3D IC and TSV interconnects - business update 2009 report

DUBLIN, IRELAND: Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "3D IC & TSV Interconnects - Business Update 2009 Report" report to its offering.

Market trends
The continuation of Moore's law by conventional CMOS scaling is becoming more and more challenging, requiring huge capital investments. 3D Packaging with 3D TSV interconnects provides another path towards the "More than Moore", with relatively smaller capital investments. Despite the impact of the economic downturn, 3D integration investments are strategic innovations and have continued.

We have identified as of today more than 15 different 300mm 3-D IC pilot lines running or being installed world-wide (within R&D centers, at packaging houses, CMOS foundries or within IDM fabs).

This year, several initiatives of key industry leaders happened such as STMicro for 3D integration in MEMS and CMOS image sensors, Elpida for stacked DRAM memories and Sony with the introduction of Backside illuminated (BSI) technology into its camera sensor products portfolio.

Strong dynamics in MEMS, CMOS image sensors, memory, analog and logic industries continue and will drive adoption of 3D TSVs to high volumes within the next decade. Additionally, new applications such as HB-LED silicon modules, solar and power components are also on the point to catch the 3D TSV trend and to benefit from this disruptive interconnect technology!

BUT challenges are still ahead!
3D infrastructure and supply chain is the biggest immediate issue we have identified for the broad adoption of 3D ICs. As many scenarios are possible for implementation of 3D TSV interconnects (via first/via middle/via last), a big question at the moment is WHO will take the risk to invest and will have the ownership of the realization of the different 3D TSV process steps (to be implemented in front-end, mid-end, back-end)?

As a result, we have decided to release this year one new report called "3D TSV Technologies & Scenarios: Via First or Via Last?". The analysis is focusing on the deeper understanding of the rationale behind these strategic technology choices to be made. It puts into perspective who is doing what at the moment, what alliances are forming at the horizon, which technology choices have already been made and for which applications?

I/O standardization between interfaces such as memory to digital layers is also a serious issue that needs to be fixed rapidly. Indeed, 3D integration of memory + logic ICs together is perceived as the next big wave for volume adoption of 3D TSV in the near future. Multiple applications are targeted, including CPU, GPU, DSP, FPGA, ASICs and basebands ICs that will be used in future cell phones, super-computers, network/storage systems, notebooks, automotive and medical processing units among others.

Thermal management and reliability could also reduce 3D ICs application space in the longer run. However, different solutions are currently underway in response to this possible challenge.

More silicon value is moving to the package
A recent trend more and more these days are 3D interposers. Based on silicon or glass, 3D interposers are next generation substrate technology which aims at replacing traditional PCB laminate or ceramic technologies for the sake of extreme miniaturization and performance.

This type of "intermediate 3D" is perceived as a "bridge" platform between today's 2D and future genuine 3D that will start beyond 2012-2013. Specific features like the integration of mature logic and analog functions such as IPD (integrated passive devices) will be key components in the effective commercialization of 3D interposers in the short term.

3D integration opens up a possible supply chain value change to all players as more and more value is now moving to the package in general. IDMs, Fab-less players, wafer foundries, packaging houses, MEMS players, substrate and PCB suppliers are all poised to take on more value in this new era if they all prepare for the investments it requires.

It is also astonishing to notice the rapid evolution of 3D thinking within the IC community: two years ago, the big unceasing question was "Why 3D?". Today, moving forward with the concrete implementation of the technology, questions are "When 3D?" and ""How 3D?". It is terrific to realize that in less than one decade from now, looking back at what has happened, we will be wondering "Why 2D?"

Tessera announces new chairman of the board

SAN JOSE, USA: Tessera Technologies Inc. announced that President and CEO Henry R. Nothhaft was appointed Chairman of the Board effective January 1, 2010. Nothhaft was formerly the Vice Chairman and is succeeding Bruce McWilliams, who served as Chairman of the Board since February 2002 and as a director of Tessera since June 1999. McWilliams will continue to serve as a director of Tessera.

“Bruce has provided great leadership to Tessera for over 10 years, and we are pleased that he will continue to serve on our Board,” said Nothhaft. “It is a privilege to succeed Bruce, and I am enthusiastic about taking on the additional role of Chairman of the Board. We have a strong management team at Tessera and an outstanding board of directors who are committed to ensuring that Tessera continues to create value for its customers, its employees and its shareholders.”

“It has been an honor to serve as Chairman of the Board these past seven years and to be a part of Tessera as both its Chairman and former CEO,” said McWilliams. “I look forward to continuing to work with Hank, whose strategic and operational expertise has positioned the company to take advantage of the opportunities in semiconductor packaging, imaging and optics, and silent air cooling.”

Arasan Chip Systems showcases comprehensive USB 3.0 IP portfolio at CES 2010

SAN JOSE, USA: Arasan Chip Systems Inc., a leading provider of Total Intellectual Property (IP) core solutions, announced that it continues to experience strong growth, fueled by its SuperSpeed USB 3.0 IP cores.

Arasan's portfolio of SuperSpeed USB IP will be featured in the USB Techzone [Booth #30769] at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas. The portfolio consists of a complete range of USB 3.0 Host, Hub and Device IP, verification IP, software stacks, hardware development kits and associated collateral that make up a Total IP Solution offering.

Arasan has over a decade of experience in USB IP development and has a team focused exclusively on the USB protocol. It has a comprehensive IP portfolio covering USB 1.1, 2.0 and now SuperSpeed USB 3.0. With a peak bandwidth of 5 Gbps, USB 3.0 will be deployed in new applications that were constrained by the lower bandwidth of USB 2.0.

In particular, USB 3.0 will benefit connectivity to mass storage drives, transfer of HD content in consumer electronics, and rapid two-way data synchronization. USB 3.0 includes new features to reduce power and improve the protocol efficiency which would benefit portable applications as well.

The first systems integrated with USB 3.0 ports are anticipated to appear in mid to late 2010. In order to ramp production by that time-frame, designers at fabless companies and OEMs have started integrating this IP into their SoC designs.

Arasan has already licensed its SuperSpeed USB IP cores to some of the largest semiconductor companies and Tier 1 OEMs in the world. These discerning customers have chosen Arasan's USB IP based on Arasan's domain expertise and thoroughly validated IP. In addition, Arasan has started development of a SuperSpeed USB PHY.

"With over a decade of experience in designing USB IP, our SuperSpeed IP portfolio enables designers to quickly integrate this de facto interconnect in consumer and portable electronics," said Prakash Kamath, Vice-President of Engineering at Arasan. "Arasan's USB 3.0 IP is currently being used in multiple SoC projects, backed by the confidence in our fully verified USB 3.0 cores."

"The higher bandwidth and new features supported by SuperSpeed USB will quickly establish itself in bandwidth hungry devices such as HD camcorders, media players, storage devices and netbooks," said Somnath Viswanath, Product Marketing Manager at Arasan. "Arasan's USB 3.0 IP enables this technology transition for an interface that consumers are already familiar with".

Arasan provides a "Total IP Solution" for its USB IP Portfolio consisting of RTL source code for IP cores, PHYs, Verification IP, software stacks, hardware development kits and documentation all backed by world-class customer support.

Nov. chip sales up 3.7 percent from Oct.; up 8.5 percent from Nov. 2008: SIA

SAN JOSE, USA: Worldwide sales of semiconductors rose to $22.6 billion in November, a 3.7 percent increase from October when sales were $21.8 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported today.

Sales were 8.5 percent higher than November 2008 when sales were $20.9 billion. Sales for the first 11 months of 2009 were $202.1 billion, a decline of 13.2 percent from the like period of 2008 when sales were $232.7 billion. All monthly sales numbers represent a three-month moving average of global semiconductor sales.

“For the first time in 2009, worldwide semiconductor sales in November were in positive territory compared to one year ago,” said SIA President George Scalise.

“2009 ended with sales of many IT and consumer products faring better than earlier projections. Sales of personal computers continue to strengthen in line with recent projections and appear to signal the beginning of recovery of demand from the business sector. The release of the Windows 7 operating system in October has been a positive factor. Unit sales of handsets should come in roughly even with 2008 levels. In the consumer space, there have been a few bright spots including LCD TVs, which saw an increase of 25-30 percent in units in 2009.

“With a sequential increase of 3.7 percent, November was the ninth-consecutive month of increased chip sales. Sales increased sequentially in all geographic regions,” Scalise concluded.

QNAP unveils world’s first Intel Atom processor D510 VMware ready certified, all-in-one iSCSI Turbo NAS

TAIPEI, TAIWAN: QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of world class NAS servers, NVR Video Surveillance Systems, and Network-based Video Players today unveiled its new series of ultra-high performance Turbo NAS servers TS-259 Pro, TS-459 Pro, TS-659 Pro and TS-859 Pro (a QNAP exclusive) that have been certified as compatible with VMware’s vSphere4 (ESX 4.0) virtualization platform, ideal for departmental file sharing, storage, and advanced server applications in the office environment.

Shared networked storage is an essential component of a Cloud Computing infrastructure. The new Turbo NAS series incorporates the Intel Atom D-510 dual-core processor, which delivers exceptional performance and maintains high reliability for multiple concurrent tasks and intensive data transfer with very low power consumption.

"QNAP’s new Business Series Turbo NAS servers really mean business,” said Richard Lee, President of QNAP Systems, Inc. “This new series provides businesses of all sizes a solid foundation for their network storage needs and a host of business-critical applications,” Mr. Lee added.

“Businesses of all sizes require feature-rich NAS systems with scalability and interoperability to effectively manage data across the network,” said Seth Bobroff, General Manager, Intel Data Center Group – Storage. “The Intel® Atom™ processor D510 provides a flexible architecture for QNAP to deliver a series of NAS systems that optimize performance and energy efficiency in this class of systems.”

The new Turbo NAS series comes with new version 3.2 of the QNAP NAS management software supporting lots of class-leading new features such as iSCSI, SPC-3 Persistent Reservation for clustering, and MPIO and MC/S. New DFS support (Folder Aggregation), import of user-list, customizable Daylight Saving Time, the next-generation Internet Protocol, IPv6, have been incorporated for future networking evolution also.

QNAP’s Web File Manager 2 features an entirely redesigned user interface and functionality for improved file sharing and management. WebDAV is also available for users to collaboratively share, access, and edit files over HTTP(S). Additionally, Apple’s Time Machine backup is now supported.

Trends 2010: Hot PC growth, component shortage, and tight packaging and testing

TAIWAN: According to DRAMeXchange, given the outperformed PC sales during Thanksgiving and Christmas, recovering global economy and new launch of Windows 7, PC shipment indicates satisfactory figures.

We have adjusted 4Q09 NB shipment QoQ from 8.7 percent to 11.9 percent, while in 2009, the overall NB shipment will be up 23.5 percent YoY to 160 million units. DRAMeXchange also upsided 2010 PC forecast to 315 million units with 13.1 percent YoY while NB shipment growth will be remarkably potential to 22.5 percent, which is determined to have strong momentum for entire PC shipments.

With the rebounding demand, continuously growing China PC market, and new DT/NB platform launch in 2010/1 by Intel, 1Q10 NB shipment decline will merely be below 10 percent, which is better than 15-20 percent, the historical pattern. 3Q10 NB shipment QoQ is very likely to reach over 30 percent, accordingly.

DRAMeXchange had seen the tight supply in PC component since end of 2Q09 given the recovering system shipment and conservative supply expansion by component vendors. With the hot season peak and inventory built-up for Windows 7, component supply had faced the severe pressure that ODD, memory, graphic and even passive components all faced degrees of tight supply even shortage that resulted in the lag behind between the real shipment and monthly forecast.

With the foreseeable NB shipment strong growth over 20 percent in 2010 while component capacity is still in tight supply by vendors, DRAMeXchange believes that the component supply will face overall tense while PC-OEMs and ODMs will aggressively secure the enough component volume. For that reason, we also see the upside forecast for PC-OEMs recently.

Meanwhile, high-end IC chips or semiconductors allocation will also like face tight supply given the unsatisfactory 40nm yield rate for semiconductor vendors and foreseeable full capacity in next two quarters. DRAMeXchange expect that PC vendors will likely advance the component preparation schedules to 2Q10 and hot demand is expected to impact on the slow season in 2Q10.

As for the Packing & Testing (P&T) business, DRAMeXchange think the DDR3 P&T capacity will face severe tight supply in 2H10 given the aggressive DDR3 migration to 60 percent, even 70 percent by PC-OEMs, and DDR3 will turn to the mainstream memory spectrum in 1Q10.

According to DRAMeXchange, DDR3 supply will reach 55 percent of total commodity DRAM in 1Q10 and 80 percent in 2H10. Generally speaking, DDR3 testing equipment settlement will take three to four months for pre-installment.

In order to fulfill the DDR3 P&T demand for 2H10, DRAM P&T vendors has accelerated the DDR3 testing equipment purchase and this movement has resulted in the tight capacity for DDR3 testing equipment vendors, Advantest and Verigy.

As for Taiwanese P&T vendors, PTI, FTAC, UTC and Walton show the most aggressive attitude toward DDR3 business. With the assistance from Elpida and Kingston, PTI dominated the DDR3 testing equipment volumes among other competitors that DDR3 testing capacity will be expanded again in 2010 with the potential business cooperation from Elpida, ProMOS and Winbond.

Benefited from the DDR3 migration from Nanya and Inotera, FTAC currently is aggressively negotiating the testing equipment purchase deal with vendors. UTC also decided to purchase DDR3 testing equipment to serve Nanya. Walton, which has built the good relationship with Elpida, will likely to expand the P&T capacity for the sake of 40nm DDR3 cooperation deal from Elpida and Winbond.

Symwave achieves world’s first USB 3.0 device silicon certification

LAGUNA NIGUEL, ISRAEL: Symwave, a leading silicon supplier of system solutions for SuperSpeed USB 3.0 devices, announced that its SW6316 USB 3.0 to SATA storage controller has achieved the world’s first USB 3.0 peripheral silicon certification by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF).

The USB-IF initiated the USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed USB) Compliance and Certification Program in September and is considered the gold standard for testing USB products.

The certification of Symwave’s device means that Symwave’s OEM customers can feature the "SuperSpeed Certified" logo on their products, giving consumers the ultimate confidence of interoperability, compliance, and performance as set forth by the USB-IF.

“Symwave has demonstrated several SuperSpeed USB 3.0 World’s firsts including a physical layer device (PHY), a single chip USB 3.0 to SATA storage controller, a dual-drive RAID storage controller delivering 400 MB/s, and now the World’s first USB 3.0 device certification. Compliance to industry standards is essential to the successful deployment and broad market adoption of any new technology, and the USB-IF demonstrated great leadership by launching a compliance program early,” said Yossi Cohen, President and CEO of Symwave.

“Working with the USB-IF team over many months at the forefront of the test procedures development was both challenging and rewarding. Our OEM customers' products can now prominently display the 'SuperSpeed Certified' Logo, which consumers have come to recognize as assurance that the product meets the highest standards.”