Polyimide (PI) film coverlays are an important material that protects the bendable circuits on flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) from being damaged by high temperatures, moistures, pollution and acidic corrosion. It is meant to completely protect the FPCB from harsh environments and allow the FPCB to maintain its bendability and all its functions. FPCB makers usually use PI film or screen printing coverlays to achieve the protection, but both methods still see technological issues that need to be resolved.The photoimageable covery (PIC) is the latest solution that Taiwan-based TeamChem Material Company has offered to FPCB makers. Compared to the traditional PI-film coverlay, PIC has many advantages. First, PIC uses a photoimageable process to create holes or reveal solder positions, and it does not need machines to conduct the die-cut process. Therefore it is a more precise, low-cost and time-efficient manufacturing process. Second, PIC can simplify the FPCB's manufacturing process, cutting down the steps to only five, much lower than the 11 seen in traditional processes. This accelerates manufacturing, significantly reducing manpower and power consumption. Third, PIC is not as rigid as conventional PI films, giving it better flexibility to prevent rebound during static bending.The above-mentioned rigidity issue of the traditional PI film coverlay stems from the PI film's rigidness, which will increase the substrate's rebound strength when the FPCB is bent. Therefore, when an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) is applied onto the FPCB, the PI film coverlay's rigidness will result in some remnant stress on the FPCB after assembly and this will reduce the reliability of the product. However, PIC is created with soft materials that do not contain any rigidness, allowing the FPCB to be free from remnant stress after assembly. Therefore, when a FPCB needs to be laminated using ACF, PIC is the best solution for FPCB makers.PIC is a soft photoimageable solder resin with a chemical structure that is mainly composed of soft epoxy acrylic resin, a type of material that has long been used in FPCBs. Its heat- and chemical-resistance properties and flexural strength have also been generally recognized. Due to its characteristic softness, it hardly creates bubbles when being mounted, and does not crack even when the substrate and the chip have different stress levels. PIC will change its flexure along with the stress difference.Compared to FPCB-use soft solder mask ink, PIC has five major advantages: 1. No need for screen printing; clean and odorless; consistent film thickness.2. Resolves the difficulties of hole-plugging when applying liquid ink onto double-sided or multilayer FPCBs.3. Its flexural strength is similar to that of FPCB photoimageable ink, but it features better photoimaging capability and chemical resistance.4. Quick developing, and short cure time during post-bake.5. Does not include silicon oil-based defoamer, so there will be no pollution problem at the edge of the PCB pad; neither will it pollute the immersion gold and gold plating baths.PIC completely meets the European Union's (EU) safety regulations, resulting in wide adoption by Germany-based FPCB makers.FPCB makers' actual manufacturing results show:1. PIC eliminates the processes of cutting, drilling and punching that are needed to process PI films; increases efficiency and reduces costs.2. Enhances the alignment accuracy for the coverlay's fast-press process. The accuracy is improved from 0.1mm to 0.025mm.3. Capable of resolving the excessive glue issue as it adopts the photoimaging method for opening and therefore the glue will not overflow, reducing the excessive glue issue from 0.1mm to zero.4. PIC is capable of directly replacing fast-press and WF, resolving the problem of poor sealing during the WF process.Lamination is the most important step deciding the success of PIC process; preventing bubbles from emerging is the most crucial issue. Once the lamination is finished without creating bubbles, the whole PIC process is already half-completed. As for how to prevent bubbles from forming, the hot-press temperature has to be low. TeamChem Material Chairman Dr. Todd Yeh suggests that when a circuit layout is not symmetrical or the circuits are too dense, vacuum fast-press equipment is more suitable to achieve a good lamination result.TeamChem Material Chairman Dr. Todd Yeh points out that the company's PIC is made under a low-temperature environment, ready for production at FPCB makers' existing facilities and capable of featuring different colors and film thickness. Currently, TeamChem is able to supply matte black, glossy green and yellow PIC in mass volume, while FPCB makers in Germany, Switzerland and China have purchased TeamChem's PIC products for use in high-precision medical and aerospace equipment, tablets, smartphones' communication antenna FPCBs, and FPCBs for light bars.Commenting on the development of PIC applications, FPCB engineers have pointed out that the conventional method has at least 11 steps - microetching of circuits, layup, lamination, baking, punching, abrasive blasting, photoimageable solder mask applying, pre-bake, exposure, developing and post-bake. But after PIC needs only five steps - microetching of circuits, lamination, exposure, developing and post-bake - saving work, time and manpower. PIC is a great help for FPCB makers who need to compete for orders through cost-down efforts.Comparison of PIC and CVL processes

Fifteen mobile telecom carriers in seven ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries had started LTE commercial operations as of the end of the second quarter of 2014, and Singapore ranked first with LTE subscribers accounting for nearly 30% of all mobile communication subscriptions, according to Digitimes Research.In the whole ASEAN market, LTE and WiMAX subscribers accounted for only 1.3% of mobile communications subscribers at the end of 2013, compared to 70.5% for 2G and 28.2% for 3G, Digitimes Research indicated.In view of decreasing revenues due to market saturation, SingTel, StarHub and M1, three mobile telecom carriers in Singapore, have made large investments to set up LTE networks, with network coverage much higher than that in the other six ASEAN countries. In addition to data communications, SingTel launched VoLTE (voice over LTE) services in May 2014.

The Mexico government will hold an open bid to procure 13.7 million LCD TVs over three years as part of a subsidy program for low-income families in line with the digitization of terrestrial TV broadcasts. Foxconn Electronics stands a considerably large chance of winning the procurement orders, and affiliate Innolux is likely to supply panels, according to Digitimes Research.So far, six vendors/makers with TV production in Mexico, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Foxconn, will participate in the bidding, Digitimes Research indicated.Meanwhile, in the China market, web video portals have been forced to give up delivering video services via the Internet and become pure providers of video content due to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television's IPTV regulatory measures. However, as many white-box OTT (over the top) models, most of which are not in compliance with regulations, are available for sale, web video portals are likely to maintain their market status by virtue of OTT devices, Digitimes Research noted.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix posted total production value of KRW10.73 trillion (US$10.41 billion) for DRAM and NAND flash in the second quarter of 2014, the highest quarterly figures on record, according to Digitimes Research.Total production value consisted of KRW7.54 trillion for DRAM and KRW3.19 trillion for NAND flash, increasing 8.9% and 6.2%on quarter, respectively, Digitimes Research indicated. DRAM and NAND shipments by the two makers in the second quarter were larger than originally expected.However, SK Hynix lowered NAND flash quotes to hike shipments and consequently saw second-quarter net operating margin slip on quarter.Due to growing demand for PCs, smartphones and tablets and expected hikes in contract prices, Samsung and SK Hynix are likely to see growth in the third quarter.

White-box vendors shipped 22.3 million tablets globally in the second quarter of 2014, increasing 9.3% sequentially, according to Digitimes Research. Of the shipments, Wi-Fi only models accounted for 56.4% and Wi-Fi plus voice communications models 43.6%, Digitimes Research indicated. In terms of screen size, 7-inch models accounted for 69.4% of the shipments and 7.85/7.9-inch ones 20.8%. In view of growing demand for Wi-Fi tablets in mature markets and for inexpensive Wi-Fi+voice models in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, white-box tablet shipments will increase to 27.2 million units in the third quarter of 2014 and 27.8 million units in the fourth. However, profitability for white-box tablets is likely to shrink due to competition from large-size smartphones with high performance-price ratios and convertible tablets.

Smartphone vendors' strategies and timing of product launches in different markets were affecting their sales in second-quarter 2014.Apple saw its smartphone ASP drop to a historic low in the second quarter, as its major offering remained the iPhone 5s. At the same time, it lowered prices for older iPhone versions in emerging markets and introduced the 8GB iPhone 5c in various markets. LG Electronics saw considerable shipments for LTE smartphones in the South Korea and overseas markets.Xiaomi Technology topped China-based vendors in smartphone shipments in the first and second quarters but has mainly focused on the China market.Sony saw decreased sales of entry-level and mid-range smartphones in emerging markets due to competition from China-based and local vendors, according to a new report from Digitimes Research.

Global demand for sapphire for use in LED and optical applications (such as smartphone covers) will reach 80.084 million mm of 2-inch equivalent ingots in 2014 and increase 36.1% to 108.902 million mm in 2015, according to Digitimes Research.The demand in 2015 will consist of 82.698 million mm for LEDs and 26.204 million mm for optical use, rising 22.3% and 110.6% on year respectively, Digitimes Research indicated.In terms of wafer size, 4-inch models will see the largest demand at 10.66 million units in 2014 and 13.985 million units in 2015, accounting for 56.7% and 60.9% of total demand from LED production in the respective years.There will be tight global supply of 4-inch sapphire ingots and PSS (patterned sapphire substrates) in 2014.

Taiwan-based Innolux, among fellow makers AU Optronics, Samsung Display, LG Display and Sharp, recorded the highest net profit margin for the second quarter of 2014 mainly due to large increases in shipments of Ultra HD TV panels and notebook panels, according to Digitimes Research.As Samsung Display has a large portion of revenues coming from panels used in Samsung smartphones and tablets and LG Display has so from panels used in iPhone and iPad, both panel makers saw decreasing profitability mainly because sales of these devices in the second quarter were short of expectations, Digitimes Research indicated.Sharp is one of the three suppliers of panels used in iPhone and therefore its profitability highly hinges on orders for iPhone panels.The Japan government-sponsored Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, Japan Display, Sony and Panasonic in late July decided to establish a joint venture, JOLED, specifically for R&D of OLED panels for use in tablets and notebooks.

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, as of the end of the second quarter of 2014, had launched smartphones supporting wireless charging technology with wireless charging modules produced by affiliates Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek, according to Digitimes Research.Samsung's S5 and LG's G3 both use electromagnetic induction for wireless charging but there is also the possibility of using electromagnetic resonance as an alternative. The former method is more mature in the market and is suited primarily for small-size devices while the latter is expected to be used in a wider variety of applications provided that it passes various safety tests.Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek are the main module providers in the market but other players such as RFTech, Hansol Technics, DongYang E&P, WisePower, Hanrim Postech, and LS are also emerging into the market.Despite the module developments, Digitimes Research noted there are still limitations in the upstream supply chain, most notably for micro-controller units (MCUs).

The five largest notebook vendors' combined shipments in July decreased 25% on month while the three largest ODMs' combined shipments also slipped 17%, according to Digitimes Research.Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Lenovo saw over 30% declines while Acer and Asustek Computer saw roughly 20%. Dell, however, saw an increase in shipments.In terms of ODMs, Compal saw a 20% decline while Wistron saw an 11% decline.Despite the declines for notebook vendors and ODMs, their shipments from January-July 2014 have overall increased over the same period in 2013.Chromebooks meanwhile reached 1.5 million in shipments during the second quarter of 2014 to hold a 3.7% share in overall notebook shipments, up from 2.4% in the previous quarter. Samsung Electronics and Acer are the main suppliers of the technology, currently holding a 80-85% share in the market, added Digitimes Research.