Global Semiconductor Sales Up 22.1% Y-T-Y in October

WASHINGTON—Dec. 5, 2024—The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) today announced global semiconductor sales hit $56.9 billion during the month of October 2024, an increase of 22.1% compared to the October 2023 total of $46.6 billion and 2.8% more than the September 2024 total of $55.3 billion. Monthly sales are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average. SIA represents 99% of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms.

Source: Global Semiconductor Sales Increase 22.1% Year-to-Year in October; Annual Sales Projected to Increase 19.0% in 2024 – Semiconductor Industry Association

Purdue Researchers Take Aim at Counterfeit Chips 

The global chip industry is facing an ongoing shortage of new chips and a surge of counterfeit chips. Valued at $75 billion, the latter introduces substantial risks of malfunction and unwanted surveillance. In response, a group of researchers from Purdue University are proposing an optical anti-counterfeiting detection method for semiconductor devices. The detection method can stand up to adversarial tampering features (i.e., malicious package abrasions, compromised thermal treatment and adversarial tearing).

Source: Purdue Researchers Take Aim at Counterfeit Chips | Supply Chain Connect

Report Projects U.S. Will Triple Semiconductor Capacity by 2032

A report from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) estimates that the U.S. will triple its capacity for semiconductor manufacturing between 2022 and 2032. That time frame starts with the signing of the CHIPS and Science Act in August of 2022, which authorized $280 billion in federal funding for semiconductor manufacturing and research in the U.S. It included billions in manufacturing subsidies, tax credits, and workforce training, in an effort to reduce the nation’s reliance on importing semiconductors from China and Southeast Asia.

Source: New Report Projects U.S. Will Triple Semiconductor Capacity by 2032 | SupplyChainBrain

SiC Innovations Advance Space Power Technology 

In the pursuit of ambitious space exploration, NASA’s technology roadmap underscores the critical need for advancements in power and energy storage. Driven by the imperative to support extended missions to Mars and beyond, NASA’s objectives demand cutting-edge solutions. The threat of radiation-induced failures in power semiconductor devices poses a significant challenge. In an interview with EE Times, CoolCAD Electronics co-founder and CTO Akin Akturk stressed this issue, noting the importance of robust technologies to withstand space radiation hazards. CoolCAD is pioneering the development of semiconductor devices based on silicon carbide (SiC), engineered for resilience in extreme environments.

Source: SiC Innovations Advance Space Power Technology – EE Times

SEMI reports a 5% decline in global silicon wafer shipments for Q1 2024 

The SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) reported that global silicon wafer shipments declined by 5.4% quarter-over-quarter to 2,834 million square inches in the first quarter of 2024. This represents a 13.2% decrease compared to the 3,265 million square inches recorded in the same quarter of the previous year. Lee Chungwei, Chairman of SEMI SMG and Vice President and Chief Auditor at GlobalWafers, stated that the decrease in utilization of integrated circuit fabrication facilities and the adjustment of inventory resulted in negative growth for all wafer sizes in the first quarter of 2024. Polished wafer shipments experienced a slightly greater decline compared to EPI wafer shipments when comparing year-over-year figures.

Source: SEMI reports a 5% decline in global silicon wafer shipments for the first quarter of 2024 – Power Electronics News

Global semiconductor equipment sales to reach US$124B in 2025

Global sales of total semiconductor manufacturing equipment by original equipment manufacturers are forecast to reach US$100 billion in 2023, a contraction of 6.1% from the industry record of US$107.4 billion posted in 2022, according to SEMI. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment growth is expected to resume in 2024, with sales forecast to reach a new high of US$124 billion in 2025, supported by both the front-end and back-end segments, SEMI indicated.

Source: Global semiconductor equipment sales to reach record US$124 billion in 2025, says SEMI

The State of SiC: A Roundup of SiC Supply Cuts, Booms, and More

While some companies are scaling back SiC procurement in response to supply chain constraints, others are ramping up manufacturing and even developing SiC-focused simulation software.

Source: The State of SiC: A Roundup of SiC Supply Cuts, Booms, and More – News

GaN-based Solutions Emerge To Meet Control and Charging Needs 

In recent years, the electronics industry has witnessed a paradigm shift in power management solutions, particularly in the realm of charging devices. The advent of gallium nitride (GaN) technology has revolutionized the way engineers approach power conversion and delivery systems, effectively challenging the long-standing dominance of silicon-based chargers.

Source: GaN-based Solutions Emerge To Meet Control and Charging Needs – News

Global Semiconductor Sales Decrease 4% in February 

WASHINGTON—April 6, 2023—The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) today announced global semiconductor industry sales totaled $39.7 billion during the month of February 2023, a decrease of 4.0% compared to the January 2023 total of $41.3 billion and 20.7% less than the February 2022 total of $50.0 billion. Monthly sales are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average. SIA represents 99% of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms.

Source: Global Semiconductor Sales Decrease 4% Month-to-Month in February – Semiconductor Industry Association

The Transistor at 75: The First Makers, Part 2 

Part 1 of this article discussed the spark that ignited the commercial semiconductor industry. It was the 1952 Transistor Symposium conducted by Bell Telephone Laboratories (BTL). A book published by BTL called A History of Engineering and Science in the Bell System: Electronics Technology (1925-1975) stated that twenty-six domestic and fourteen foreign transistor licensees of the BTL transistor patents attended the symposium.

Source: The Transistor at 75: The First Makers, Part 2 – EEJournal

The Transistor at 75: The First Makers, Part 1 

Last November, our industry celebrated the 75th anniversary of the announcement by Bell Telephone Labs (BTL) of the transistor’s birth. I knew that many facets of the transistor’s invention would be well covered so I didn’t plan to add an article to this pile because I didn’t feel I had much to improve upon what would be written. However, I did read several of these articles including the excellent article titled “The Surface State Job,” written by my friend David Laws – writer, photographer, and Semiconductor Curator at the Computer History Museum. What I read made me ask one simple question. At least, I thought it was a question with a simple answer.

Source: The Transistor at 75: The First Makers, Part 1 – EEJournal

Panthronics Introduces Single-Chip Solution for NFC Wireless Battery Charging

Panthronics AG has released the industry’s first integrated, single-chip solution for the listener circuit in NFC wireless charging systems. The PTX30W is an integrated solution that is easier to implement than a circuit made of multiple discrete components. The fully autonomous chipset runs an NFC Forum-derived wireless charging protocol that supports power negotiation. This means that the PTX30W can operate in stand-alone mode with no need for an external microcontroller to run NFC wireless charging operations.

Source: Panthronics Introduces Single-Chip Solution for NFC Wireless Battery Charging