopilot for Developers and Testers

UiPath Autopilot is a suite of GenAI-powered experiences across the platform that make automation builders and users more productive. Autopilot experiences for Developers and Testers are now available in preview with a targeted general availability in June. Over 1,500 organizations are using UiPath Autopilot resulting in over 7,000 generations and over 5500 expressions generated per week.

Autopilot for Developers empowers both professional and citizen automation developers to create automation, code, and expressions with natural language, accelerating every aspect of building automation.

Autopilot for Testers transforms the testing lifecycle, from planning to analysis, reducing the burden of manual testing and allowing enterprise testing teams to test more applications faster. Autopilot for Testers empowers testing teams to rapidly generate step-by-step test cases from requirements and any other source documents, generate automation from test steps, and surface insights from test results, allowing testers to identify the root cause of issues in minutes, not hours or days.

Prebuilt GenAI Activities for faster time-to-value

New prebuilt GenAI Activities utilize the UiPath AI Trust Layer and are easy to access, develop with, and leverage high-quality AI predictions in automation workflows that deliver faster time to value. GenAI Activities provides access to a growing collection of GenAI use cases, such as text completion for emails, categorization, image detection, language translation, and the ability to filter out personally identifiable information (PII) enabling enterprises to do more with GenAI. With GenAI Activities, enterprises can reduce the time to build and achieve a competitive edge using GenAI to help customize the customer experience, optimize supply chains, forecast demands, and make informed decisions.

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New edition of database tracks 33% more facilities and highlights advanced packaging and factory certifications

The new edition of the Worldwide Assembly & Test Facility Database expands coverage to 670 facilities, 33% more than the previous release, including 500 outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) service providers and 170 integrated device manufacturer (IDM) facilities, SEMI and TechSearch International announced today. The database is the only commercially available listing of assembly and test suppliers that provides comprehensive updates on packaging and testing services offered by the semiconductor industry.

The updated database includes factory certifications in critical areas such as quality, environmental, security and safety as well as data reflecting automotive quality certifications obtained by each site. The new edition also highlights advanced packaging offerings by each factory, defined as flip chip bumping and assembly, fan-out and fan-in wafer-level packaging (WLP), through silicon via (TSV), 2.5D and 3D capability.

“Understanding the location of legacy packaging as well as advanced packaging and test is essential to effective supply-base management,” said Jan Vardaman, President at TechSearch International. “The updated Worldwide Assembly & Test Facility Database is an invaluable tool in tracking the packaging and assembly ecosystem.”

“The database increases its focus on advanced packaging while highlighting conventional packaging capabilities and new test capabilities to support innovations in key end markets including automotive,” said Clark Tseng, Senior Director of SEMI Market Intelligence.

Combining the semiconductor industry expertise of SEMI and TechSearch International, the Worldwide Assembly & Test Facility Database update also lists revenues of the world’s top 20 OSAT companies and captures changes in technology capabilities and service offerings.

Covering facilities in the Americas, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, South Korea and Taiwan, the database highlights new and emerging packaging offerings by manufacturing locations and companies. Details tracked include:

• Plant site location, technology, and capability: Packaging, test, and other product specializations, such as sensor, automotive and power devices
• Packaging assembly service offerings Ball grid array (BGA), specific leadframe types such as quad flat package (QFP), quad flat no-leads (QFN), small outline (SO), flip-chip bumping, WLP, Modules/System in Package (SIP), and sensors
• New manufacturing sites announced, planned or under construction

Key Report Highlights

• The world’s top 20 OSAT companies in 2022 with financial comparisons to 2021, as well as preliminary comparisons to 2023
• 150-plus facility additions compared to the 2022 report
• 200-plus companies and more than 670 total back-end facilities
• 325-plus facilities with test capabilities
• 100-plus facilities offering QFN
• 85-plus bumping facilities, including more than 65 with 300mm wafer bumping capacity
• 90-plus facilities offering WLCSP technology
• 130-plus OSAT facilities in Taiwan, more than 150 in China, and more than 60 in Southeast Asia
• 50-plus IDM assembly and test facilities in Southeast Asia, about 45 in China, nearly 20 in Americas and more than 12 in Europe
• More than 30% of global factories offering advanced packaging capabilities in one of the following areas: flip chip bumping and assembly, fan-out and fan-in WLP, TSV, 2.5D and 3D

Worldwide Assembly & Test Facility Database licenses are available for single and multiple users. SEMI members save up to 25% on licenses. Download a sample of the report and see pricing and ordering details.

For more information on the database or to subscribe to SEMI market data, visit SEMI Market Data or contact the SEMI Market Intelligence Team (MIT) at mktstats@semi.org.

The post Expanded Semiconductor Assembly and Test Facility Database Tracks OSAT and Integrated Device Manufacturers in 670 Facilities, SEMI and TechSearch International Report appeared first on ELE Times.

Author: STMicroelectronics

Where are embedded systems heading in 2024, and how can makers stay ahead of the curve? Few people used to ask these questions a decade ago. Today, the answers can make or break entire companies. Indeed, once relegated to a few niche applications, embedded systems are now everywhere. From factories to home appliances or from expensive medical devices in hospitals to ubiquitous wearables, every time we become more connected or more sustainable, an embedded system is usually at the heart of innovations. ST will thus hold the STM32 Summit on March 19 to introduce our community to the latest technologies shaping our industry. In the meantime, let’s step back to see where 2024 is taking us.

Computational efficiency or doing more with less

Avid readers of the ST Blog know that greater efficiency is often a key driver of our innovations. However, we may need to broaden our understanding of “efficiency”. In essence, efficiency is the ratio of work done per amount of energy spent. In the microcontroller world, it refers to electrical efficiency. Hence, improving efficiency means lowering the power consumption while offering the same or more computational throughput. However, as embedded systems applications become vastly more optimized, a new efficiency ratio shapes the industry: application complexity for a given computational throughput.

To illustrate this point, let’s use a simple thought experiment. Imagine bringing today’s high-performance MCU back in time just five years ago. That device could not run the neural network or rich UIs it can run today because frameworks and machine learning algorithms were far cruder. The reason is that embedded systems aren’t just more powerful but that new applicative optimizations have made them more capable. Consequently, the same amount of computational power yields far greater results today.

Trained vs. pruned and quantized with TAO Toolkit

For instance, the quantization of neural networks enabled more powerful edge AI systems. In the case of a recent demo with Schneider Electric, a deeply quantized neural network meant that a people-counting application ran on an STM32H7. And NVIDIA featured the same MCU when running a network optimized with its TAO Toolkit and STM32Cube.AI. Similarly, new motor control algorithms, like ZeST, mean MCUs drive motors more accurately and efficiently, and new UI framework optimizations mean richer graphics while needing less memory. For instance, the latest version of TouchGFX supports vector fonts, and our latest STM32U5 has an IP accelerating vector graphics, which wouldn’t have been as impressive without the graphical framework to help developers take advantage of it.

Consequently, engineers must not only ensure their embedded processing solutions is reducing their power consumption but that it also runs the latest optimizations. In many instances, a real-time application is no longer just basic code running in a while loop. Developers must find new ways to leverage the cloud, machine learning, sensor fusion, or graphical interfaces. Hence, it is critical to find the right MCU supported by an entire ecosystem that can bring these new optimizations to them. Engineers must ask how fast a device runs and how well it can support the complexity and richness of the application.

Multiple wireless protocol support or talking more with the world A wireless utility metering system

The idea that an embedded system connects to a network is far from new. The industry even coined the term “Internet of Things” because so many applications rely on the network of networks. However, until now, applications have primarily chosen one mode of communication, either wired or wireless. And if the latter, it used to settle on one wireless protocol, such as cellular, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth. Over the years, the industry has seen the multiplication of wireless protocols. From 6LoWPAN to LoRaWAN, Zigbee, Thread, NB-IoT, and more, there’s no shortage of new protocols. Interestingly, there has also been the absence of a clear winner. Instead of a traditional consolidation, many technologies seem to prosper concomitantly.

Let’s take the 2.4 GHz spectrum as an example. While Bluetooth is still dominant, Zigbee and Thread have grown in popularity. Many companies also work on a custom IEEE 802.15.4 protocol for competitive or regulatory reasons. In fact, the proliferation of network protocols is so rampant that Matter, the latest initiative unifying home automation under one standard, runs over multiple wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Thread, and Bluetooth and supports many 2.4 GHz bridges, including Zigbee and Z-Wave instead of settling on just one wireless technology.

As a result, engineers face a relatively new challenge: create a system that must support multiple wireless protocols to stay competitive. Indeed, by adopting a device that supports multiple technologies, a company can qualify one MCU and adapt to the needs of the market. For instance, a developer could work on a proprietary IEEE 802.15.4 protocol in one region, and then adopt Thread in another while keeping the exact same hardware. It would only require a change to the code base. Engineers would thus reduce their time to market and enjoy far greater flexibility. Put simply, embedded systems developers in 2024 must design with multi-protocol support in mind and choose devices that will meet current and future needs.

Security or protecting future investments Security must be a top priority for smart home products

One positive trend in embedded systems has been recognizing that security is not optional. For the longest time, many joked that IoT stood for “Internet of Threats”. Today, developers know it is imperative to protect servers, code, end-user data, and even physical devices from attacks. In a nutshell, a failure to secure an embedded system could have catastrophic effects on the product and its brand. However, a new security challenge has emerged in the form of regulatory interventions. The European Union, the United States, and many other countries and standardizing bodies have enacted new rules mandating features and protections. The problem is that they aren’t always clear or final, as some are still being worked on.

The industry has been answering this new challenge with more formal security standards. For instance, the Platform Security Architecture (PSA) and the Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms (SESIP) certifications offer an extensive methodology to help engineers secure their embedded systems. These certifications thus provide a path to future-proof designs and ensure they meet any stringent requirements. However, it also means that developers can’t treat security as an afterthought or work toward those certifications after designing their system. It is becoming critical to think of security as soon as the first proof of concept and adopt a microcontroller that can meet the proper certification level.

Let’s take the example of a smart home application that shares private and sensitive data with a cloud. Increasingly, governments require encrypted communications, protections against physical attacks, safeguards against software intrusions, the ability to securely update a system over-the-air, and monitoring capabilities to detect a breach. In many instances, a SESIP Level 3 certification would help guarantee that a system could meet those requirements. Unfortunately, engineers who fail to choose an MCU capable of targeting such a certification could end up compromising the entire project. As there are hardware and platform considerations that ensure a product can meet a certain security certification, developers must adopt a new mindset when choosing an MCU.

See what the future holds at the STM32 Summit See how the STM32 Summit can help you anticipate upcoming trends

As we look at the trends that will shape 2024 and beyond, we see that it is critical to find an ecosystem maker. Computational efficiency depends on the MCU as well as the framework, middleware, and algorithms that run on it. Similarly, supporting multiple wireless protocols demands new development tools, and securing embedded systems requires practical software solutions on top of hardware IPs. That’s why we are excited to host the STM32 Summit on March 19. Join us as we showcase how ST is bringing solutions to help teams stay ahead of upcoming trends.

Viewers will get to learn more about exciting devices that are shaping new trends while also discovering entirely new products. Attendees will also be able to ask questions to ST experts and receive answers live. Registering to this event thus grants a unique access to our teams. Moreover, the STM32 Summit will feature some of our customers who will share real-world experiences. Instead of ST telling the industry how to meet the challenges ahead, we wanted our partners to show viewers how they do it. Put simply, the STM32 Summit isn’t only here to inform but to inspire.

The post STM32 Summit: 3 important embedded systems trends for 2024 appeared first on ELE Times.

Odyssey Semiconductor Technologies Inc of Ithaca, NY, USA — which develops high-voltage vertical power switching components based on proprietary gallium nitride (GaN) processing technology — has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its assets for $9.52m in cash to “a large semiconductor company”...

A few days ago I asked this subreddit and a few other subreddits how to fix white noise issue of IEMs while using with laptop. A lot of you suggested to get an impedance adapter. However those are very expensive despite that the device is actually a very simple circuit that can be made at home with some soldering ability. So that's what I did and it solved the issue. I got the schematic from this guide on diyaudioheaven and made the circuit on a small piece of perfboard/Veroboard. Things required: Small Veroboard 4 resistors, preferably less than 100 ohm An audio socket An audio cable For soldering: a soldering iron and a small amount of solder wire. Here is the picture of what I made. https://preview.redd.it/uomy1le1qbpc1.jpg?width=4160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7dfcc427298a8b7ab5f28559f223b154dcdb809 I am not putting the image of the backside where all the connections are made because I've taped it and I am too lazy to remove and reapply and also because it won't help anyone who won't understand the original schematic in the first place. I didn't notice any change in the sound quality however people listening to music might notice as the connections are not super precise. I use my IEMs to listen to lectures and podcasts, the white noise was getting very annoying in any long hearing sessions, which my circuit solved. In the end I am glad. submitted by /u/LivingGraveGround [link] [comments]

Mersen of Courbevoie, France (which focuses on electrical power and advanced materials for high-tech industries) is to benefit from subsidies totaling over €12m under the European Commission’s Important Project of Common European Interest program in MicroElectronics and Communication Technologies (IPCEI ME/CT)...