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Microfluidic point of need (PoN) tests require just a fraction of a sample in order to analyze and interpret data. This approach has grabbed the attention of several semiconductor players that are now starting to show interest in the fields of life sciences, microfluidics, and diagnostics.

KLA-Tencor announced two new defect inspection products, addressing two key challenges in tool and process monitoring during silicon wafer and chip manufacturing at the leading-edge logic and memory nodes. The Voyager^TM 1015 system offers new capability to inspect patterned wafers, including inspection in the lithography cell immediately after development of the photoresist, when the wafer can be reworked.

FOWLP is the fastest-growing packaging platform, adopted for various applications from mobile and automotive to medical and packaging, for both low-end (i.e. audio codecs) and high-end devices (i.e. APU). However, cost is still a concern compared to other mature packaging platforms, and end-customers are always pushing for a lower price.

Though VCSEL (vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers) have existed for 20+ years, they were relatively unknown until Apple used three of them in the iPhoneX to enable its 3D sensing and facial recognition functions (it is worth noting that in 2016 and 2017, Lenovo and Asus both implemented similar functionalities in their phones).

The SiC power market is now on the road, asserts Yole Développement (Yole). Therefore, since 2017, the market research and strategy consulting company identified more than 20 strategic announcements, showing the dynamism of this market and attractiveness of the technology. Rohm, Bombardier, Cree, SDK, STMicroelectronics, Infineon Technologies, Littelfuse, Ascatron and more are part of the powerful ecosystem, presenting innovative products and revealing key partnerships and/or M&A .

The Chinese government has created a strategic plan to comprehensively upgrade the country’s industrial sector and make China a major player that is independent from other countries. This plan, “Made in China 2025”, includes a focus on pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Companies involved in these sectors will benefit from almost unlimited funding by 2025, with the goal to compete with foreign industries and retake significant market share. As a key tool for diagnostics and life sciences applications, microfluidic technology will surely benefit from this massive spend. The Chinese diagnostics market is currently dominated by large international companies like Roche and Abbott, but new Chinese companies are rising up to compete with them….