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April 2010 | Follow MIG on: www.memsindustrygroup.org · LinkedIn · Twitter · Facebook · MEMSblog
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Rich Duncombe, Distinguished Technologist and Strategist, HP, will be one of this year’s keynote speakers at MEMS Executive Congress 2010 (November 3-5, 2010, in Scottsdale, AZ).Currently, he is leading strategy development for the Technology Development Operation within HP’s Imaging and Printing Group, and driving several emerging HP business opportunities. |
Known for manufacturing MEMS print heads, HP is expanding its MEMS reach into innovative new market areas such as energy exploration and infrastructure monitoring. Another HP project, the recently announced Central Nervous System for Earth (CeNSE), ambitiously aims to deploy millions of MEMS sensors around the globe to enable real-time data monitoring and analysis.
Learn more about Mr. Duncombe in his expanded biography or his recent interview with MEMS Investor Journal.
For more information on MEMS Executive Congress, visit www.memscongress.com.
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- Get the inside scoop on the latest MEMS fabrication techniques, developments and opportunities
- Network and collaborate with potential partners and customers
- Hear from your customers about their technical challenges
- Gain knowledge from industry experts on MEMS integration and fabrication
- Attain tools to help you evaluate MEMS fabrication investments
METRIC 2010--MIG's 10th Anniversary member meeting--will be May 18-19, 2010 at the Wyndham San Jose. Register today at www.memsmetric.com!
Remember to book your hotel room by APRIL 26 for the $129/night conference rate! Use code 0515FSJME when booking online.
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Here's a quick update on several exciting activities MIG is planning in San Francisco for SEMICON West week (July 12-15):
MEMS Education Series: MEMS Test & Reliability Short Course
This short course (July 12, 2010, at SF State University’s Downtown Campus) will provide an overview of MEMS test and reliability assessment methods, with particular attention to related operational and financial issues. For more information and to register, visit www.memseducationseries.com.
MIG’s Annual Member Cocktail Party
Take a break from the show floor for some drinks and light refreshments at MIG’s annual member cocktail party on the evening of July 13 at nearby restaurant LuLu. More information and invitations will be sent out soon.
Meeting Rooms Available for MIG Members
SEMI is graciously extending MIG members the opportunity to book meeting rooms at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, across from the Moscone Convention Center. Interested parties should contact Jan Paul before April 30, 2010, for more information.
Fabrication and Foundry Issues Panel
SEMICON West will also feature a panel on MEMS fabrication, including several MIG members, moderated by MIG Managing Director, Karen Lightman. The panel will review the findings of METRIC 2010 and discuss opportunities in MEMS fabrication.
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Contributed by Jérôme Mouly, MEMS Technology and Market Analyst,Yole Développement
Total MEMS revenues from the Top 30 MEMS suppliers tracked by Yole Développement slipped 5% in 2009, as the worldwide downturn hit consumer and automotive sales. But innovation still continued to sell. Companies with new, high-end products managed healthy growth, led by an eye-popping 500% increase at InvenSense, Inc., rapidly building up a $95M business in gyroscopes for consumer electronics.
TI back on top, Bosch passes ST
Texas Instruments edged out Hewlett Packard to take back the number one rank in this year’s preliminary figures for 2009 MEMS revenues, as sales of its digital light processing chips held up better than did those of Hewlett Packards’ ink jet heads--and because TI made headway getting its DLPs into the new pico projectors starting to hit the market. Robert Bosch pushed past STMicroelectronics back into third place by maintaining steady revenues, as lackluster automotive sales were balanced by impressive results from its consumer subsidiary Bosch Sensortec, which Yole estimates achieved 125% growth. Bosch remains the world’s leading MEMS sensor maker.
Yole Développement tracks results of 250 MEMS developers and manufacturers worldwide, based on 2500 company contacts each year. The Top 30 totaled some $5.1B in MEMS sales in 2009, for about 72% of the $7B total MEMS market. Growth and diversification of the sector’s leading companies across an ever wider range of MEMS products and companies means long time giants TI and HP no longer dominate the market quite as much as they used to. The pair now accounts for only 25% of the Top 30 total revenues, down from 29% as recently as 2007.
The battle in inertial sensors
Most notable development this year is the developing battle the gryoscope market. “InvenSense grasped a business opportunity with their low cost 2- and 3-axis products,” says Yole CEO Jean-Christophe Eloy, noting that the Sunnyvale, CA, company got its product to market after only some two to three years in development, extremely fast compared to the usual 5-10 year MEMS cycle, and was able to ramp production five-fold quickly using foundry TSMC. The company was the first to develop a simpler package that caps the MEMS device with the ASIC, allowing easier packaging as part of the front end process.
InvenSense has introduced a 3-axis single-chip gyro for less than $3, and various inertial sensor module combinations. Coming next: an inertial measurement unit combining a 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer, and 3-axis magnetometer, apparently using the company’s own accelerometer. Likely coming right after that: stepped up competition in the consumer inertial sensor market, as STMicroelectronics and Robert Bosch counter with their own new products. “ST will fight back like anything in 2010, and it has incredible commercial power,” predicts Eloy. “And Bosch will enter the market with its incredible technology.”
Downturn reshuffles the automotive sector
The downturn particularly reshuffled the automotive MEMS suppliers. Panasonic rocketed up the list to more than $200M in sales and ninth rank with its gyroscope and stablizer unit, taking over much of Systron Donner Automotive’s business after that company exited the market. “Panasonic was very aggressive on price to enter the field,” says Eloy, noting also that key SDA customer Continental conveniently needed an alternative supplier to the Bosch products used by its competitors. Denso and Infineon, in contrast, each saw sales drop 30% or more to move down the rankings. Systron Donner and Continental Automotive dropped off the Top 30 list.
Results all across the highly diversified MEMS sector varied widely. While Panasonic managed an impressive 67% growth, as it capitalized on other suppliers exiting the automotive market, healthy growth at Dalsa Semiconductor (up 19%) and Micralyne (up 7%) indicated the growing importance of the MEMS foundry model. With its strong sales over the last two years, Dalsa is now the number one independent MEMS foundry worldwide. Avago Technologies (up 14%) and Kionix (up 10%) did well with FBAR filters and inertial sensors for consumer markets, respectively. And Boehringer Ingelheim Microparts continued to see steady growth from its drug delivery systems, primarily nebulizers for asthma treatement (up 3%). The rest of the leading MEMS companies saw sales stagnate or decline, several by 30% or more.
This wide range of markets and technologies among the leading companies means plenty of volatility in the rankings as well, in the far from mature MEMS business. New to the ranks this year are Sensata, Sensonor and Dalsa Semiconductor, while FormFactor and Colibrys no longer make the cut. Sensata, TI’s former sensor business, changed its business model to do MEMS design, as well as integration, so now has fabless MEMS design revenues that qualify for inclusion on the list. Sensonor, now spun back out of Infineon as a private company again, is generating sales of its own inertial sensor modules. And more customer development projects in the pipeline for years are finally starting to make it into the production phase at the specialty MEMS foundries, propelling Dalsa Semiconductor into the Top 30.
For more information about this analysis, please contact Jérôme Mouly, MEMS technology and market analyst (mouly@yole.fr).
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Contributed by Richard Dixon, Senior Analyst MEMS, iSuppli
Introduction
Back in February 2009 iSuppli MEMS and sensor team reported on trends in the automotive magnetic sensor market, and has since completed a comprehensive report on the whole market for silicon magnetic sensor elements and ICs – predominantly Hall, asymmetric magnetoresistive (AMR) and giant magnetoresistive (GMR) based devices. This article provides the cliff notes of our special report and briefly compares different technologies and highlights just some of the many applications for this very pervasive sensor.
Where do these sensors play? The fields are broad and include:
- High-cost applications like industrial motors that require accurate knowledge of rotor position to control loads
- Mid-priced automotive sensor ICs that measure rotation speed angle, and position
- Low-cost consumer and mobile phone products
Because of this wide variety of uses and products, pricing for such sensor ranges from less than 10 cents for simple switches to $0.50 for automotive sensors like wheel speed sensing up to several US$ for sophisticated programmable sensor ICs used in automotive or industrial motor control.
By technology, Hall sensor elements and sensor ICs make up by far the largest part of this market. A smaller proportion of the market for silicon sensors is for AMR ICs targeting higher performance markets, while a very small fraction of the market is served by GMR sensor ICs and switches, which will emerge over the next four years. iSuppli has also examined TMR and MEMS magnetic switches, but these devices respectively serve closed markets for read-write heads or niche medical today.
Hall dominates a tough market space
Silicon devices have many competitors. In particular, the Hall sensor IC, a low cost CMOS based device that benefits from high volume batch processing, integration of electronics and non-contact operation, must fight on price with established, low-cost incumbents like potentiometers, microswitches, Reed switches, not to mention inductive and optical approaches. In fact for certain applications like steering wheel angle measurement (used for vehicle dynamics systems) the number of competing solutions numbers five or more.
But silicon solutions - whether Hall effect or magneto-resistive – are increasingly taking market share from incumbent solutions, which can no longer compete as the demands on performance grow; to reduce the emissions in cars or to make smaller, highly-integrated sensors for the densely packaged PCBs of handsets. The more exotic 2-chip magnetoresistive, e.g. AMR and GMR (which can be single chip) devices cost more than Hall mostly for processing reasons but perform better and find their way into applications where performance outweighs cost, particularly the automotive and industrial markets, for example.
Hall devices also extend their performance using various techniques that concentrate the magnetic field and allow more axes of measurement (simple Hall is only sensitive to the perpendicular magnetic field) such as with AMR. This has led to 3D joysticks that begin to serve manual (and automotive) transmissions for gear selection or as an advanced PC mouse or gaming interface. Another trend is the use of linear Hall sensors to replace 2 or more (Hall or other) switches.
Hockey stick
Following a flat period in 2007 to 2008, the silicon magnetic sensor market is set to commence a period of strong growth in 2010 as demand surges from the automotive, industrial and consumer markets. As we reported in our last issue, 2008 and especially 2009 were very bad years for sensors, and the expected inflexion would have happened earlier – in 2009 – if it were not for the recession which afflicted many markets.
Market by segment for magnetic sensors 2006 to 2013 (iSuppli)
As it is, global silicon magnetic sensor revenues will now reach US$1.36 billion in 2013, up from US$821 million in 2009, a CAGR of 13%. This equates to slightly more than five billion magnetic sensor ICs and switches, up from about 2.8 billion units in 2009. So, what is driving the market in the next 4 years?
Generally, the fast pick up in shipments that began in the second half of 2009 and will now accelerate in 2010 and 2011 is a result of the refilling of inventories as the demand comes back on line in automotive but also as consumer confidence grows and sales of all kinds of consumer goods recover and indeed grow overall, as predicted by iSuppli analysts. And in fact, the magnetic sensor market only fell by -6% compared to the whole silicon industry, which was down by -12% overall—largely on the strength of the varied application supply base. Some applications are covered below.
Automotive applications drive sensor sales
Applications for magnetic sensors in today’s cars (iSuppli)
Many sensors are needed in today's cars, and many more will be required in the future. The body and powertrain segments show the greatest potential for new magnetic sensor penetration and will be important target markets for silicon sensors in the future. In the automotive body segment alone, the number of magnetic sensors and switches will grow from 6.7 on average in 2008 to 9.4 in 2013.
In engine management, emissions regulations mean crankshaft and camshaft rotation speed sensors need to be increasingly precise and older technology such as inductive sensors will no longer make the grade. One reason is that such devices cannot measure position at zero rotation and need high speeds for precision. This is good news for Hall and AMR sensors, and even GMR in future. Many other sensors are needed for position sensing of turbochargers, which will grow as engine downsizing gains in popularity, in addition to exhaust gas recirculation, electronic throttle position, etc.
Hall or other sensors are used to indicate the gear position at stop in a manual transmission. Generally, as transmissions become more sophisticated and the requirements of efficient operation grow more sensors will be used for position and ration speed, not just in automatics.
In the body (cabin) domain there are over 35 applications and growing for sensors and switches, mainly Hall is competing with low cost microswitches, Reed switches and potentiometers. Brushless DC motors are a major user of sensors when loads need to be measured, i.e. in an electric window. Stop / start systems are another interesting application that gains in significance.
Consumer electronics and appliances
Major categories for magnetic sensors include:
- Mobile phones
- White goods (washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, coffee machines….)
- Personal electronics (cameras, camcorders, MP3 players…)
- Audio / video / gaming
- Desktop and mobile PCs, external HDD, servers…
Inexpensive switches are needed to indicate when a washing machine or refrigerator door is shut, or a folding display in a phone, notebook or digital camera is open to control the display and save power, or to adjust motors that help a deliver sharp, blur-free pictures.
AMR sensors attach to the spray arm in a dishwasher to detect jamming (Danby)
Linear sensors and switches are used to provide fluid levels in automatic coffee dispensers found commercially or in the home. Meanwhile, mobile phones use sensors to control the display in clap and sliding phones and in emerging camera autofocus systems for linear position. PCs are another huge source for magnetic sensors.
Cell phones are a key device for magnetic sensor ICs and switches, especially because of the overall size of the market. The above mentioned display control is augmented by emerging applications for camera phone dust-cover status switches, angular sensors to detect the angle of a swivel display phone, and linear sensors for auto-focus and zoom functionality. Generally these are very low cost sensors in the single-digit $US cents range.
Electronic compass is a market hit in 2009
A major new product category - the electronic compass for GPS-equipped handsets - emerged in 2009. Many new GPS enabled Smartphones feature 3-axis silicon magnetometers in electronic compasses, examples being the Apple iPHone 3GS, Nokia N97 and new N900, and recent Motorola Droid and Google Nexus 1 phones, to name a few.
This represents a significant magnetic sensor market driver in the coming years, especially as the performance demands drive high prices towards the same cost structure as high-end automotive sensors today. Interest in this market is of course high and new players like STMicroelectronics have recently jumped in through a partnership with Honeywell (see news section).
The pedestrian application requires heading measurement resolution of around 5°/s or lower, which is fine for Hall sensors (e.g. from market leader Asahi Kasei Microsystems today) but also down to 1°/s or better for LBS services using pointing devices. This has allowed companies supplying high performance AMR devices like Sensitec (supplies AMR die to MEMSIC) to enter the market in volume in 2009 to help serve these applications.
An electronic compass aids an augmented reality program to display information about scenes viewed through the mobile phone camera (Courtesy LAYAR)
Industrial and medical applications
In the industrial space the market is smaller than consumer, white goods or automotive in units but the components can command much higher prices, e.g. several dollars up to $10 depending on resolution. This allows technologies like Reed, Hall but also higher performance AMR and GMR sensors to play. Often one AMR sensor can replace 3 Halls in a motor.
Major applications include industrial encoders and HVAC valve position sensing. Encoders convert rotary motion or position to a series of electronic pulses in a great variety of applications like computer numerically-controlled (CNC) machines, robotics position and factory automation.
There are numerous brushless DC motors and while not all require magnetic sensors to measure position of the rotor (as in this case there is only constant speed operation and no load changes), many use sensors where changing loads need to be monitored and managed.
Endoscopic capsule that can be swallowed (Courtesy Given Imaging)
Medical applications are highly varied but include defibrillators and pacemakers, hearing aids, prosthetic joints, smart pills, e.g. capsule endoscope, diagnostic or drug delivery fluid flow monitoring, syringe pumps (position or level) and general automation of lab equipment, e.g. electronic pipettes to name just a few. Prices are again higher than the mass market applications.
Supply Chain
The vast majority of unit shipments of magnetic sensors are for low-cost switches used in consumer electronics and appliances, PCs and notebooks - areas dominated by companies like AKM and Allegro.
Asahi Kasei Microsystems in 2009 stole the top spot in magnetic sensor revenues from Allegro Microsystems thanks to its leadership in the fast-growing electronic compass market. AKM is also the largest supplier in the world of Hall elements, e.g. for PC fans and all kinds of small motors used for example in DVD spindles, although the company begins to move upstream by adding addition electronics to make Hall ICs for more advanced monitoring in motors. It has a very diverse product portfolio, with only a small proportion for automotive, which helped it safely navigate the recent downturn. Likewise, Allegro splits its sales between automotive and consumer commodity markets.
Other major magnetic sensor players include Micronas, Infineon, NXP and Melexis, as well as emerging companies like MEMSIC, Sensitec and austriamicrosystems. The first four companies have strong automotive focus although Melexis does serve some cell phone suppliers with switches, for example. The latter three have more diverse portfolios. Sensitec is a die supplier and partners to supply automotive applications like wheel speed and mobile phone compasses. Unlike the MEMS market there is little foundry offer (X-Fab and Advanced Microsensors are prominent) and cooperation often takes place among the component suppliers.
Conclusion
Silicon sensors are outgunning competition from potentiometers, Reed switches and micro-switches by eliminating issues with wear, by incorporating electronics on-chip for more intelligence per area, on robustness, and on cost and size. Hall Effect sensors ICs and switches largely dominate the silicon magnetic sensor IC market, but increasingly, AMR and also GMR sensors are used for high-performance applications. Added to this, new applications opening up and the market perspectives for magnetic sensors look very attractive bright in future.
For more information, see special report H2 2009 “Magnetic sensors heading for big times”.
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Welcome to the newest members of MEMS Industry Group:
Midwest Micro Devices (MMD) (www.midwestmicrodevices.com)
MMD serves the MEMS market as a contract manufacturer, or foundry, of customer-specific MEMS devices, a business model
readily embraced in other electronics markets such as semiconductors and electronic systems. By design, MMD offers no
branded products of its own in order to focus entirely on the manufacturing needs of its MEMS customers.
Micromachine Center Japan (www.mmc.or.jp)
MMC is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to support the establishment of technological basis of
future Micromachine/MEMS, as well as to support the development of MEMS/Micromachine industries.
Nanoshift LLC (www.nanoshift.net)
Nanoshift LLC is a privately held development company that specializes in emerging technologies. Founded in 2005, it has become a leader in high technology research, development and fabrication. Its founders realized the need for fab-less process development and fabrication tailored for MEMS, microfluidics, nanotechnology, and more recently the solar industry.
Plasma-Therm (www.plasmatherm.com)
Plasma-Therm LLC is the global technological leader for providing thin film etch and plasma deposition equipment to a
number of high tech market segments and industries. These customer focused solutions are used in areas ranging from
university R&D to high volume production. Throughout our over 30 year history, Plasma- Therm LLC has valued our
customer relationships above all else, as proven by the numerous awards that we have won for providing exceptional
customer satisfaction.
MIG also thanks the following members that have so far renewed their memberships in 2010. MEMS Industry Group could not work to advance the global MEMS market without your support. We look forward to working with you for another year!
Acutronic USA
AEPI Grenoble-Isere France Economic Development Agency
ARRI-Automation & Robotics Research Institute
Asia Pacific Microsystems
Coventor, Inc.
IMEC
Robert Bosch Corporation
SUSS MicroTec
Tegal Corporation
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For more member news, visit the Member & Industry News section of the MIG website.
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Sensors Expo & Conference - June 7-9, 2010
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center - Rosemont, IL
www.sensorsexpo.com
Co-located with Embedded Systems Conference!
For 24 years, Sensors Expo & Conference has been the leading industry event focusing exclusively on sensors & sensor-integrated systems! The in-depth conference program features the world's leading authorities, in a carefully designed program, including topics:
- Energy Harvesting
- Wireless Networking
- Low-Power Sensing
- Bio-Sensing
- MEMS & MCUs
- Monitoring Tools & Applications
- Novel Approaches to Measurement
- Power/Smart Grid Monitoring & Control, and more!
PLUS save months of time researching, by examining solutions to your toughest sensing challenges from best-in-class vendors on the Expo floor! Whether you're looking to find the latest sensing solutions, evaluate emerging standards, find and compare suppliers, or solve new design challenges, you can't afford to miss Sensors Expo & Conference!
Register today at www.sensorsexpo.com using source code: F374H and receive $50 off a Gold or Main Conference Pass or a FREE Expo Hall Pass ñ just for being a member of MEMS Industry Group!
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MicroNano2010, the leading event for the Micro/MEMS & Nanotechnologies sector in Japan, will take place at Tokyo International Exhibition Center(known as Tokyo Big Sight) from July 28-30, 2010.
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Under the umbrella of MicroNano, “Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS 2010” and the brand new exhibition named “ROBOTECH” will be held together with several conferences and seminars.
One of the significant features of the last show was increasing internationalization of its participants. Ten percent of the exhibitors were from overseas countries such as Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA.
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This recorded the show's highest overseas exhibitor rate in its 20 year history. Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS is becoming a truly global business platform in the sector. Of course, we received many inquiries from overseas companies again this year!
Application deadline is 30 April 2010, or as soon as all space is sold out. Please feel free to contact the following organizing office for the application.
Contact: Ms. Yamanouchi / Ms. Yokoyama
Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS: info@micromachine.jp
ROBOTECH: info@robotechexpo.jp
The Exhibition on surface technology, SURTECH2010 will be held concurrently with Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS and ROBOTECH in 2010!
“SURTECH” organized by the Surface Finishing Society of Japan is a specialized exhibition on surface technology such as thin coating, paint application and thermal process. Since its first appearance as “MET Show” in 1962, the exhibition has served as a perfect meeting point among the professionals in the related industry. As both surface technology and micromachine and nanotechnology are used at the similar industrial field, holding SURTECH and MicroNano concurrently will also bring synergistic effect to both events.
For more information, visit our website www.micromachine.jp/en/
Date: July 28-30, 2010[Wed. to Fri.] 10:00a.m.–5:00p.m.
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight East Hall 5
Participation fee: JPY 367,500 (5% tax included. Raw space only)
Sponsor: Micromachine Center
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SEMICON Taiwan Launches MEMS Pavilion: MIG Members Get 10% Discount!
As MEMS technology is widely applied into mobile phones, game consoles and consumer products, the global MEMS market is booming! According to Yole Développement, the global MEMS foundry market will grow 25% in 2011, and experience another 30% growth in 2012. Meanwhile, the CAGR of MEMS devices is expected to reach 13% from 2006 to 2011. Forecast also indicate that the MEMS equipment market will achieve US$0.5B while some equipment suppliers foresee double growth in MEMS equipment sales in Taiwan.
SEMICON Taiwan launched MEMS Pavilion in 2009 and key suppliers such as Ahead Opto, APIC, Applied Microstructures, IMUS, Infineon, Knowles, Metrodyne, Robert Bosch, SPEA, Spriox, STMicroelectronics, SUSS Microtec all presented in the show. More players from the world’s MEMS industry are expected to show up in 2010!
To help exhibitors stand out from the crowd, SEMI packed the MEMS Pavilion with a museum, product displays, technology presentations and a technology forum, plus free PR opportunities.
In 2009, MEMS Museum presented the MEMS technology development and arranged daily guided tour to introduce the technologies from exhibiting companies. Key sponsors presented at SEMICON Taiwan 2009 MEMS museum include ADI, Bosch, NCTU, IMU Solutions, Infineon, ITRI, Knowles, Metrodyne and STMicroelectronics.
Besides the Museum, SEMI also hosted an Innovative Technology Center for exhibitors to present their solutions, plus a MEMS International Forum for the key players from the MEMS industry to share the latest technology trends. Participation in SEMICON Taiwan MEMS Pavilion provides you a most cost effective way to raise brand visibility, seek partners and explore new business opportunities in Taiwan!
Only NT$ 100,000 can get you a 3mx3m decorated booth, a 30 minute talk and free promotional opportunities. SEMI also offers a 10% discount for MIG members to exhibit at SEMICON Taiwan MEMS Pavilion. Contact SEMI now for detailed information and exhibiting:
Ms. Ana Li
TEL: 886-3-573-3399 ext. 224
Website: www.semicontaiwan.org
Email: ali@semi.org
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