News
PALO ALTO, CA — Frost & Sullivan today named Plextronics Inc. recipient of the 2005 Technology Innovation of the Year Award in the field of printed electronics. The award recognizes the company’s significant contributions toward the development of conductive polymer technology, trademarked Plexcore, which will help enable broad market commercialization of a wide variety of organic electronics devices.
Frost & Sullivan makes the award annually to a company that has carried out new research, which has resulted in innovation(s) that have or are expected to bring significant contributions to the industry in terms of adoption, change, and competitive posture. The Award recognizes the quality and depth of a company’s research and development program as well as the vision and risk-taking that enabled it to undertake such an endeavor.
"An intimate understanding of the relationship between polymer structure, the resulting physical properties of the polymer, and finally its impact on the performance of organic electronic devices have been applied in the conception of Plexcore technology," said Frost & Sullivan research analyst Archana Jayarajah. "The company’s core technology is based on regioregular polythiophenes that have excellent physical and electrical properties and scalability - the key factors for its successful market application."
Plextronics approach to the design and synthesis of conductive polymers has helped the company’s researchers tailor fundamental material properties such as structure, molecular weight, polydispersity, energy level, and end-group functionality for specific end-user needs. The ability to control these variables has enabled the development of application-specific polymer technologies that cost effectively maximize device performance and has resulted in innovations that are patentable and virtually difficult to replicate.
Products based on the Plexcore technology include Plexcore OS, Plexcore HIL, Plexcore PV, and Plexcore TS. Plexcore OS is an organic semiconductor that can help in the fabrication of a new class of low power electronic devices. Plexcore HIL is a solvent-based ink that when printed using spin-cast or inkjet techniques forms transparent, partially conductive thin-films referred to as a ‘hole injection layers’. Plexcore PV, a class of semi-conductive polymers, can strongly absorb sunlight and generate electric charges required to function as a solar cell. Plexcore TS, a solvent-based ink, can be printed using spin-cast or inkjet techniques to form transparent, highly conductive, flexible thin-films.
On the whole, organic electronics is still a relatively new field in which only a few companies can claim to have substantial expertise. Plextronics, on the other hand, benefits from over 15 years of innovation in this area and its core technology has already helped catalyze the development of conductive polymers toward broad commercialization.
"Plextronics’ core technology has
catalyzed the development of conductive polymers toward broad
commercialization. Few companies in this field offer materials and
formulation expertise as well as extensive device fabrication
capabilities," said Jayarajah.
Although the ASP decline since February strongly resembles that of the 2001 recession, AFI said, today’s situation is different and substantially more optimistic. “Overheating of IC revenues and IC units relative to their forecasted underlying demand is a non-issue, whereas in 2000 it was significant,” said Rosa Luis, director of marketing and sales.
The situation also differs from 2000 in which the forecasted growth rate of underlying demand sustained a decline while at the same time IC sales continued to soar, exacerbating the gap between the true demand and actual shipments.
“The current robustness of IC unit sales corroborates our forecast for fab utilization that showed growth into Q4 2005. As IC units continue to grow, fab utilization rates will increase until supply is constrained, forcing prices upward,” said Luis.
“Fab capacity utilization has been an accurate measure of the health of the semiconductor industry. Fab capacity stood at 1.44 million wafers per week (8” equivalent) and its utilization reached 89% in Q2 2005, up from an 86% minimum point in Q1 2005, in line with our forecast,” said Luis.
In comparison, foundries were operating at 83% utilization in September, significantly lower than the 99% level of a year ago, and partially due to the increased foundry capacity of 35% during the last year.
State-of the-art (300mm) fab capacity doubled since Q1-04 to 100K wafers per week. Its utilization hovered around 91% in Q2-05, slightly below the previous quarter’s level of 93%.
The challenge of tin whiskers – the small protrusions of tin that can grow from tin-plated surfaces, causing electrical short circuits – has plagued the electronics industry for years. Concern has recently accelerated with the use of lead-free solders that are high in tin content.
Especially troublesome for high reliability applications such as military, medical and automotive manufacturing, research into the cause – and cure for – tin whiskers continues. Most agree that the whiskers are caused by the compressive stress of the tin-plating process.
Topics will include causes and types of tin whiskers; prevention of whiskers; and where to find additional information on the phenomenon.
For more info. and to register, visit speedlinetech.com/seminars
Topics will include:
How to select, cure and apply different coating materials (aqueous, acrylic, silicone, and heat-humidity cure materials);
Fluid jetting processes and material applications, including the advantages of non-contact jetting underfill and other fluid materials for electronics assembly;
Live demonstrations of coating and jetting applications on equipment.
There is no fee, but a reservation is required by Nov. 1. Visit: asymtek.com/news/seminars/southeast_2005/default.htm
For the quarter ended Oct. 2, net sales were up 17% and net income doubled sequentially.
GUADALAJARA – Electronics manufacturing in Guadalajara
is recovering, sometimes even at the expense of China.
Electronics exports – mostly telecom and computer equipment – from the
region
are expected to rise 10% this year, to a record $11.3 billion. The city
was the site of the annual Mexitronica trade show this week.
SEMI releases specs three times per year. The Nov. 1 batch of eight new technical standards are applicable to the semiconductor, flat panel display and MEMS manufacturing industries.
They are available in CD-ROM format or can be downloaded from the SEMI Web site. View the complete list at: http://downloads.semi.org/pubs/wstdsbal.nsf/NewPubsList.
"Our third quarter results are a clear indication that our strategy is working as we delivered double digit growth in sales and net income," said president and CEO Cary T. Fu.
Operating margins were 2.3%, up from 1.8% a year ago
The comany guided for Q4 revenue of $1.9 billion to $2.1 billion, and adjusted net earnings of $0.10 to $0.18.
Income and earnings per share from continuing operations were at their highest levels since the third quarter of 2000.
services, will build a manufacturing operation in Ostrava, on the eastern border of the Czech Republic. Production is expected to start mid-2006. The facility will initially manufacture automotive products for the European market.
In a press statement, vice president and general manager of CTS automotive products Jeff McCurley said, "Our European sales are projected to double in the next five years. Expansion of our European manufacturing presence to the Czech Republic will better serve our European automotive customers. Locating our new plant in Ostrava offers low costs, availability of technical skills and necessary manufacturing infrastructure," added McCurley.
Price inflation has been rampant for such materials as hydrocarbon-based products, copper and even oil. In a press release, Tim McCloskey, vice president sales, Americas, said, “Recent increases in the prices of all hydrocarbon-based products are having a significant impact on the cost structure throughout the Isola product line. In addition, rising oil prices have increased operating costs through higher natural gas prices and freight surcharges. Copper prices continue at record levels in the commodity markets, driving recent increases from the producers of electrodeposited copper foil."
"Our goal is to keep any potential increase in the 8 to 10% range. While we regret that this action may be necessary, it is quite clear that the entire supply chain in electronics manufacturing is similarly affected”, said McCloskey.
Recently, a pair of major Japan-based laminate producers raised prices about 10%.
An announcement detailing the pricing for Isola products is anticipated in the coming weeks.
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- Distron Corporation Becomes First U.S. Electronics Manufacturer to Deploy Keiron’s LIFT-Based Precision Printing Technology
- AIM Solder Appoints Angel Lopez as Technical Support Engineer in North America