Dresden, Germany. Trends and innovations for low and ultra-low power integrated circuits are the focus of the Low Power Conference at the SEMICON Europa 2015 in Dresden, October 6-8. Event organizer SEMI said it expects more than 400 exhibitors and 6,000 visitors.
Energy efficiency and low power technologies in electronic components have major significance in Europe as European companies hold a strong market position in these application areas. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to automotive electronics and medical technology to future mobile communication, a broad range of application areas exist.
Two major European research initiatives are driving low-power IC technology developments. The first consortium, called “Silicon Impulse” at CEA-Leti in Grenoble, focuses on low power ICs. The eight partners, which include the chip manufacturer STMicroelectronics, are researching energy-efficient computer systems, ultra-low power solutions for the IoT, and robust chips for deployment in rough environments. The second consortium, called THINGS2DO (an acronym for “Thin but Great Silicon to Design Objects”) is composed of eight partners. The project focuses on the value-added supply chain for circuit development and design for fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) technology being adapted for the requirements of automotive electronics, aerospace technology, industry automation, and the IoT.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES recently announced that the company will invest $250 million in Dresden by the end of 2017. “Industrial competitiveness is increasingly driven by innovative chip technologies,” emphasized Rutger Wijburg, SEMICON Europa keynote speaker and senior VP and GM of GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “We see the new focus of our Dresden site on building energy-efficient, high-performance, and cost-effective 22-nm FDSOI chips as a great opportunity to keep pushing forward the development in areas such as Industry 4.0, the IoT, and a future-oriented, innovative automotive industry from Germany and Europe.”
At the Low Power Conference at SEMICON Europa 2015, Wijburg will explain the details in his keynote presentation on “Low Power Technology and its Application in SoC, Energy-Efficient Designs and IoT from a Foundry Perspective.” In addition, Olivier Thomas, representing the Silicon Impulse Consortium at CEA-Leti, will present on “FDSOI: A New Era for Energy Efficiency,” and Michel Haond, STMicroelectronics (Crolles), will present on “Why is Fully Depleted SOI Best for Ultra-Low Power?”
Materials and equipment for the semiconductor industry are still the main focus at SEMICON Europa 2015. Additionally, the event has grown to include imaging, power electronics, chip design, and packaging. The conference packages for Automotive, MedTech, and Industry 4.0 are also new this year. SEMICON Europa 2015 is co-located with the Plastic Electronics 2015, with conferences and exhibitions in the field of flexible, large area, and organic electronics.
