The integration of sensors and microprocessors, monolithic integrated intelligent sensors with various functions, is the main development direction of sensors.
As the "sensation center" of electronic products, sensors are more and more widely used in consumer electronics, industrial, medical, automotive and other fields. YoleDeveloppement analyst Laurent Robin expects that between 2013 and 2018, the global MEMS sensor market will have a compound annual growth rate of 18.5%, and the market size in 2018 is expected to reach US $ 6.4 billion. As more and more are used in the fields of smart grid, intelligent transportation, intelligent security, etc., in addition to the basic functions, sensors begin to take on more and more functions of automatic zero adjustment, self-calibration and self-calibration, and have logical judgment and information. The processing ability can perform signal conditioning or signal processing on the measured signal, which requires it to have more and more intelligent processing capabilities, that is, to develop in the direction of intelligence.
In this regard, GeoffLees, senior vice president and general manager of the microcontroller division of Freescale, said: "There is no doubt that the Internet of Things will become another emerging industry in the global information and communication industry. The basic requirement of the Internet of Things is that things are connected, each Objects that need to be identified and managed need to be equipped with corresponding sensors. With the advancement of Internet of Things technology, sensors are required to not only have basic information collection functions, but intelligent information processing capabilities have also become an important basis for judging their performance. Because It is impossible to complete all calculations in the cloud, and each node of the network must also complete their own calculation tasks. "Therefore, the integration of sensors and microprocessors and single-chip integrated smart sensors with various functions have become the main development direction.
Jin Jiandong, director of the Chip and Microsystems Engineering Center of the 49th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, said that intelligent sensors are the result of a combination of microprocessors and sensors. It has the functions of detection, judgment and information processing. Compared with traditional sensors, intelligent sensors have many distinctive features, such as self-diagnosis and self-calibration functions, judgment and information processing functions, which can correct measured values ​​and error compensation, thereby improving measurement accuracy, and more Sensor multi-parameter measurement.
Challenges in digital-analog mixing process
There are many differences between the process technology of MCU and sensor, and it is difficult to achieve integration. Relevant manufacturers are closely observing whether they can realize the fusion of the two at the next process node (such as 28nm).
However, there are still many technical challenges in integrating sensors and MCUs, the biggest of which is process manufacturing. Jin Yujie, marketing director of NXP Semiconductors Greater China, said that MCUs and sensors need to use different processes. MCUs have more digital circuits and will use 90nm CMOS processes; more analog circuits for sensors. It is difficult and challenging to integrate products of two different processes on one platform. Yu Zhengde, marketing manager of STMicroelectronics' MEMS technology, said that the cost of smart sensors integrated with MCU will inevitably be higher. Whether it can be favored by OEMs is also a matter of concern to the industry.
However, Yu Zhengde also analyzed that because the current production capacity of MCU and MEMS is growing rapidly year by year, the market competition is very fierce, resulting in prices falling all the way, so the price competitiveness of highly integrated MEMS in the future will not lose to the traditional single Design, and can reduce the occupied space of the printed circuit board, is expected to have great market potential. Jin Yujie also analyzed and pointed out: "Integrating sensors and MCUs will be the future development trend, but the industry should follow its nature, such as CO2 sensors, humidity sensors, brightness sensors, etc. It is very difficult to integrate with MCUs. There are not too many shortcomings, manufacturers do not have to force; but for some types of sensors that are relatively easy to integrate, such as touch screen controllers, after the market demand has expanded, some manufacturers have already SoCized them, and manufacturers should quickly seize the opportunity. "
Freescale GeoffLees said: "Now the sensor technology is indeed developing rapidly and the integration is getting higher and higher. However, there are many differences between the MCU and sensor process technology, and it is currently difficult to achieve integration. We are closely observing whether it can be At a process node, such as 28nm, the fusion of the two processes is realized; now more attention is paid to some new packaging technologies, such as CSD packaging, MCP packaging, etc., which combines the sensor and MCU at the packaging level. "
Appropriate development of FABLITE and virtual IDM
The business model of MEMS sensor manufacturing is very important. In the long term, the FABLESS model will become the mainstream, but in the medium term, there will be FABLITE at this stage.
The Chinese sensor market has continued to grow in recent years, with an increase of more than 15%. In 2012, the four major areas of Chinese sensor applications were industrial and automotive electronic products, communications electronic products, and consumer electronics special equipment, of which industrial and automotive electronic products accounted for market share. About 42%, the market scale reached 16 billion yuan, and the overall market scale of sensors exceeded 50 billion yuan. However, at present, domestic sensor products are still far from meeting market demand. In particular, some MEMS sensors, automotive sensors and special sensors are still mainly dependent on imports. After smart sensors become a development trend, the manufacturing process will also become an important factor to test the domestic sensor industry. How can Chinese sensor companies respond to the challenges of special manufacturing requirements?
Suzhou Minxin CEO Li Gang said that the business model of MEMS sensor manufacturing is very important. At present, IDM model, FABLITE (light wafer manufacturing) model and FABLESS model coexist in the industry. In the long run, the FABLESS model will become the mainstream, but in the medium term, there must be FABLITE at this stage. Because in the early stage of industry development, the industrial chain is in the formative stage, not all production processes of all products will be supported by the industrial chain. Some industrial chains cannot be solved, and can only be solved by the enterprise itself. In addition, large-volume products can be outsourced; for some small-volume and multi-variety products, outsourcing is very difficult, and it is also manufactured by the enterprise itself.
Chen Datong, Managing Director of Huashan Capital, said that for industries such as sensors that require special process manufacturing, virtual IDM can be adopted. Those semiconductor products that require special processes, such as ImageSensor, PowerDevice, IGBT, Memory, etc., require IC design companies and manufacturing companies to work together to do well. For these products, the 8-inch production line can be done very well at present, and the amount of capital invested is not very large. It is entirely possible to use local governments as the main and joint participation of excellent enterprises.
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