Media Coverage

While Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) have been used in data communications for over 20 years, there are a host of emerging applications that are boosting demand for VCSEL production and performance. These include less well-known applications such as infrared illumination/heating and atomic clocks, to better-known proximity sensing for automotive safety, high-resolution video display, and gesture/facial recognition. This article gives a broad overview of some of these applications driving demand for etch and deposition technologies used in the manufacturing of VCSEL structures on compound semiconductor wafers.

The Welsh Government has announced a new £1.3 million project to develop world-leading process technologies for a range of applications, including autonomous vehicles, novel devices for clean energy, future mobility, artificial intelligence, advanced packaging, and biosensors and wearable sensors. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the ASSET project (Application Specific Semiconductor Etching Technology) is funded under the Welsh Government's SMARTExpertise programme and is an industrially driven, collaborative project with partners across south Wales, including: SPTS Technologies, IQE, the Compound Semiconductor Centre (CSC), Biovici, BioMEMS, Swansea and Cardiff Universities, and Integrated Compound Semiconductors Ltd (Manchester).

Others see demand for different applications. “Our first-half demand was good for 200mm and smaller wafer sizes, notably on wide bandgap semiconductors for high-performance power devices,” said Kevin Crofton, president of SPTS Technologies and executive vice president at Orbotech. “For the second half, we are seeing a pick-up in all sectors, in particular, RF power amplifiers and filtering for 5G infrastructure, which are 200mm and 150mm wafer activities.” Recently, KLA completed its previously announced acquisition of SPTS/Orbotech. SPTS offers 200mm deposition and etch tools. “We never stopped building new process equipment for 200mm and smaller wafer sizes,” Crofton said. “MEMS, RF, photonics and power semis are made on silicon and other substrates based on 200mm, 150mm and 100mm.”

“iPhones and smartwatches are the building blocks of the future to pass data to our HMOs, but it has to be simple devices that monitor vital signs and blood chemistries that can be easily transmitted using RFID chips.” Find out what else Kevin Crofton, SPTS’ CEO has to say about technology megatrends and their impact on the semiconductor industry, as well as the human data experience that will take place when everything we do will have data associated with it.

A £50m project is aiming to be Europe’s leading centre for compound semiconductors such as gallium nitride and silicon carbide for LED, radio and power applications. The Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult will be based in Newport, Wales, with support from the University of Bath. It is about to appoint a chief executive and create a technology campus.  

Three years ago, US-Israeli printed circuit board inspection company Orbotech bought a semiconductor equipment maker in Wales in a surprise move. Today, SPTS retains its branding and is seeing a resurgence in LED manufacturing equipment and a range of opportunities for a new plasma dicing technology.

A £50m project in the UK is aiming to build the equivalent of the Belgian research company IMEC for compound semiconductors such as gallium nitride and silicon carbide for LED, RF and power applications.  

Vendors are taking a variety of approaches to boosting semiconductor quality and reducing time to market. Offerings range from instrument modules in PXI and LXI formats to complete test and related systems—and finally on to software that manages “data lakes,” applying AI/machine learning for analytics. Application areas are similarly varied—extending from analog to high-speed digital and on to RF, with wireless and IoT devices gaining considerable attention. SEMICON West, scheduled for July 11-13 in San Francisco, will provide companies an opportunity to highlight these products and technologies.

Three companies in the Newport and Gwent area are among six in Wales to receive a Queen's Awards for Enterprise for their contribution to international trade and innovation. The awards are now in their 51st year with a total of 176 businesses winning in 2017. Among the Welsh winners is Newport-based SPTS Technologies Group, which won in the international trade category.

Business Secretary Greg Clark today named the winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s 91st birthday. This included six businesses from across Wales who have been recognised for their contribution to sustainable development, international trade and innovation - including SPTS Technologies Group Ltd.