Next workshop in the series is scheduled to take place fall of 2015
More than 50 industry leaders and experts, including representatives from leading companies, national laboratories and universities recently shared their insights and provided guidance on high volume manufacturing of novel materials for advanced sensors as part of a technology roadmapping workshop coordinated by the International Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research (ICAMR). Held during the premier global microelectronics event, SEMICON West 2015, the workshop is one in a series that will provide direction to ICAMR’s overarching programs and facility/equipment plan and enable it to serve as a provider of advanced manufacturing processes on a global scale for emerging products.
The development of a technology roadmap is a crucial step for the high volume production of smart sensors and other advanced devices that meet the requirements for smart manufacturing, the future of the defense market, and the consumer Internet of Things (IoT), among others.
This initial workshop, which also served to introduce ICAMR to the international microelectronics industry, focused on high volume manufacturing of III-V and other novel materials on Silicon-based wafers for smart sensors, photonic, and semiconductor applications. The workshop included presentations related to manufacturing concerns and innovation needs, and active discussions with participation from industry statesmen including technical leaders from organizations such as Raytheon, Sandia National Labs and Aixtron.
“This was an outstanding knowledge-sharing event and provides us with excellent insight into the key issues and challenges that need to be addressed in the development of advanced sensors and other intelligent devices,” said Dan Holladay, Executive Director, ICAMR. “It’s a crucial part of our mission to identify these challenges, form the technology roadmap, and develop the innovative manufacturing processes to achieve these smart sensors, photonics, optics and other advanced technologies.”
Several preliminary ICAMR workshops have been held around specific applications. Going forward, workshops in the series will thoroughly address deeper investigations into those challenges defined in the SEMICON West workshop, as well as addressing packaging, 3D integration concepts, and others. The next ICAMR workshop in the series will take place in the fall. Details soon will be made available at www.icamr.net.
“Leading analysts and market researchers are predicting that the next disruptive market explosion will be ‘semiconductor-based’ connected devices, led by advanced sensors and complementary photonic devices,” said Holladay. “ICAMR serves as a foundation for the manufacturing development of these devices, and as a catalyst for innovations in semiconductor-based multi-material CMOS platforms.”
Currently under construction in Osceola County, Florida, the ICAMR state-of-the-art research and manufacturing facility will provide more than 100,000 square-feet of lab and office space to research advanced manufacturing techniques for the above referenced devices. By leveraging unique materials, processes, and background intellectual property, ICAMR will establish a manufacturing development center pursuing universal technology platforms with the economy of scale needed for cost-effective manufacturing. The facility is made possible thanks to the efforts of Osceola County, University of Central Florida, Florida High Tech Corridor, State of Florida, and a number of other Florida-based partners.
By 2017, global industry leaders and business experts predict that smart sensors will be the dominant product for semiconductor manufacturing and the pervasiveness of sensors will be the catalyst for growth and technology advances in nearly all industries.
This initial ICAMR workshop focused on high volume manufacturing of III-V materials, such as Gallium Nitride (GaN), Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), and Indium Phosphide (InP), because of their potential to meet the growing demand of devices requiring low cost and high conversion efficiency coupled with high reliability and an increase in functionality and applications, particularly in harsh environments. These demands have led semiconductor technology development to look beyond Silicon. Workshop participants identified and discussed the key challenges—material deposition, environmental safety and process contamination control—associated with the III-V integration on a Silicon-based platform for high volume manufacturing. Other workshop topics included modeling, testing, reliability, packaging, and pre-competitiveness and market penetrating issues, all of which will be considered as part of the ICAMR-led technology roadmap effort.
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ABOUT ICAMR
The International Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research (ICAMR) invites leading global companies requiring next-generation, high performance solid state devices—advanced sensors, photonic devices, 3D integration, and other semiconductor products—to participate in a consortium with an open innovation platform. ICAMR is initially targeting the mega-growth technologies that will lead to over 50 billion connected devices by the beginning of the next decade. ICAMR will develop innovative manufacturing-based materials, processes, and equipment by leveraging unique emerging technology capabilities and background intellectual property. ICAMR will establish advanced lab/fab and universal technology platforms with the economy of scale needed for cost-effective manufacturing. ICAMR is located in the FARM—a research park offering acres of permitted building space for those who wish to focus on the development of advanced manufacturing technologies and take advantage of dedicated space without issues associated with permitting and utilities. For more information, please visit icamr.net.