Wanshih Electronic will showcase different solutions of cable assemblies for various applications at CES 2018 during January 9-12.One of our core technologies, micro coaxial cable assemblies will be showed in our booth. Micro coax from AWG40, AWG42, AWG46, it releases how excellent soldering technology Wanshih have and can make soldering work even the micro coax is thin as single hair.The trend of USB type C is getting popular; we are going to exhibit our cable solution with plug type C for Dell and Huawei dongle and landing zone docking. Visitors will see how flat cables connect with type C connector perfectly and how flexible are our cable assemblies made with micro coax.Besides, our show will cover USB3.1 cable with C type, HDMI, assemblies of Medical cable and custom cable. SMT technology will be presented with application for showing our different cable assemblies solutions.USB 3.1 Type C Gen 2 10Ghz has been certificated by USB-IF, TID No. 5,200,000,185. Ultra slim and most flexible HDMI cable made by micro coax AWG40, OD is only 2.5mm. Medical cable assembled by 132 micro coax and still keep excellent flexibility, cable assemblies for automobile and custom cable assembly. Visitors can experience various applications of our micro coax cable assemblies.Our booth is at Sands, Halls A-D-42774. You are welcome to visit us and experience different solutions with our micro coax cable assembly. Please see more specification on our website: www.wanshih.com.twWanshih's micro coaxial AWG44 cable assemblies, flexible and extra slim with excellent performance

As portable phones continue to evolve functionally, their physical appearance has changed commensurately, with plastic body shells giving way to slim and lightweight metal casings. Despite its appeal to consumers, the sleek design adds to complexity of the manufacturing process, with cutting and machining of the casing demanding extreme precision, where even slight deviations can result in scrapped work pieces, eroding profit margins.It is necessary to frequently change cutting tools so that the CNC equipment can maintain a constant yield rate. However, this runs up machinery supply costs, affecting profit margins. Furthermore, equipment availability is of utmost importance to phone case manufacturers, with sudden CNC machine failures compromising productivity and delaying delivery. This chain of events can decrease customer satisfaction and, commensurately, the operator's reputation. Manufacturers thus not only allocate human resources to conduct regular checks but also engage third-parties to back up maintenance support. Such passive approaches, however, provide only limited levels of prompt and effective response in the event of equipment failure.The manufacturing process of phone cases is one scenario where CNC equipment is used. With CNC cutting being used in a wide range of processing operations, manufacturers across diverse sectors all attempt to address the same CNC machining challenge in order to stay profitable.Manager Louis Hsu of ADLINK's Measurement and Automation product segment, submits that, alternatively, monitoring cutting operations during process, particularly vibration activity thereof, can directly address the root of the problem, whether to increase machining precision or boost equipment availability. This is mainly because, once problems such as imbalance, resonance, or misalignment increase machine vibration beyond an acceptable range, equipment may not be able to continue normal operation and malfunction or even failure can result.By capturing even minor vibration signals, a PC-based monitoring solution surpasses PLC solutionsWhen CNC machinery incorporates constantly running vibration monitoring, equipment conditions are readily available, increasing intelligence of the operation. No longer being forced to wait until production is completed to determine the cause of problems, they can conduct preventive inspections to instantly detect equipment irregularity as it starts and promptly take responsive actions. Slight deviations can be resolved in no time by adjusting process parameters (e.g. modifying spindle speed) or changing cutting tools to ward off potential future disasters.Vibration monitoring of CNC machinery is far from a new concept, with PLC solutions featuring plug-and-play simplicity and convenience working with CNC equipment in the field for some time. As such, the need for PC-based vibration monitoring over existing PLC solutions may be questioned.Even so, considering that some minor vibration or high frequency signals can actually indicate distinct problems, such as when a connector begins to lose balance, a spindle ball bearing may have developed a crack, affecting dynamic performance, or a fastener is coming loose. In such instances, the CNC machine's exhibiting signs of "illness", the specific nature of which can be identified by specific behaviors due to different machine characteristics, can be difficult for PLC solutions, with low sampling rate, limited frequency range, and fixed algorithms, to detect. If a CNC monitoring solution can be fully cognizant of such minor indicators, it will allow users to instantly be made aware of critical issues that can result in a decrease in precision or productivity, so that they can execute timely responses.Accordingly, ADLINK has developed the MCM-100, highlighting around-the-clock continuous data collection and vibration measurement with maximized precision and sampling rates for rotating machinery and equipment. Combining data collection, vibration analysis algorithms, computation and network connection in one system, the MCM-100 not only allows users (process manufacturers) to overcome challenges in traditional cutting process but also presents the most streamlined approach to increased connectivity in CNC machinery.Preventive maintenance achieved through high-precision monitoring works wondersHsu explains that there are generally three scenarios where process manufacturers can make good use of monitoring solutions on their CNC equipment. In spindle vibration detection, RMS values of time domain signals are measured. If the values are found to exceed a predetermined threshold, the spindle will be decelerated or stopped. The second, bearing quality diagnostics, assess bearing health when the CNC machine is not performing cutting but only idling at a high speed. Finally, spindle collision detection watches for spindle collisions by checking vibration waveforms against certain predefined conditions. If a match is found, it is determined that a collision has occurred and the spindle is stopped immediately.Monitoring efficacy in the first and second scenarios is closely related to the precision and frequency range of the vibration signals. PLC solutions, able to collect only a limited amount of information, are of little help to users in emergency response planning. In contrast, the MCM-100 not only features 24-bit high definition (as opposed to conventional solutions with 12-bit to 16-bit) but also captures high-frequency signals at a very high 128kS/s, compared to the conventional solutions' 20KS/s or lower, delivering significantly more vibration data for analysis.New opportunities for CNC machinery suppliersVibration monitoring of CNC cutting also creates new opportunities for CNC machinery suppliers. The abundant vibration data combined with Big Data analytics allow CNC machinery suppliers to gain more in-depth correlation between signal changes and machine malfunction, whereby they can leverage the accumulated knowledge to create value-added services, possibly allowing a shift in business model from making one-time sales to charging by machine uptime, thereby sustaining long-term profitability.According to ADLINK, with multiple deployments of vibration monitoring solutions by well-known CNC machinery suppliers coming into place, market demand for such solutions is on the rise with the year 2017 presenting particularly prominent growth. Clearly, both process manufacturers and CNC machinery suppliers are demonstrating increasing demand for solutions addressing vibration monitoring of CNC cutting equipment.Vibration monitoring of CNC cutting creates new opportunities for CNC machinery suppliers

Macronix International Co., Ltd. (TSE: 2337), a leading integrated device manufacturer in the non-volatile memory (NVM) market, today announced the introduction of an ultra-low-voltage SPI NOR flash MX25S working at 1.2V, marking a new milestone in its process technology and low power consumption product offerings. This addition to the Macronix product portfolio allows cost savings and layout simplicity, and represents an important step in the company's expansion into the smart healthcare application and wearable device market segments.Advanced semiconductor fabrication technologies continue to set records of transistor counts on a silicon chip while also pushing for higher energy efficiency. The introduction of Macronix' new SPI NOR 1.2V low-voltage flash process technology further extends the company's range of solutions, which also includes high-performance 8 I/O OctaFlash Serial NOR, featuring the industry's fastest 500MB/s data transfer rate and 250MHz operating frequency."Across markets, we continue to see the rapid development of applications with ultra-low power consumption, and this bodes well for the industry," stated Donald Huang, Ph.D., deputy director of product marketing at Macronix. "Foundries are now making integrated circuits largely on 40nm and more advanced process nodes supporting the widespread availability of semiconductor solutions with ultra-low voltage, ultra-low power consumption and miniature package. This, in turn, further drives the creation of a plethora of new smart healthcare applications and wearable devices for an array of market segments."New semiconductor processes continue to improve performance and reduce power consumption, boosting the popularity of smart applications and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. With digital healthcare, wearables and mobile device adoption continuing to proliferate, the industry is turning to advanced technologies - beyond what the most advanced lithium-ion battery can offer currently, and capable of working at no more than 1.5V - to extend battery life and reduce battery size for these applications. With most memory modules - such as Double-Data-Rate Fourth Generation Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR4) now operating at 1.2V - the move toward low-voltage memory is further bolstered.Low-voltage NOR flash operating at 1.2V enables both cost reduction and design simplicity"The use of 1.2V low-voltage NOR flash eliminates the need for some components and flexibly accommodates a wider selection of collaborating MCU, which directly translates to cost savings and layout simplicity," added Huang. "In combination with MCU, DRAM and sensors working at low voltages, the new low-voltage flash will significantly broaden the range of applications for Macronix memory, perfectly complementing its line of low-voltage products."Macronix's new series of 1.2V serial NOR flash MX25S supports the standard serial NOR flash interface and features low voltage, low power consumption and miniature package. Covering an operating voltage range from 1.14V to 1.3V, MX25S saves more than 60 percent of power consumption, making it suitable for any ultra-low voltage application and allowing prolonged operation of portable devices.To enhance the energy efficiency of its memory products during ultra-low power standby mode, Macronix reduced the deep power down current of the MX25S series to 0.007 microamps. It takes only 35 microseconds to wake up MX25S from the deep power down mode, and active current during normal operation can be as low as 1.65 mA, which is the most impressive NOR flash spec on the market.MX25S supports multi-I/O and suspend/resume operations. In addition to unique ID and secure OTP for data protection, MX25S covers the most popular memory features on the market. The MX25S series is planned with density offerings ranging from 512Kb to 64Mb with an initial focus on 4Mb to 16Mb models, and is available in ultra-miniature packages including WLCSP, WSON, USON and SOP as well as Known Good Die (KGD) for use in MCU. For example, a 16Mb MX25S 1.2V NOR flash comes in a variety of packages ranging from a 41 mm2 8-pin SOP package to a mini 3.1 mm2 WLCSP package to meet diverse application requirements.Engineering samples of MX25S are now available to customers for design verification. Macronix plans to kick off full-scale production by the end of the first quarter of 2018."With advancing developments in low-voltage process technologies, Macronix will continue to augment its product portfolio of low-voltage memory and step up efforts to capture opportunities arising from smart healthcare applications and wearable devices featuring ultra-high energy efficiency," concluded Huang.Find out more about Macronix 1.2V NOR Flash at www.macronix.com.Donald Huang, Ph.D., deputy director of product marketing at MacronixPhoto: CompanyMacronix 1.2V NOR flash aims for smart healthcare and wearable devices market segments.Photo: Company

Aveni, a developer and manufacturer of wet deposition technologies and chemistries for 2D interconnects and 3D through silicon via packaging, has announced it has obtained results that support the continued use of copper in the back end of line (BEOL) for advanced interconnects, at and beyond the 5nm technology node."In this 20th anniversary year of copper integration, our results validate the comments made by IBM Research Fellow Dan Edelstein in his keynote presentation at the recent IEEE Nanotechnology Symposium, discussing that copper integration is here to stay," noted Bruno Morel, Aveni CEO.As devices inevitably continue to shrink to meet and create market demand, designers are exploring alternative integration schemes, not only for the front end of line, but also the BEOL. This includes, most notably, replacing the copper in dual-damascene interconnects, to compensate for the increased resistance-capacitance (RC) delay that accompanies the thinner copper wires and adversely affects device speed. Proposed replacement options for copper are cobalt, the most likely candidate, or more exotic materials like ruthenium, graphene or carbon nanotubes.Advanced dual-damascene structures employ an atomic layer deposition tantalum nitride (TaN) copper diffusion barrier, a thin chemical vapor deposition (CVD) cobalt liner, and the electroplated copper fill layer, which makes up most of the wiring. Earlier generations (7nm and larger nodes) also use a physical vapor deposition (PVD) copper seed layer between the cobalt and copper fill, but advanced devices are phasing out this film due to marginal seed coverage and integration hurdles.Of particular interest is the thin TaN barrier, which prevents copper from diffusing into and poisoning the device. The integrity of the thin cobalt liner (on top of TaN) is critical to ensuring that the barrier functions properly. The reduced thickness of cobalt liners for the 5nm technology node is approaching 3nm, reducing process flexibility for conventional approaches to copper plating.In a recent study, Aveni compared its Sao alkaline-based copper electroplating chemistry performance with a conventional, commercially available acidic copper plating chemistry. The samples to be plated were 3nm CVD cobalt over TaN. The study results showed that the acidic copper chemistry attacked the cobalt liner, causing the plating chemistry to react with the underlying TaN film and form tantalum oxide (TaOx), according to the company. TaOx formation is another failure mode of devices, because it creates an effective open circuit that prevents current flow.With Aveni's Sao chemistry, the cobalt remained intact and TaOx was not formed, which enables the extension of copper interconnects to process nodes at 5nm and below, the company said.Frederic Raynal, chief technical officer at aveni, commented, "We were extremely excited about these results, because they substantiate our position that Sao alkaline-based chemistry for copper electroplating is superior to acidic chemistries, especially with the thinner cobalt liners used in advanced nodes."

Denso and BlackBerry have announced the companies have jointly developed what they call the world's first integrated HMI (human machine interface) platform. Intel also collaborated in the development of this product.The integrated HMI platform will enable a system which optimally cooperates and coordinates various HMI products such as display and sound inside the automobile cockpit at a low price, according to the companies. The joint solution will appear in successive car models scheduled for release after 2019.With the improvement of automobile safety and convenience in recent years, the amount of data the vehicle transmits to the driver is increasing. Today, vehicles are equipped with multiple HMI systems, which require several device-specific operating systems to work in unison. Because the operating systems are independently controlled by multiple microcontrollers, it has not been possible to cooperate and coordinate them to display content and sound uniformly.The integrated automotive HMI platform is believed to be the first of its kind and was developed by Denso and BlackBerry using BlackBerry's QNX hypervisor for virtualization and the Intel Atom processor A3900 series. The hypervisor technology enables the independence of several operating systems with different characteristics and controls the integration with one microcomputer.This architecture allows various HMI products to cooperate allowing necessary information to be displayed to the correct devices with appropriate timing. For example, it will be possible to communicate a heads-up or a warning through easy-to-understand expressions on the display with the right timing. Additionally, through cooperation between instrument cluster and navigation center displays, it is now possible to show animation with a sense of unity between the navigation screen in the meter screen. Furthermore, by updating the performance of one microcomputer both devices are updated which contributes to improved increase in R&D productivity and cost reduction.As part of the integrated HMI, Intel has provided a graphics sharing technology, which has been optimized for the Intel Atom processor A3900 series. The technology can prioritize and operate 3D workloads important for safety over less important workloads on the same processor.Denso and BlackBerry will have booths at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas held from January 9-12, 2018. The companies' integrated HMI platform will be displayed in Denso's booth located at 1917, North Hall.

United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE:UMC;TWSE: 2303) ("UMC"), a leading global semiconductor foundry, today announced the availability of the company's 40nm process platform that incorporates Silicon Storage Technology's (SST) embedded SuperFlash non-volatile memory. The newly available 40nm SST process features a less than 20% reduction in eFlash cell size and 20-30% macro area over UMC's mass production 55nm SST technology. Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has started studying technical feasibility of UMC's 40nm SST for their microcontroller (MCU) ICs."We expect that UMC's 40nm SST will improve the performance of our MCU products," said Toshiya Matsui, Vice President, Mixed Signal IC Division of Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation. "Working with UMC will also allow us to maintain a robust business continuity plan (BCP) through stable manufacturing supply and flexible capacity support based on our production requirements."More than 20 customers and products are in various stages of 55nm SST eFlash production at UMC, including those for SIM card, banking, automotive, IOT, MCU and other applications.Wenchi Ting, Associate VP of Specialty Technology division at UMC said, "Since qualifying SST's embedded flash technology on our popular 55nm process in 2015, we have received tremendous interest from customers looking to further utilize the low power, high reliability, superior data retention and high endurance characteristics of this process platform for their automotive, industrial, consumer and IoT applications. We are pleased to introduce this eNVM solution on our 40nm platform, and look forward to bringing the high speed and high reliability benefits of SST to Toshiba and our other foundry customers."UMC's robust SST process performs according to JEDEC standards, with 100k endurance and more than 10 years of data retention at 85 degrees C and an operating-temperature range of -40 degrees C to 125 degrees C. In addition to the 40nm SST process, UMC has over 20 customers in production using the foundry's 55nm SST for a broad range of product applications.About UMCUMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry that provides advanced IC production for applications spanning every major sector of the electronics industry. UMC's robust foundry solutions enable chip designers to leverage the company's sophisticated technology and manufacturing, which include high volume production 28nm gate-last High-K/Metal Gate technology, ultra-low power platform processes specifically engineered for Internet of Things (IoT) applications and the automotive industry's highest-rated AEC-Q100 Grade-0 manufacturing capabilities for production of ICs found in cars. UMC's 11 wafer fabs are strategically located throughout Asia and are able to produce over 500,000 wafers per month. The company employs nearly 19,000 people worldwide, with offices in Taiwan, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States. UMC can be found on the web at http://www.umc.com.

Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc., a leader in advanced memory and analog IC solutions, today announced a family of high performance LED drivers, IS31FL3741 & IS31FL3742 to support LED matrices consisting of 351 & 180 LEDs respectively. With the introduction of these two devices, ISSI expands its FxLED driver family to offer the widest selection of matrix LED driver solutions for gaming, consumer and white goods applications. ISSI's LED matrix architecture provides designers with flexibility in controlling individual LEDs or an array of LEDs resulting in simplified color & dimming adjustment and lighting zone selection for a large array of LEDs.The IS31FL374x family of matrix LED drivers integrates many advanced features such as a configurable matrix (row/column) architecture, global dimming, individual LED peak current control registers, individual LED PWM control registers, individual LED open/short fault detection; all accessible via a fast 1MHz I2C compatible bus interface. Each LED has its own corresponding control and fault status register to provide individual LED color and dimming effects, de-ghosting and fault reporting for enhanced overall system performance and reliability. LED matrix architectures typically experience a "ghosting effect" where an LED remains dimly ON due to a residual charge in the LED array matrix. The IS31FL374x family eliminates this residual charge and therefore the ghosting effect. In addition LEDs can fail to turn ON due to an LED open or short condition without the knowledge of the system. The IS31FL374x family detects the failed LED condition, stores this in the open or short registers and generates an interrupt to notify the failure LED within the array.Compared to the traditional LED dimming control, the IS31FL374x family features individual LED peak current adjust called "Dot Correction" to adjust the brightness of the LED in 256 steps. This feature allows the user to adjust the color of LED to get the pure white color and keep 1.6 million levels of PWM dimming. It also allows the user to set different maximum current levels for different zones to get a better brightness balance."The growth in video gaming peripherals requires ever more customizable RGB LEDs synchronized to the gaming environment," said Ven Shan, ISSI VP of Analog products. "ISSI's latest family of matrix FxLED drivers provides peripheral designers with a feature rich, fast and flexible control of a large number LEDs; simplifying the integration and synchronization of the LED lighting effects for the high end gaming platforms."The signals required to support 351, or 180 LEDs are driven in a row/column multiplexed architecture which reduces device package size while resulting in fewer traces and minimal PCB area. The added advantage of driving LEDs in this row/column configuration is that no LED will ever be reverse-biased at any time thereby improving LED longevity. For applications requiring a huge array of LEDs, up to 4 IS31FL374x devices can be connected with one I2C bus.Key features and benefits of the IS31FL3741, IS31FL3742:- High LED Count - Up to 351 LEDs (39×9) matrix- 1/9 Duty Cycle Scanning- Higher average LED brightness- Theatrical Dimming – Three selectable smooth dimming scenarios for each LED- De-Ghost Function – Guarantees LED is either fully ON or OFF- Global Current Set - 256 steps Global Current Setting- 8-bit Dot Correction - Individual 256 DC peak current control steps- 8-bit Grayscale Control - Individual 256 PWM control steps- Fault Detection - Individual LED open or short detection with system notification- High Speed Interface - 1MHz I2C-compatible interface provides fast access to LED registers- Industrial Temperature – Operating temperature range -40 degree C to +125 degree C for high reliabilityPrice and AvailabilityThe IS31FL3741 is available now in a QFN 60 (7x7) package and is priced at $1.76 each in 2500 pcs quantities. The IS31FL3742 is available now in a QFN-48 (6x6) package and is priced at $1.29 each in 2500 pcs quantities.ISSI Analog Product LineThe IS31FL3741, IS31FL3742 are members of ISSI's FxLED Family of LED drivers which add an attractive multi-color aspect to any application. The FxLED driver family blends the Red-Green-Blue (RGB) LEDs to produce a broad range of predefined colors and sequences into 3 to 351 LEDs. The ISSI analog product line includes five different members; FxLED Driver, Audio Amplifier, HBLED Driver, White (Backlight) LED Driver, and sensor IC devices.For more information on this and other RGB LED products, visit the ISSI Analog products website at www.issi.com/US/product-analog-fxled-driver.shtmlAbout Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc.ISSI is a fabless semiconductor company that designs and markets high performance integrated circuits for the following key markets: (i) automotive, (ii) communications, (iii) industrial/medical, and (iv) digital consumer. The Company's primary products are high speed and low power SRAM and low, medium, and high density DRAM. The Company also designs and markets Serial/Parallel NOR and SLC NAND Flash Products and high performance analog and mixed signal integrated circuits. ISSI is headquartered in Silicon Valley with worldwide offices in Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, China, Europe, Hong Kong, India, and Korea. Visit our web site at http://www.issi.com/ISSI launches next generation family of matrix FxLED driver ICs

X-FAB today announced the availability of two new Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) IP solutions - a low power embedded Flash (eFlash) IP block and a NVRAM compiler. Both are based on the company's proprietary 180 nm XH018 mixed-signal CMOS technology and are targeted at applications requiring high reliability and field re-programmability while operating at low power and in harsh environments.The 128-kbit eFlash, which is available as an 8 k x 16-bit IP block is based on Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (SONOS) Flash technology. X-FAB has built up extensive experience and manufacturing excellence in integrating SONOS memories with conventional CMOS processes, ensuring high levels of data reliability. The IP block has been designed for low power mixed-signal applications and features a deep power down stand-by mode consuming a maximum of only 50 nA.The new X-FAB eFlash IP block is targeted at replacing standalone NVM memories and embedded One-Time-Programmable (OTP) memories in low power applications, enabling onsite program code updates. This means that it is highly suited to energy harvesting and remotely located Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, where power constraints and harsh environments need to be dealt with, but field re-programmability must be offered at a low cost.X-FAB has rigorously qualified the eFlash IP block to comply with the AEC-Q100 standard, so that it offers engineers an automotive-grade solution capable of operating across a temperature range of -40 degree C to 125 degree C. The SONOS technology enables reliable operation of the IP block when combined with high-voltage (HV) options ranging from 6 to 45 V. This is made possible by the NMOS, PMOS and DMOS transistors available with X-FAB's 180 nm XH018 process. High field reliability is enabled with a number of test modes explicitly designed to test individual memory bit cell currents and achieve 0 PPM in the field. Finally, special test modes have been designed into the IP to optimize production testing and minimize test time and cost.With this latest release, X-FAB's complements its existing NVM portfolio with this very low power option. Other available Flash blocks address automotive applications up to 175 degree C in read operation.Combining the fast read/write speeds of a conventional SRAM with the non-volatility of an EEPROM, the NVRAM compiler facilitates generating and integrating memories from 1-kbits to 16-kbits in a wide range of applications requiring fail-safe memories. The contents of the SRAM can be backed up to the EEPROM memory resource in the event of a power failure. This proves to be a highly desirable feature for safety-critical applications - such as smart meters, industrial control devices or data transfer systems. The NVRAMs can be re-programmed up to 100,000 times at 35 degree C and up to 10,000 times at 175 degree C. NVRAM blocks generated by the compiler can retain data for up to 20 years without battery power in high temperature environments (125 degree C). Innovations in the test logic integrated with the NVRAM reduce the test time by avoiding time-consuming measurements for low currents, thereby reducing production test costs.Thomas Ramsch, Director NVM Development at X-FAB, sums up the benefits as follows: "The combination of different NVM options with high-voltage features and low-leakage properties at a low mask count make the XH018 process a highly effective, reliable and cost-efficient solution for emerging energy harvesting and IoT devices. With the introduction of these readily available silicon-qualified NVM IP, we are enabling designers to focus on bringing their products to market faster and cheaper".AvailabilityBoth the eFlash IP block and the NVRAM compiler are immediately available via X-FAB's XH018 process for new designs. The two NVM options are based on the SONOS principle and only require two additional mask layers, making it a very cost-effective solution. X-FAB also offers wafer-level test for these IP blocks.For more information, please visit www.xfab.comXH018 very low power eFlash

Prices of memory chips, including dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and all types of flash memory, have rallied throughout 2017, buoying the business value of five of the top 10 semiconductor companies that design and manufacture chips. American and Korean players have long dominated the memory market and none of them is willing to start a price war. Accordingly, memory prices will likely continue to trend upward as the 2018 market outlook remains positive.The memory industry is characterized by boom and bust cycles resulting from the tug of war between market demand and production capacity. Aside from DRAM and 3D NAND, which require advanced fabrication facilities, industry players are no longer so readily building new semiconductor plants, but are instead offering combinations of different memory products to strike a delicate demand-supply balance.Amid the memory industry's explosive growth, Martin Lin, director, marketing center, Macronix, a Taiwan-based company specializing in the design and manufacture of non-volatile memory, recently gave a look into the flash memory market's recent turbulent changes and what its future holds.Widening gap between non-volatile memory supply and demandThe supply of non-volatile memory is experiencing significant changes. According to Lin, "Surging market demand is no doubt one of the factors that drives up memory costs. However, supply shortages play an even more influential role."Most flash memory manufacturers shy away from investing in new plants because construction of a 12-inch wafer fab costs at least NT$100 billion. Manufacturers will only consider investments in new plants for popular memory chips used in solid state drives (SSD) and smartphones, which can create a market value of more than US$50 billion per year and not for low-density memory, which accounts for a less than 5 percent share of the market value.Furthermore, the introduction of the first iPhone in 2007 completely changed the consumer electronics industry. Smartphones, with their widespread availability, have replaced once-popular electronics such as digital cameras, MP3 players, handheld game consoles and personal video players. Lin pointed out that excess supply of NOR flash reached a new high in 2013, causing memory prices to crash. Leading suppliers therefore chose to exit the low-density memory market and shifted focus to mainstream products such as 3D NAND flash.The world now has fewer than five remaining fab plants capable of producing low-density flash memory. What's worse is that manufacturers that used to be able to switch production between 2D NAND and DRAM no longer have this flexibility as they gradually upgrade equipment to 3D NAND production. As a result, the production capacity of flash memory can no longer return to previous levels. Supply has begun to lag behind demand and prices have been on the rise since 2016.Innovative applications revitalize opportunities for low-density flash memoryLin then talked about demand-side changes. After years of development, IoT applications began to flourish in late 2016 with a plethora of never-before-seen uses growing rapidly, and driven by smart city and smart home trends. These emerging applications using low-density flash memory (SLC NAND and NOR Flash) are throwing supply and demand further off balance. For example, shared bikes use low- to mid-density NOR flash for GPS positioning. Home appliances including refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and even vacuum cleaners and coffee makers are starting to come with IoT communication modules. In addition, new-generation smartphone displays such as AMOLED panels and SiP solutions (MCU+KGD), which replace embedded flash memory in MCU, both call for an extra supply of flash memory.An interesting example of application is the new smart electronic cigarette, which needs memory in order to work closely with a smartphone to gather data and keep track of the user's smoking habits. Around 10 million smart electronic cigarettes have been shipped in 2017 and 25 million units are expected in 2018 according to customer forecasts. The much sought-after smart speakers also use a large amount of SLC flash in low-end and mid-range models. As such, Lin expects low-density flash memory will continue to be in short supply through 2018.Quality sets Macronix apart from competitionThe world is closely watching the rise of China's semiconductor supply chain. Although China is building semiconductor plants on a large scale, product quality cannot be established overnight. Lin notes that Macronix is committed to perfecting its product quality and focused on serving the needs of international brands known for providing premium quality products and cutting edge applications. Macronix has landed orders from iconic world-class customers across sectors encompassing automotive electronics, telecommunication equipment, enterprise-level network systems, factory automation and smart healthcare thanks to the outstanding Macronix brand image built through solid product quality. It is able to fully leverage its brand advantage and stand strong against China's rising supply chain as vendors engaging in price wars pose no threat to Macronix.Looking ahead to future developments in the coming years, the market will continue to face a supply shortage in low-density memory and will not be able to fill the gap in the near term. In response to this, Macronix will enhance its customer service and satisfy customer needs with its production capacity. It will also step up efforts in the automotive memory market with a goal of taking a 50 percent market share.However, first and foremost, Macronix will strive to perfect production quality. With over two decades of refinement in production quality and capacity, Macronix has built a management system for quality control flows that include quick problem identification, reliable error detection and instant troubleshooting using internally-developed systems and analysis approaches. Quality control statistics gathered from shipments to European, American and Japanese customers over the years show that Macronix's quality has improved from being measured in parts per million (PPM) to parts per billion (PPB) in 2017. This will further help Macronix establish leadership in the automotive memory market.Lin emphasized that a growing number of electronics are being used in automobiles, such as advanced driver assist systems (ADAS), telematics systems and Internet of Vehicles (IoV) devices. In addition to high-density NOR flash that is already widely used, adoption of SLC NAND flash is increasingly common as well. Macronix is the world's first supplier capable of providing fully AEC-Q100-compliant SLC NAND flash for automotive use and is shipping such products to major tier-1 automotive electronics suppliers around the world. Further growth is expected for 2018 and beyond with new cars coming on the market.Professional non-volatile memory provider offers a complete product lineup and one-stop serviceMacronix has enjoyed soaring growth in 2017 with total revenues to top US$1 billion and expects future revenues to further ramp up with contributions from automotive electronics, factory automation and emerging embedded applications continuingly setting new records. Currently holding the largest market share of NOR flash and ROM and the third largest market share of SLC NAND flash commonly used in embedded systems, Macronix will have its new eMMC line ready for volume shipments in 2018. Meeting the needs of mainstream applications such as embedded systems, Macronix eMMC is poised to become an important product line in 2019 and open up additional business opportunities for the company.In terms of capacity expansion plans, Macronix looks to upgrade the production of low- and mid-density NOR flash to advanced fab process so as to boost output per wafer, which can raise capacity by 20 to 30 percent. Research and development on the next generation 48nm node is also close to completion.Macronix currently produces SLC NAND flash using 3x nm technologies, which accounts for 15 to 20 percent of the SLC NAND flash market. Its share of the global SLC NAND flash market will likely exceed 30 percent within the next few years as it advances to 1x nm process. With capacity expansion projects falling into place, coupled with agile planning in market differentiation and product applications, Macronix can maintain a level of price stability and demonstrate optimal brand value. This will enable Macronix to help customers maximize business success as it takes advantage of industry reshuffle and rises to the top.Martin Lin, director of marketing center, Macronix.Macronix ramps up efforts to gain market share in embedded non-volatile memory.

Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. (ISSI), a leader in advanced memory and analog solutions, today announced that it has begun sampling production units of automotive grade 512Mb Serial (SPI) NOR Flash. ISSI's SPI NOR Flash product supports a wide operating temperature range of -40C to 125C, making it ideal for the next generation automotive, industrial and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The 512Mb SPI NOR device exceeds the AEC-Q100 requirements and is PPAP ready. This extends our range of SPI NOR support from 256Kb all the way up to 512Mb density.The 512Mb SPI NOR is available in multiple package choices, namely the 16-pin SOIC 300mil, WSON 8x6 mm, and the 24-ball TFBGA 6x8mm 5x5 package, in addition to the KGD (Known Good Die) option. ISSI is also working on Multi-Chip Package (MCP) options of SPI NOR Flash and its' DRAM product line.Lyn Zastrow, VP of the Automotive Business Unit at ISSI explained, "With the proliferation of SPI NOR in almost every automotive application, this new density extends our range into some of the new high-end ADAS, Infotainment, and Digital Cockpit applications. Unlike many of our competitors, we can offer a SPI NOR solution from a very small density to a very large density. We continue to offer a complete portfolio of every technology.""ISSI's automotive grade SPI NOR Flash support applications with harsh environments that rely on long-term reliable system operation over a wide temperature range", said Anand Bagchi, Director Marketing at ISSI. "The addition of 512Mb SPI NOR Flash enhances our NOR Flash product line and provides our customers the ultra-reliable high-density SPI NOR option they are looking for."In addition to the SPI NOR, ISSI offers ISSI offers a multitude of DRAMs including SDR, DDR2, DDR3 and mobile SDR, LPDDR, LPDDR2; a complete line of both asynchronous and synchronous SRAMs with densities from 64Kb to 72Mb; and a broad portfolio of SPI NAND and parallel NAND Flash, including eMMC. ISSI also has a range of Known Good Die (KGD) memories in its portfolio.About Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. (ISSI)ISSI is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets high performance integrated circuits for the following key markets: (i) automotive, (ii) communications, (iii) industrial, and medical, and (iv) digital consumer. ISSI's primary products are SRAM, DRAM, Flash memory which includes NOR flash, NAND flash and managed NAND solutions (eMMC), and analog and mixed signal integrated circuits. ISSI provides high-quality semiconductor products and has been a committed long-term supplier of memory products. ISSI is headquartered in Silicon Valley with worldwide offices in Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, China, Europe, Hong Kong, India, and Korea. Visit our web site at http://www.issi.com/