onsemi Corporation recently introduced an advanced miniaturized analog front end (AFE) called the CEM102, designed for high-precision electrochemical sensing, especially for operation at very low currents. This product stands out for its compact design and the lowest power consumption in the industry, making it ideal for applications that require long battery life, such as portable gas detectors and other sensors for industrial, environmental, and healthcare applications. These applications include air quality and gas monitoring, food processing, agricultural monitoring, and medical wearables such as continuous blood glucose monitoring.
The CEM102, used in conjunction with the Bluetooth 5.2-enabled RSL15 microcontroller, provides a complete electronics solution that allows precise measurement of chemical currents while maintaining extremely low system power consumption and a wide range of supply voltages (1.3 to 3.6 V). The system's extremely low power consumption of only 50 nA in disabled mode, 2 µA in sensor bias mode, and 3.5 µA in active measurement mode, and the continuous conversion of the 18-bit ADC, allows the system to maintain up to 14 days of operation, even with a small 3 mAh battery, and several years of operation with larger batteries, setting a new standard for similar products on the market.
Dutch global semiconductor company NXP Semiconductors is planning to increase its investment in the R&D sector in India over the next three to five years. This increased investment is aimed at expanding its technology and manufacturing capabilities in the region by setting up new wafer fabrication plants as well as test and packaging facilities. In addition, NXP is exploring partnerships with other companies, although specific partners have not yet been publicly announced. The company has discussed this with India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and plans to actively apply for membership once the global design linkage incentive (DLI) policy is in place.
NXP already has R&D centers in India in Pune, Noida, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, employing around 4,000 engineers and focusing primarily on the development of AI technologies to support applications in a number of sectors, including automotive. The company emphasized that through these initiatives, it aims to strengthen its competitive position in the global semiconductor industry, especially in terms of strategic choices in manufacturing technologies and capabilities.
Semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales fell 1.3% to $106.3 billion in 2023 from a record $107.6 billion in 2022, SEMI said. China was the largest market, up 29% to $36.6 billion, followed by South Korea, down 7% to $19.9 billion, and Taiwan, down 27% to $19.6 billion. The U.S. market was up 15 percent, the European Union was down 3 percent, Japan was down 5 percent and the rest of the world was down 39 percent.
SEMI CEO Ajit Manocha (Ajit Manocha) said: "Despite a slight decline in global equipment sales, the semiconductor industry continues to show strength, with strategic investments driving growth in key regions, and overall results for the year were better than most industry followers expected. "
Crystal processing equipment sales were up 1%, other front-end segments were up 10%, assembly and packaging equipment was down 30%, and test equipment was down 17%.
DER-IC South West and Wales has opened an advanced packaging facility at the CSA Catapult Innovation Center in Newport, marking a significant milestone in the UK's power electronics, machine and drive manufacturing sector. As part of the DER-IC network, the center provides manufacturers with open access to equipment and expertise, advancing PEMD technology and contributing to electrification and net-zero emissions targets.
The official opening included a keynote address and tour of the new facility, highlighting the capabilities of the state-of-the-art equipment and the expertise provided by CSA Catapult. Manufacturers can utilize the new facility for prototyping, particularly through the use of multi-material 3D printing technology to develop semiconductor and compound semiconductor packages. The advanced equipment on display at the launch event included the UK's first open-ended suite of 3D printing equipment that integrates multiple technologies such as chip packaging, heat sinks and PCB design.
Some companies such as Dycotec Materials are looking to improve the performance and reliability of packages and modules for automotive applications by developing new 3D printing processes, while reducing costs. Meanwhile, CSA Catapult and Carbon Forest Products are involved in a project to create 3D graphite heat sinks, a key component used in automotive systems. These innovations will drive the UK's power electronics manufacturing industry to the next level and set the stage for a sustainable future.
According to Yole's forecast, the AR microdisplay market will grow faster than the VR market from 2023 to 2029, reaching a CAGR of 67%, compared to just 15% for VR. Moreover, companies such as Meta, Apple, Huawei, Samsung and Sony are entering the AR, VR and MR space. Despite the market declining in 2022 and 2023, there is still potential for recovery. Advanced VR headsets such as Meta's Quest 3 and Apple's Vision Pro have VST features that can boost the use of MR apps. Artificial Intelligence will play a central role in AR and VR products, with AR glasses expected to be rebranded as AI glasses to highlight their potential for widespread adoption. In VR, LCDs dominate the low-end and mid-range markets, while OLED-on-Si is growing rapidly at the high end. lcos technology will be integrated into the tech giants' first-generation products. In addition, microLED technology, while facing hurdles in the consumer market, is expected to realize significant growth as technology advances and OEM demand increase.
Resources:
1. https://www.circuitdigest.com/news/next-generation-electrochemical-sensor-solution-for-industrial-environmental-and-healthcare-applications
2. https://www.circuitdigest.com/news/nxp-semiconductors-to-augment-investments-in-india-to-boost-rd
3. https://www.electronicsweekly.com/uncategorised/839335-2024-04/
4. https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/business/839095-2024-04/
5. https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/business/theres-hope-for-ar-vr-mr-says-yole-2024-04/
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