Electric vehicle (EV)-use lithium batteries suffer large decreases in operating efficiency when exposed to working environment of very low temperatures, but the problem can be solved by a few methods, according to Digitimes Research's findings.Working temperatures for normal operation of such batteries range from -20 degrees to 60 degrees Celsius, Digitimes Research indicated. If working temperatures drop to below -20 degree, electrolytic solution becomes more viscous like hair spray and consequently, mobility of lithium ions is reduced and so is operating efficiency for batteries, Research Insight explained.Heating of batteries or addition of anti-freezing agents to electrolytic solution can solve the problem.Similar to heating of copper sulfate solution in batteries used to start fuel cars in freezing environment, additional heating devices are used to hike working temperatures of batteries to -20 degree to let batteries start normal operation and then working temperatures will rise to above -20 degree after EVs run.In order for higher operating efficiency, some EV vendors adopt thermal management technology for which heat-circulating pipes provide heat to maintain batteries at optimal working temperatures.Alternatively, anti-freezing agents can be added to electrolytic solution to prevent it from getting more viscous. However, formulas of anti-freezing agents should be matched with electrolytic solution, cathode and anode materials, separation film of batteries to avoid reduction in battery's operating efficiency and service lives.A fundamental solution of the problem is solid-state batteries, for solid-state electrolyte of them does not have the problem concerning viscosity of liquid. However, technological development of solid-state batteries is not yet mature and commercial use is estimated to begin three years after.Besides impact of very low temperatures, chemical activity of batteries decreases when working temperatures drop to below zero degree, resulting in lower capability of discharging power and accordingly EVs' less endurance running distance.Most of new EV models are equipped with cloud computing-based battery management systems to enable drivers to inquire about remaining power storage capacities of batteries via smartphones for estimating residual endurance running distance. This also enables EV vendors to detect low levels of power storage capacity and remind drivers of the need for power charging via smartphones.

As demand for semiconductor products has continued picking up, their supply has also grown tighter. Foundries' supply of automotive MCUs, storage controller chips and power management ICs has already fallen short of demand by 25-40%, while HPC, server and 5G networking chips are also seeing insufficient supply of high-end ABF substrates due partly to low yield rates. Automotive chip makers have also been pushing keenly to obtain services from foundries as the automotive industry has started to recover.Foundries see supply for auto chips fall far short of demand: Pure-play foundries have seen their supply for automotive ICs, including MCUs, storage controller chips and power management ICs, fall short of demand by 25-40%, according to industry sources.High-end ABF substrates in increasingly short supply for HPC, server chips: The supply of more lucrative high-end ABF substrates for use in HPC, server and 5G networking chips has been increasingly short of demand due partly to insufficient yield rates at IC substrate suppliers, squeezing suppliers' capacity allocation for ABF substrates needed to process notebook processors long in shortage, according to industry sources.More automotive chipmakers seek foundry support amid tight capacity: More automotive chipmakers have approached Taiwan-based foundry houses TSMC, UMC and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) seeking capacity support to meet a ramp-up in automotive chip demand from automakers who are recovering from the pandemic-induced factory shutdowns, according to industry sources.

SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) is essential to navigation systems of mobile robots and there are various depth sensors used in SLAM including 2D and 3D LiDARs, stereoscopic cameras, laser ToF (time of flight) cameras, radars and ultrasonic radars, according to Digitimes Research.Stereoscopic cameras are based on stereoscopic vision for depth sensing, while the other sensors aforementioned are based on ToF technology, Digitimes Research indicated.As navigation of mobile robots entails self-localization, map building (mapping) and path planning, SLAM can simultaneously undertake the first two tasks and thus becomes a key navigation technology.ToF consists of direct ToF (dToF) based on single pulse wave and indirect ToF (iToF) based on continuous wave, with the former superior in measurable distance but inferior in measurement accuracy and power consumption to the latter.Stereoscopic cameras are increasingly used in SLAM because cost is lower than that for ToF-based depth sensors, while its performance is bettered by computer vision based on deep learning and improvement in vision algorithm. However, such depth sensors have the largest shortcoming that measurable distance is only several meters, much shorter than 10-100 meters for iToF and hundreds of meters for dToF, and errors in depth (distance) sensing get larger exponentially with increasing depth.

Smart Home Data Catalog, a platform for collecting data from connected electric home appliances launched in October 2020 by Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), is expected to promote development of smart home services in the local market.The platform enables vendors of electric home appliances to allow others to use and integrate data from their devices, and to use the data to develop innovative smart home services, Digitimes Research indicated.Sharp took the initiative to allow data on its 12 connected electric home appliances, including TVs, air conditioners, air purifiers and refrigerators, for licensed use. JEITA hopes to increase the number of data-providing enterprises to 10 along with more than 100 categories of connected electric home appliances.So far five startups have used data available at the platform to develop smart home services including purchasing agent services based on cooking records, environmental diagnosis based on air purifying data, house rental services, with these services to be launched soon. AIoT Cloud, Sharp's wholly-owned subsidiary, is the most active startup among the five.Kansai Electric Power has cooperated with AIoT Cloud for combined use of power consumption data and operating data on Sharp's connected air purifiers and refrigerators to monitor old people or children for safety purposes.

The LCD industry getting so mature that existing players are keen to look for new opportunities and technologies. Innolux's executive VP Chin-Lung Ting has told Digitimes that the company will adhere to TFT-LCD as its core technology, but is exploring a new business model that he calls "panel semiconductor," seeking to integrate a wide range of sectors to cater to non-display applications. In the semiconductor sector, foundry house UMC is set to expand its 12-inch manufacturing capacity to meet strong demand for 28nm process. And both UMC and TSMC are expected to fully utilize their 28nm node capacity through third-quarter 2021.Innolux proposes concept of panel semiconductor: South Korean panel makers are withdrawing from the LCD market, while their Chinese competitors, after frenzy expansion propelled them to the top of the LCD sector, are not expected to further expand their capacity significantly in the future, as they no longer have priority in receiving government resources.UMC on track to expand 12-inch foundry capacity: United Microelectronics (UMC) is on track to expand its foundry capacity for 12-inch wafer fabrication services in response to staggering demand for 28nm products, according to industry sources.TSMC, UMC to see full capacity utilization for 28nm node through 3Q21: Both TSMC and UMC are expected to sustain full capacity utilization for 28nm manufacturing process at their 8-inch and 12-inch fabs throughout third-quarter 2021, with gross margins from the mature node hitting new highs and clients' race for their capacity support expected to last through the end of the year, according to industry sources.

Japan is establishing a nationwide smart logistics platform to collect data about entire delivery processes of selected products from production, transportation, distribution to sales and customers for shared use by producers, logistics operators, regional distributors and retail operators, a bid to hike overall logistics efficiency by 20%.The selected products will be mainly daily necessities, merchandise items sold at convenience stores and drugstores as well as medical materials, devices and equipment. GPS, RFID labeling, real-time sensing, image recognition and other sensing technologies will used in the data collection under the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program.For each selected product, data to be collected include output, inventory, sales volumes and the corresponding customers as well as conditions of transportation such as locations of or other information on ships or trucks. Data will be digitized and visualized for being recorded at the platform and digital data will be processed to become analyzable to allow any interested party to undertake analytics for own commercial purposes. The platform will be responsible for providing processed digital data for open use but will not intervene in competition in analyzing data for value-added application.Scheduled for completion at the end of March 2023, the platform is expected to particularly help small- to medium-size enterprises upgrade logistics incurred to their business operation, believes Digitimes Research

TSMC has plans to allocated US$25-28 billion in capex for 2021, with over US$15 billion of the foundry house's record budget to be spent on advancing its 3nm process node. The foundry has disclosed that it is on track to move its 3nm process to risk production later this year, and start volume in second-half 2022. Meanwhile, Taiwan's PCB sector also registered record output in 2020 at over US$23.8 billion.TSMC to spend over US$15 billion on 3nm process in 2021: Of TSMC's planned record-high capex for 2021, more than US$15 billion will be spent on advancing the foundry's 3nm process technology, according to industry sources.TSMC on track to move 3nm process to risk production in 2021: TSMC is on track to move 3nm process technology to risk production in 2021 followed by volume production in the second half of 2022, according to the pure-play foundry.Taiwan PCB output value hits record high in 2020: The output of Taiwan's PCB industry grew 5.6% on year to a record high of NT$667.2 billion (US$23.83 billion) in 2020, bolstered by pandemic-induced stay-at-home economy in most of the year as well as robust shipments for new iPhones and automotive electronics in the second half, according to Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA).

TSMC has reported strong sales and profits for 2020, and the world's top pure-play foundry house expects to post another record revenue for first-quarter 2021. Tight foundry supply is creating shortages in the IC supply chain, and Chinese handset vendors have stepped up efforts trying to secure supply of components to support their expansions in the domestic market at the expense ot Huawei, which has been hit hard by US sanctions.Meanwhile, Samsung is mulling increasing NAND flash output in a bid to maintain its market leadership, and in supoport of such a bid the Koean vendor is likely to cut prices for NAND.TSMC expects another record in 1Q21 revenue: TSMC expects to post revenues of between US$12.7 billion and US$13 billion in the first quarter of 2021, which is a 1.3% sequential increase at the midpoint. Gross margin and operating margin for the quarter are estimated at 50.5-52.5% and 39.5-41.5%, respectively.China smartphone vendors step up chips, components procurement: Chinese handset vendors Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi (OVX) have stepped up their purchases of ICs and basic components for their smartphones as part of their efforts to expand presence in the China market in 2021, according to Taiwan-based IC distributors, which have seen their inventory levels drop as a result.Samsung considers lowering NAND flash prices as early as 1Q21, sources say: Samsung Electronics may initiate price cuts on its NAND flash chips as early as the end of the first quarter of 2021, which may trigger a price war among major NAND flash chipmakers, according to industry sources.

LitePoint, a US-based wireless test solution provider, offers turnkey over-the-air test solutions from development to production, combined with software automation that makes testing of FR2 devices easy in both characterization as well as volume manufacturing.In a recent interview, Lite-Point president Brad Robbins, talks about the development of the 5G market, and what it means for the wireless test solutions sector.Q: As more 5G phone models become available in the market, what do you see the development of 5G market today?A: Despite COVID-19's unprecedented disruption on a global scale, in 2020 we saw 5G adoption rates grow dramatically. While the total number of mobile shipments decreased in 2020, 5G mobile shipments grew from just over 10 million units in 2019 to 180-200 million units in 2020. We are very early in the global deployment, but 5G is living up to its promise of better mobile access. In existing sub-6GHz (FR1) spectrum, 5G operates more efficiently, providing more capacity for operators in their existing spectrum. This results in a better user-experience for the end-user, particularly in densely-populated urban areas where LTE capacity is strained. As mobile operators enable more "mid-band" spectrum and MIMO, 5G devices really start to deliver on the promise of faster connectivity.The most dramatic demonstration of the power of 5G is in the mmWave (FR2) 5G spectrum, where >1 Gbps data connections are being achieved. Apple's recent product introduction shows that mmWave is practical to add to a handset, though the deployment of mmWave networks is currently contained to somewhat narrow areas of urban centers. As the build out of mmWave networks continues, this will provide the next major leap in available data capacity, allowing carriers to move beyond the mobile phone and broadly deploy fixed-wireless to offices and residences. We are still early in the roll out of 5G, but the adoption rate is growing faster than what we saw with 4G.Q: There are several testing solution companies with general purpose test and measurement solutions. What makes LitePoint testing solutions so unique compared to others?A: Achieving optimized production economics requires a test system that is optimized for production. 5G device production requires both an optimized solution for the sub-6GHz (FR1) band, where the calibration and testing is primarily performed in a conducted (cabled) environment, as well as the mmWave (FR2) band, where testing is performed over-the-air (OTA). For FR1 devices, LitePoint's production solutions provide industry-leading performance in power accuracy, signal quality, and spectrum bandwidth.LitePoint's offerings additionally cover the upcoming 5G NR-U and Wi-Fi 6E frequencies up to 7.3GHz, with a future proof 200 MHz of bandwidth to cover mid-band carrier aggregation scenarios. For FR2 mmWave devices, LitePoint provides the simplest solution for manufacturing compared to other offerings, with the entire solution integrated into a single box with a calibrated interface. This greatly simplifies the setup, maintenance, and reliability on the production floor, enabling device manufacturers to ensure that they deliver high yield with high up-time in manufacturing. Additionally, LitePoint offers turnkey over-the-air test solutions from development to production, including test chambers, antennas, and switching accessories, combined with software automation that makes testing of FR2 devices easy in both characterization as well as volume manufacturing.Q: As mid-price or lower cost sub-6 GHz 5G phones get more popular in the market, manufacturers are facing the challenges of testing time increasing and slow down the big volume production, what do you think how to help them to resolve the impacts?A: In addition to ensuring shipment qualify, test time is, of course, one of the next biggest focuses for production testing. One technique that we have been pioneering at LitePoint is providing solutions that test multiple devices at the same time with a single tester. This effectively enables the per-device test time to reduce, providing a lower cost per unit. Additionally, as a leader in production testing, we work very closely with the chipset providers to help develop or deploy new techniques to optimize test times. An example of this is the trend towards Sequence Based Test, which dramatically reduces the number of required communication transactions between the device under test (DUT) and the test solution. Instead of having one setup command per test, which occurs hundreds of times, a pre-defined list of setups can be loaded and setup before performing hundreds of measurements. Reducing this communication time provides an impressive reduction in the test time, potentially delivering up to 70% improvement over traditional test methodologies.Q: On the other hand, the OTA test for 5G phone in the mass production lines, will the testing chambers require the new arrangement of production lines? What do you see the OTA test challenges in big volume production?A: The concept of performing OTA testing on the production line is not new. In 4G LTE devices, it is common to perform some simple OTA testing of the phone at the end of the line. This test ensures that the final assembly of the phone, including the antenna and embedded software, have been correctly installed. This testing is performed in the near field and typically has relatively loose PASS/FAIL limits. For 5G, the addition of mmWave technology requires phone makers to provide a higher-quality OTA test with tighter PASS/FAIL limits. One advantage to mmWave technology is that the far field distances are significantly shorter than for sub-6GHz frequencies, making the size of production test chambers practical for the manufacturing floor. For example, the far field measuring distance for a typical mmWave antenna array for a phone can be <10 cm, which enables the placement of an appropriately designed measurement antenna very close to the DUT. It is common for the DUT to have multiple mmWave antenna arrays, so the production test chamber must be designed to support flexible placement of multiple measurement antennas.There are technical challenges that must be addressed to efficiently perform high-quality OTA testing in the manufacturing environment. First, the setup and calibration of the OTA chamber must be accurate and repeatable. mmWave antennas are highly directional, requiring the mechanical alignment to be very precise. For the measurement antenna setup, this can involve the use of a laser alignment tool to ensure that the antenna is focused on the center of the DUT antenna array. To ensure repeatable placement of the DUT antenna array, custom milled DUT holders are required which enable subsequent placements of devices to reliably return to the expected location in the test chamber. Another challenge in 5G OTA testing is overcoming the significant path loss - the decrease in the signal power between the DUT antenna and the tester connection. It is very common to see >50 dB of path loss in a 5G OTA setup - compare this to <10 dB in a conducted (cabled) test setup. This large amount of path loss needs to be accurately calibrated in the setup so that it can be corrected in the measurement of the DUT.Q: Both Qualcomm and MediaTek launched silicon chips for Millimeter Wave (mmWave) 5G devices. And both are investing more resources in ramping up mmWave development as they plan to roll out their respective next-generation 5G chips. What do you see the further challenges for mmWave testing solution?A: Though mmWave is new to consumer products, the technology is well-understood from its military and aerospace roots. The main challenge is scaling from "boutique" low volume to mass-market high volume. To enable this, an area of focus for LitePoint has been simplicity. Multi-component test setups in the lab can be powerful and flexible, but they are complicated and time consuming to setup, require specialized knowledge, and are very problematic to repeatably deploy on a large number of test stations on a manufacturing floor. The LitePoint approach was to develop an optimized tool for the production environment: fully-integrated, simple to setup, and delivers repeatable results without the need for highly-skilled technicians. For mmWave technology to become widely deployed in consumer products, the manufacture and test of these products needs to be as simple as the sub-6GHz wireless technologies. Our DNA is simple, robust, and repeatable equipment for manufacturing.Brad Robbins, president of LitePoint

As 5G and Wi-Fi 6 are becoming the mainstream specifications for the IT market in 2021, Taiwan's III-V IC companies are expected to maintain a high utilization in the year. Server shipments are also anticipated to grow strongly in 2021 thanks to the releases of Intel's 10nm Ice Lake Xeon server processors and brisk demand from cloud applications. As demand for IT products remains robust, DRAM continues to suffer from shortages in 2021 with makers having already raised the prices of the products as a response.III-V IC players enjoy high capacity utilization for 5G, Wi-Fi 6 applications: Taiwan's III-V IC firms including GaAs foundries Win Semiconductors and Advanced Wireless Semiconductor (AWSC) as well as epi-wafer suppliers Visual Photonics Epitaxy (VPEC) and Intelligent Epitaxy Technology (IntelliEPI) are expected to sustain high capacity utilization in 2021, as 5G handset sales and Wi-Fi 6 wireless communication applications are on track to grow robustly, according to industry sources.Server makers turn optimistic about 2021 on Intel new processors: With Intel ramping up its 10nm Ice Lake Xeon server processor output, Taiwan's server makers have turned optimistic about their shipment prospects for 2021 and may embrace the strongest-ever first quarter in the year also bolstered by continued strong demand for cloud applications, according to industry sources.DRAM prices to rise through 2Q21: DRAM contract market prices have risen 5-10% in the first quarter of 2021, and will continue their rally in the second quarter, according to sources at memory module makers.