The smell of pine trees, patches of fresh snow, and brightly lit decorations mean the winter holidays are just around the corner. But exciting industry happenings aren’t over yet. As we near the end of 2018, let’s look back at the top events and news to take place in the semiconductor space.
In this article, we’ll give you the latest rundown of industry news and breakthroughs that happened in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Global semiconductor sales topped previous third-quarter sales
In October, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced worldwide sales of $122.7 billion during the third quarter of 2018. This is an increase of 4.1 percent over the previous quarter. “Three-quarters of the way through 2018, the global semiconductor industry is on pace to post its highest-ever annual sales, comfortably topping last year’s record total of $412 billion,” said John Neuffer, president and CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association.
USMCA will strengthen the global semiconductor industry
During the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, the leaders of U.S., Mexico, and Canada reached an agreement that supports North American manufacturing and the global semiconductor supply chain. If the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is successfully passed, it will be the first U.S. trade agreement to include many new and technical trade disciplines. These new additions will grow the North American economy and create high-paying jobs.
Key provisions include:
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Rules to prevent unfair restriction of commercial encryption products
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More robust protections for trade secrets
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Commitments to protect the free and open flow of data across borders
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Regulations to ensure state-owned enterprises compete fairly
For more information, check out the press release or this fact sheet.
SEMI launches new workforce development campaign
A workforce gap of up to 10,000 global positions in the semiconductor industry has brought a need to attract, educate, and retain top talent.
SEMI responded to this urgent workforce need by introducing a bold campaign to raise industry awareness and attract students who don’t know about semiconductor job opportunities. The campaign, You’re Welcome, underscores how important, yet underappreciated, this field is. Based on an entertainment and media approach, SEMI aims to spark interest among students with a movie trailer and a campaign website to tell the story.
Researchers discover a flexible alternative to silicon
Semiconductor manufacturers have used silicon as a staple in many electronic devices. However, researchers from MIT recently discovered alternatives that may outperform and replace silicon.
With a new technique called “remote epitaxy”, scientists found a cost-effective way to fabricate multiple films of gallium arsenide using just one expensive underlying wafer. The result: an ultra-thin semiconducting film. This technique can potentially help manufacture low-cost flexible solar cells, high-performing wearable sensors, and cell phones that attach to your skin.
Read this press release for more of this story.
Faster electrons improve semiconductors
A team of scientists from Tokyo has found a process to increase the movement of electrons in organic semiconductor films by two to three orders of magnitude. Faster electrons mean improved solar power and transistor use.
To optimize electron mobility, scientists need to control the nature of both crystalline and amorphous domains. The challenge lies in controlling the latter, a more difficult region in the semiconducting polymer landscape. By adding polystyrene, otherwise known as Styrofoam, it creates a flexible chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms to enhance the semiconductor polymer. This enables electrons to move quickly from plane to plane.
Learn more about this discovery here.
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