semiconductor materials needed to manufacture display screens brands

Technology trends in backplane technology are driving higher gas demand in display manufacturing. Specific gas requirements of process blocks are discussed, and various supply modes are reviewed.

Since its initial communalization in the 1990s, active matrix thin-film-transistor (TFT) displays have become an essential and indispensable part of modern living. They are much more than just televisions and smartphones; they are the primary communication and information portals for our day-to- day life: watches (wearables), appliances, advertising, signage, automobiles and more.

There are many similarities in the display TFT manufacturing and semiconductor device manufacturing such as the process steps (deposition, etch, cleaning, and doping), the type of gases used in these steps, and the fact that both display and semiconductor manufacturing both heavily use gases.

However, there are technology drivers and manufacturing challenges that differentiate the two. For semiconductor device manufacturing, there are technology limitations in making the device increasingly smaller. For display manufacturing, the challenge is primarily maintaining the uniformity of glass as consumers drive the demand for larger and thinner displays.

While semiconductor wafer size has maxed because of the challenges of making smaller features uniformly across the surface of the wafer, the size of the display mother glass has grown from 0.1m x 0.1m with 1.1mm thickness to 3m x 3m with 0.5mm thickness over the past 20 years due to consumer demands for larger, lighter, and more cost-effective devices.

As the display mother glass area gets bigger and bigger,so does the equipment used in the display manufacturing process and the volume of gases required. In addition, the consumer’s desire for a better viewing experience such as more vivid color, higher resolution, and lower power consumption has also driven display manufacturers to develop and commercialize active matrix organic light emitting displays (AMOLED).

In general, there are two types of displays in the market today: active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) and AMOLED. In its simplicity, the fundamental components required to make up the display are the same for AMLCD and AMOLED. There are four layers of a display device (FIGURE 1): a light source, switches that are the thin-film-transistor and where the gases are mainly used, a shutter to control the color selection, and the RGB (red, green, blue) color filter.

The thin-film-transistors used for display are 2D transitional transistors, which are similar to bulk CMOS before FinFET. For the active matrix display, there is one transistor for each pixel to drive the individual RGB within the pixel. As the resolution of the display grows, the transistor size also reduces, but not to the sub-micron scale of semiconductor devices. For the 325 PPI density, the transistor size is approximately 0.0001 mm2 and for the 4K TV with 80 PPI density, the transistor size is approximately 0.001 mm2.

Technology trends TFT-LCD (thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display) is the baseline technology. MO / White OLED (organic light emitting diode) is used for larger screens. LTPS / AMOLED is used for small / medium screens. The challenges for OLED are the effect of < 1 micron particles on yield, much higher cost compared to a-Si due to increased mask steps, and moisture impact to yield for the OLED step.

Mobility limitation (FIGURE 2) is one of the key reasons for the shift to MO and LTPS to enable better viewing experience from higher resolution, etc.

The challenge to MO is the oxidation after IGZO metalization / moisture prevention after OLED step, which decreases yield. A large volume of N2O (nitrous oxide) is required for manufacturing, which means a shift in the traditional supply mode might need to be considered.

Although AMLCD displays are still dominant in the market today, AMOLED displays are growing quickly. Currently about 25% of smartphones are made with AMOLED displays and this is expected to grow to ~40% by 2021. OLED televisions are also growing rapidly, enjoying double digit growth rate year over year. Based on IHS data, the revenue for display panels with AMOLED technol- ogies is expected to have a CAGR of 18.9% in the next five years while the AMLCD display revenue will have a -2.8% CAGR for the same period with the total display panel revenue CAGR of 2.5%. With the rapid growth of AMOLED display panels, the panel makers have accel- erated their investment in the equipment to produce AMOLED panels.

There are three types of thin-film-transistor devices for display: amorphous silicon (a-Si), low temperature polysilicon (LTPS), and metal oxide (MO), also known as transparent amorphous oxide semiconductor (TAOS). AMLCD panels typically use a-Si for lower-resolution displays and TVs while high-resolution displays use LTPS transistors, but this use is mainly limited to small and medium displays due to its higher costs and scalability limitations. AMOLED panels use LTPS and MO transistors where MO devices are typically used for TV and large displays (FIGURE 3).

This shift in technology also requires a change in the gases used in production of AMOLED panels as compared with the AMLCD panels. As shown in FIGURE 4, display manufacturing today uses a wide variety of gases.

These gases can be categorized into two types: Electronic Specialty gases (ESGs) and Electronic Bulk gases (EBGs) (FIGURE 5). Electronic Specialty gases such as silane, nitrogen trifluoride, fluorine (on-site generation), sulfur hexafluoride, ammonia, and phosphine mixtures make up 52% of the gases used in the manufacture of the displays while the Electronic Bulk gases–nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and argon – make up the remaining 48% of the gases used in the display manufacturing.

The key ga susage driver in the manufacturing of displays is PECVD (plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition), which accounts for 75% of the ESG spending, while dry etch is driving helium usage. LTPS and MO transistor production is driving nitrous oxide usage. The ESG usage for MO transistor production differs from what is shown in FIGURE 4: nitrous oxide makes up 63% of gas spend, nitrogen trifluoride 26%, silane 7%, and sulfur hexafluoride and ammonia together around 4%. Laser gases are used not only for lithography, but also for excimer laser annealing application in LTPS.

Silane: SiH4 is one of the most critical molecules in display manufacturing. It is used in conjunction with ammonia (NH3) to create the silicon nitride layer for a-Si transistor, with nitrogen (N2) to form the pre excimer laser anneal a-Si for the LTPS transistor, or with nitrous oxide (N2O) to form the silicon oxide layer of MO transistor.

Nitrogen trifluoride: NF3 is the single largest electronic material from spend and volume standpoint for a-Si and LTPS display production while being surpassed by N2O for MO production. NF3 is used for cleaning the PECVD chambers. This gas requires scalability to get the cost advantage necessary for the highly competitive market.

Nitrous oxide: Used in both LTPS and MO display production, N2O has surpassed NF3 to become the largest electronic material from spend and volume standpoint for MO production. N2O is a regional and localized product due to its low cost, making long supply chains with high logistic costs unfeasible. Averaging approximately 2 kg per 5.5 m2 of mother glass area, it requires around 240 tons per month for a typical 120K per month capacity generation 8.5 MO display production. The largest N2O compressed gas trailer can only deliver six tons of N2O each time and thus it becomes both costly and risky

Nitrogen: For a typical large display fab, N2 demand can be as high as 50,000 Nm3/hour, so an on-site generator, such as the Linde SPECTRA-N® 50,000, is a cost-effective solution that has the added benefit of an 8% reduction in CO2 (carbon dioxide) footprint over conventional nitrogen plants.

Helium: H2 is used for cooling the glass during and after processing. Manufacturers are looking at ways to decrease the usage of helium because of cost and availability issues due it being a non-renewable gas.

N2 On-site generators: Nitrogen is the largest consumed gas at the fab, and is required to be available before the first tools are brought to the fab. Like major semiconductor fabs, large display fabs require very large amounts of nitrogen, which can only be economically supplied by on-site plants.

Individual packages: Specialty gases are supplied in individual packages. For higher volume materials like silane and nitrogen trifluoride, these can be supplied in large ISO packages holding up to 10 tons. Materials with smaller requirements are packaged in standard gas cylinders.

Blended gases: Laser gases and dopants are supplied as blends of several different gases. Both the accuracy and precision of the blended products are important to maintain the display device fabrication operating within acceptable parameters.

In-fab distribution: Gas supply does not end with the delivery or production of the material of the fab. Rather, the materials are further regulated with additional filtration, purification, and on-line analysis before delivery to individual production tools.

The consumer demand for displays that offer increas- ingly vivid color, higher resolution, and lower power consumption will challenge display makers to step up the technologies they employ and to develop newer displays such as flexible and transparent displays. The transistors to support these new displays will either be LTPS and / or MO, which means the gases currently being used in these processes will continue to grow. Considering the current a-Si display production, the gas consumption per area of the glass will increase by 25% for LTPS and ~ 50% for MO productions.

To facilitate these increasing demands, display manufacturers must partner with gas suppliers to identify which can meet their technology needs, globally source electronic materials to provide customers with stable and cost- effective gas solutions, develop local sources of electronic materials, improve productivity, reduce carbon footprint, and increase energy efficiency through on-site gas plants. This is particularly true for the burgeoning China display manufacturing market, which will benefit from investing in on-site bulk gas plants and collaboration with global materials suppliers with local production facilities for high-purity gas and chemical manufacturing.

The technology that me and my colleagues have chosen to examine as a possible semiconductor recycling project is the LCD PC monitor. We have chosen Dell

The process of which the hydrogenated amorphous silicon is deposited onto a substrate is called plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). This process uses silane gas which enters the chemical vapor deposition chamber and dissociates into a cloud of plasma. This plasma is induced by a radio frequency power generator; the chamber that holds this process must be in a vacuum to eliminate any impurities in the process. Similiar to an electron beam deposition process,the silicon and hydrogen atoms condense on a substrate, in LCD monitors this would be the glass, and make the thin layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon. The setup of this process is shown in Figure 2.

The production of PC LCD monitors on the worldwide market shows Dell, Samsung, and LGE at the top of the market selling most for the 12 Brands selling from as low as 10 million units in a month to nearly 15 million units a month for 2010. Dell was ranked number one in the production of LCD for 2010. We were capable of determining the amount of units sold by Dell, which is estimated at 22.5 million units in 2010.

The growth for the production of LCD screens is expected to slowdown in the next two years. The growth in production of LCD panels for LCD has decreased, by the slow economic recovery, which is causing consumers to buy less and is predicted to slow down further for the next few years.

Recycling LCD monitors is easy if you do not have to go through the process yourself. There are multiple companies that allow you to send in your monitors for free, for a price or you can even drop them off at specific locations and they will handle it all for you. Some of these companies include Apple, Staples and Dell. Michigan Technological University allows people to drop off their monitors and the Apple store will recycle it all. If you want to go straight through Apple, their recycling process is to purchase any Apple computer or monitor and receive free recycling of your old computer and monitor no matter what the brand is.

Computers consist of valuable resources, such as precious metals, copper, and engineered plastics. Recycling computers enables us to collect and reuse these valuable resources. For example, by recycling 100 million cell phones, about 7,500 pounds of gold could be recovered. Recovering this gold, instead of mining it, would prevent 12,000,000,000 pounds of loose soil, sand, and rock from having to be moved, mined, and processed.

Electronic waste isn"t just waste. It contains contaminants, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and beryllium. When these contaminants are burned at low temperatures they create more toxins and are released into the air. The toxic materials in electronics can cause cancer, reproductive disorders, endocrine failures and many other health problems if the waste is not properly disposed of. An estimated 70-80% of the electronic waste is exported to third-world countries. Once there the toxins are released into water sources and the land.

Scientists have found that by separating the panels in LCD screens, they can remove the polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) and then produce a disinfectant. This substance is able to kill harmful bacteria including E-coli.

Andrew Hunt of the University of York says, "We can add significant value to this waste...that has great potential for use in biomedicine. Now we have gone a step further by enhancing its anti-microbial properties through the addition of silver nanoparticles, with the result being that it can destroy bacterial infections."

The amount of hydrogenated amorphous silicon is all dependable on the thickness of the thin film layer. These layers can range from nanometers to micrometers, and for the LCD monitors an average between the two will be used to determine the thickness.

1. Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Fluid Technology extracts the liquid crystals from the glass. This method uses iso-thermal and a depressurization method to remove the liquid crystal from the glass panel, by converting carbon dioxide gas to its supercritical fluid state, thus dissolving the liquid crystal. Then the temperature is dropped, the carbon dioxide reverts back to gas, leaving the liquid crystal

This process involves the use of a base, usually quaternary ammonium hydroxide, a surfactant and a high boiling solvent (di- or tri- propylene glycol alkyl ether.) to strip the silicon.

The cured silicon can be exposed to tetrabutyammonium fluoride reagent (TBAF) in non-hydroxylic aprotic solvent. This causes a disintegration of the polymer matrix, thus removing the silicon into the solvent.

Some computer monitors that use liquid crystal display (LCD) technology contaisn mercury, a highly toxic metal that can cause serious damage if ingested. The mercury in monitors is there to produce light when it is electrically energized. When the laptop monitors are tilted, mercury flows to one end cutting off the circuit and opening it on the opposite end. This is often function of an on and off switch.

At Stena Innovative Recycling, they clean units by separating it into iron, metals, plastics, circuit boards and glass with liquid crystals. The whole process works in a closed and controlled environment and during the process the levels of mercury are controlled, so Stena can be sure that all the mercury is removed from the material that will be recycled. The units that are contaminated with mercury are then sent to a hazardous waste treatment center.

The most efficient waste treatment process is to separate the backlight lamps from the panel. If the lamp is not taken out before, the whole display is deemed hazardous waste. Many treatment processes were explored, such as water-jet cutting, laser cutting and circular sawing, but the most efficient way is by manual dismantling. Costs per unit and the assessment quality were variables in the processes explored.

The purity of silane is 99.9999 percent. Electronically active impurities, such as boron, phosphorus, and arsenic are controlled to less than 10 parts per trillion. Silane is one of the purest materials on Earth.

The manufacturing process of silane that is used by REC produces consistent, pure silane by converting metallurgical grade silicon into trichlorosilane and redistributiing and distilling to silane. The constant flow process, recycles all hydrogen and chloride to initial reactors, while constant distillation steps purify the gas. This process is environmentally friendly.

In the most simple way to describe the production of silane, silicon is turned into a gas by grinding it down to a fine, sand-like consistency and heating it with hydrogen and silicon tetrachloride. After this is done it is then put through a series of reactions, as seen below, and silane and pure polysilicon are made.

Industrially, silane is produced from silicon in a two-step process. In the first step, powdered silicon reacts with hydrogen chloride at 300 °C to produce trichlorosilane, HSiCl3, along with hydrogen gas.

Another way to process silane is to start with metallurgical grade silicon, hydrogen, and silicon tetrachloride and let them go through a series of redistribution reactions and distillations as seen below:

In comparison to our characterization methods to purify our material, the in-situ analysis can be adapted by looking at the comparison of what our purity level is compared to the purity level found in nature.

As this figure is unknown, we can still determine what the cost per kg of recycling of the monitor must be less than in order to be a practical recycling process.

Alternatively instead of straight recycling only the silane recovered from the LCD PC monitors back into new monitors, we can also collect and extract the silane from other electronic devices that contain silane. The silane can also be put in other electronics devices with LCD screens. The silane can be used in the production solar panels, LCD TVs, smartphones, and other electronic devices which either have a LCD screen or need the silane to connect the glass to the polymer matrix in these devices.

One of the alternatives to straight cycling of the Silane is down-cycling it into titanium implants, so the biologically inert material in the implant can attach to the titanium implant. The recovered Silane can also be used as water repellent and masonry protection. The Silane can also be used for initiating the combustion for ramjets, reaction engines and liquid fuel rockets that have carbon dioxide in it.

As with any form of alternative recycling such as downcycling there are goods things and there are bad things. The good thing about downcycling is the silane is reused instead of extracting the silane from the Earth and having to go through the process of purification, which all require labor, energy, and other expenses. The bad thing about downcycling the silane is the loss in value of the silane. When the high quality silane extracted from the LCD PC monitor is downcycled into water repellent, then there is a tremendous loss in value of the silane.

-Amerimade designs a quartz bath specifically for use with semiconductor materials. It can also be heated to desirable tempertures. It is a great machine for the first step.

-This bath is made from quartz and can be heated to desirable tempertures. This particular bath was designed specifically for use with semiconductor materials. It is the same piece of equipment as step one, however it is a great fit for step two as well.

-Jinan Bakr Ultrasonic Technology Co., Ltd. makes an industrial cleaner that runs on electric power and can be heated, although it is not necessary for this particular step. It is a great machine to use for the isopropyl alcohol rinse because it"s also an ultrasonic cleaner.

-This industrial cleaner runs on electric power and can be heated, although it is not necessary for this particular step. It is a great machine to use for the deionized water rinse because it"s also an ultrasonic cleaner.

-This industrial cleaner runs on electric power and can be heated, although it is not necessary for this particular step. It is a great machine to use for the anhydrous IPA rinse because it"s also an ultrasonic cleaner.

-Gulf Coast Environmental makes industrial ovens engineered to your specific needs. These ovens will dry the substrate of any unwanted remaining chemicals so it will be able to be used in other applications.

Eye protection must be worn at all times throughout the plant, ear protection is encourage, closed toe boots are recommended, and proper clothing made of non-synthetic material should always be worn. Over-head showers and eye washing stations will be found near the exits as well as the middle of most work stations. Fire extinguishers will be within 20 feet of every machine. Emergency exits will be thoroughly outlined on the maps as you enter each room. Although the facility is ventilated, there will be fume heads located toward the more hazardous chemicals will be dealt with as well as emergency fans nearest the windows. Hazardous waste disposal bins will be located near fume hoods. OSHA regulations will be strictly reinforced.

Silane is flammable and will ignite on contact with air. It is irritating to the eyes and skin. In case of emergency and silane comes into contact with the skin, wash the affected area with soap and water. In case of contact with eyes, flush with water for 15 minutes. In case of deep inhalation, seek medical attention immediately. When handling, avoid air contact and make sure that there is no source of ignition anywhere near. Electrical equipment needs to be explosion proof. Neoprene, butyl rubber or polyethylene gloves should be warn when handling. To store silane, keep away from bases such as halogens and other oxidizing agents. Disposal of silane must be done in a compressed gas distributor when no longer in use.

This is the optimal flow for the theoretical process of recycling the semiconductor and other materials in LCD PC Monitors. There are two ways of the recycling center receiving the monitors, either by customer drop off or shipment to the center. This process is optimal because it recycles all of the material in the monitors. Also, the process of removing the semiconductor from the substrate has been laboratory approved to efficiently and easily remove the material.

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We are actively applying our extensive experience and capabilities to advance development of new technologies and products for cleaning, resist coating, developing, annealing and other surface processing systems, as well as products for the new 200 mm-and-smaller market.

Flat-panel displays are thin panels of glass or plastic used for electronically displaying text, images, or video. Liquid crystal displays (LCD), OLED (organic light emitting diode) and microLED displays are not quite the same; since LCD uses a liquid crystal that reacts to an electric current blocking light or allowing it to pass through the panel, whereas OLED/microLED displays consist of electroluminescent organic/inorganic materials that generate light when a current is passed through the material. LCD, OLED and microLED displays are driven using LTPS, IGZO, LTPO, and A-Si TFT transistor technologies as their backplane using ITO to supply current to the transistors and in turn to the liquid crystal or electroluminescent material. Segment and passive OLED and LCD displays do not use a backplane but use indium tin oxide (ITO), a transparent conductive material, to pass current to the electroluminescent material or liquid crystal. In LCDs, there is an even layer of liquid crystal throughout the panel whereas an OLED display has the electroluminescent material only where it is meant to light up. OLEDs, LCDs and microLEDs can be made flexible and transparent, but LCDs require a backlight because they cannot emit light on their own like OLEDs and microLEDs.

Liquid-crystal display (or LCD) is a thin, flat panel used for electronically displaying information such as text, images, and moving pictures. They are usually made of glass but they can also be made out of plastic. Some manufacturers make transparent LCD panels and special sequential color segment LCDs that have higher than usual refresh rates and an RGB backlight. The backlight is synchronized with the display so that the colors will show up as needed. The list of LCD manufacturers:

Organic light emitting diode (or OLED displays) is a thin, flat panel made of glass or plastic used for electronically displaying information such as text, images, and moving pictures. OLED panels can also take the shape of a light panel, where red, green and blue light emitting materials are stacked to create a white light panel. OLED displays can also be made transparent and/or flexible and these transparent panels are available on the market and are widely used in smartphones with under-display optical fingerprint sensors. LCD and OLED displays are available in different shapes, the most prominent of which is a circular display, which is used in smartwatches. The list of OLED display manufacturers:

MicroLED displays is an emerging flat-panel display technology consisting of arrays of microscopic LEDs forming the individual pixel elements. Like OLED, microLED offers infinite contrast ratio, but unlike OLED, microLED is immune to screen burn-in, and consumes less power while having higher light output, as it uses LEDs instead of organic electroluminescent materials, The list of MicroLED display manufacturers:

Sony produces and sells commercial MicroLED displays called CLEDIS (Crystal-LED Integrated Displays, also called Canvas-LED) in small quantities.video walls.

LCDs are made in a glass substrate. For OLED, the substrate can also be plastic. The size of the substrates are specified in generations, with each generation using a larger substrate. For example, a 4th generation substrate is larger in size than a 3rd generation substrate. A larger substrate allows for more panels to be cut from a single substrate, or for larger panels to be made, akin to increasing wafer sizes in the semiconductor industry.

2015, sold to giantplus and tce photomasks, gen 3 still operated by giantplus, gen 4 line sold to giantplus, equipment sold and line demolished, remainder operated by tce

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Jiangsu ASIA Electronics is a wet process equipment manufacturer in the semiconductor wafer manufacturing industry. It focuses on the wet etching and cleaning technology of the wafer front-end. It is one of the first domestic enterprises to promote the localization of high-end semiconductor equipment. Based on independent innovation, the company has formed a business model integrating R&D, design, production and sales, providing efficient wet process solutions for domestic and foreign wafer manufacturers.

KOKUSAI ELECTRIC designs, manufactures, and services thermal thin film processing solution systems. Our diffusion and deposition systems can be found in the majority of semiconductor fabrication plants worldwide.

Lam Research Corporation is a global supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. Lam’s equipment and services allow customers to build smaller and better performing devices. In fact, today, nearly every advanced chip is built with Lam technology. We combine superior systems engineering, technology leadership, and a strong values-based culture, with an unwavering commitment to our customers. Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) is a FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in Fremont, Calif., with operations around the globe.

Established in 1974, Plasma-Therm is a global manufacturer of advanced plasma processing equipment, providing etch, deposition, surface modification, and plasma dicing technologies to the specialty semiconductor markets, including wireless communication, power devices, MEMS, photonics, advanced packaging, memory and storage, and R&D. Plasma-Therm"s products have been adopted globally and have earned their reputation for value, reliability, and world-class support. Sales and service locations throughout North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific meet the diverse needs of Plasma-Therm’s global customer base.

Teradyne (NASDAQ:TER) brings high-quality innovations such as smart devices, life-saving medical equipment and data storage systems to market, faster. Its advanced test solutions for semiconductors, electronic systems, wireless devices and more ensure that products perform as they were designed. Its Industrial Automation offerings include collaborative and mobile robots that help manufacturers of all sizes improve productivity and lower costs. In 2021, Teradyne had revenue of $3.7 billion and today employs over 6,000 people worldwide.

Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) is a leading global company of semiconductor and flat panel display (FPD) production equipment, TEL engages in development, manufacturing, and sales in a wide range of product fields. All of TEL"s semiconductor and FPD production equipment product lines provide the foundation for the information industry, and also serves as core technologies that support innovations and enable the evolution of wide-ranging electronic devices. TEL provides outstanding products and services to customers through a global network in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

VAT is the leading global developer, manufacturer and supplier of high-end vacuum valves. VAT vacuum valves are mission-critical components for advanced manufacturing processes of innovative products used in daily life such as portable devices, flat screen monitors or solar panels. VAT is organized into two different reporting segments: Valves and Global Service offering high-end vacuum valves, multi-valve modules, edge-welded bellows and related value-added services for an array of vacuum applications. VAT Group is a global player with over 2’500 employees and main manufacturing sites in Haag (Switzerland), Penang (Malaysia) and Arad (Romania).

A semiconductor chip is an electric circuit with many components such as transistors and wiring formed on a semiconductor wafer. An electronic device comprising numerous these components is called “integrated circuit (IC)”. The layout of the components is patterned on a photomask (reticle) by computer and projected onto a semiconductor wafer in the manufacturing processes described below.

The thin film is coated with photoresist. The circuit pattern of the photomask (reticle) is then projected onto the photoresist using Photolithography technology.

With this, one layer of the circuit is formed. The transistors are formed on the lowest layer. Similar process is then repeated, and many layers of circuits are formed on top of one another.

In the process of the integrated circuit creation, there are inspection and measurement steps to check whether or not the patterns are fabricated as designed. If defects are found, the fabrication will be interrupted to remove the defects from the process and to make small changes in the fabrication conditions for correction purposes. More than one hundred semiconductor dies are fabricated on a single wafer. At present, the largest silicon wafer is 300mm in diameter. Semiconductor manufacturers are looking into 450mm diameter silicon wafers for use in the future.

Semiconductor devices are completed through the front-end process (wafer processing operation) and the back-end process (assembly process) described below.

The finished semiconductor devices have been used in a variety of products such as personal computers, smartphones and cars in everyday life (see also “Semiconductors in everyday life”).

DuPont’s rich history of experience and innovation has deep roots in the semiconductor fabrication industry. Our broad portfolio and expertise support many segments, from advanced chip manufacturing processes, to advanced packaging and assembly, to compound semiconductor device fabrication.

We offer complementary, reliable, high-quality materials sets to support both today’s high-volume manufacturing processes and advanced technology for the future. Through close collaboration with our customers, we develop solutions to address leading-edge technology challenges that are critical to advancing diverse market drivers. We work with our customers to develop or place materials that meet their specific needs, including technical performance and cost-of-ownership improvements.

Our materials are valuable building blocks for today’s advanced microelectronics found in everything from consumer electronics to high-end data centers, automotive applications, medical devices, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, power electronics and more.

Semiconductor manufacturing requires innovative materials of the highest purity and quality to enable next-generation electronics with leading-edge technology. Specialized solutions for semiconductors are designed for optimal performance in FEOL (front-end-of-line), BEOL (back-end-of-line), test, and assembly.

With extensive technical industry experience and a broad product portfolio, Solvay is a leading supplier of specialty polymers and chemicals for the semiconductor industry. From high-performance polymer solutions to slurry abrasives, gases, and wet chemicals, Solvay’s material solutions are engineered to meet the unique needs of manufacturers and push the limits of chip performance.

Semiconductors are ubiquitous. These hardware components allow everything from simple switching circuits to devices like computers, smartphones and medical equipment to function and respond to user commands accurately.

When semiconductor hardware is paired with powerful software, such as artificial intelligence andmachine learning programs, it opens up near-limitless amounts of potential and a pathway to exploring applications that will make life easier for people worldwide.

Excellence in semiconductor tech is only achievable through the continuous research of professionals pushing the boundaries of what our devices can offer us. These 40 semiconductor companies illustrate how the next piece of life-changing technology is just a breakthrough away.

II-VI produces engineered materials, optoelectronic components and optical systems, developing integrated solutions for the communications, aerospace, defense, life sciences and consumer electronics industries. From producing LiDAR automotive components and optical amplifiers for submarine communication to refining rare metals for use in high-pressure applications, II-VI enables continued research across a range of industries.

In the semiconductor industry, Advantest is a large manufacturer of automatic measuring equipment. It also designs the test systems needed to develop and manufacture advanced computer and telecoms products. The company said the lineup includes SoC and memory test systems, test handler, device interface, test cell and automation solutions.

Arrow Electronics makes and distributes a variety of technology and computer components. Along with semiconductor solutions, the company also offers lighting, solar and power supply products. Arrow Electronics partners with manufacturers around the world, including Analog Devices, Ultraleap and Infineon.

Applied Materials’ provides services and materials for the manufacturing of semiconductor chips that are used in electronics like iPhones, televisions and cars. The company said it invests in digital infrastructure to shorten product development cycles.

Qualcomm makes semiconductors and components for a variety of industries. The company has had a notable impact on mobile and smartphone applications with its Snapdragon 5G platform. Qualcomm also offers a semiconductor mentorship program where it works with startups in India to refine their semiconductor products.

NVIDIA is a gaming hardware and AI company known for its creation of the graphics processing unit in 1999. Since then, the company has developed hardware and software for gaming, laptops, data centers and apps. Its solutions are used in industries such as architecture, cybersecurity, robotics and game development.

Cadence Design Systems produces all-encompassing software for IC and IP design that, according to the company, enhance capabilities throughout the 5G, automotive, aerospace, defense and AI industries. The company’s custom, analog and RF IC solutions bring streamlining automation functions to circuit design, circuit simulation, layout design, layout verification and more, with an IP platform available to customize app-driven SoC designs.

EFFECT Photonics specializes in integrated optical communications products. The company’s products use its Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing technology which combines multiple data signals into a single optical fiber. EFFECT Photonics aims to address the need for connections between data centers and cell towers by integrating photonic components within a single chip.

HRL Laboratories creates innovative radio frequency, millimeter-wave and electro-optical sensor subsystems and components. Its new high-frequency technologies reduce system size and weight by enabling smaller passives and apertures. The research and development laboratory provides engineering, prototyping and production services that involve semiconductor and microfabrication technologies.

InnoPhase is a fabless semiconductor company that has set out to redefine how wireless solutions are processed, helping the IoT industry move seamlessly into the future. The company’s technology reduces the power-consumption requirements of Wi-Fi and allows devices that formerly could not be battery powered due to massive power draw to become portable, and also increases the chargeable lifespan of many devices from hours to weeks.

KLA is an equipment and services semiconductor company that operates across industries like IoT, automotive and AI. The company offers process control and process-enabling solutions for manufacturing wafers and reticles. KLA aims to improve the speed of devices through its extensive chip manufacturing sector that works in the data analytics and metrology industries.

Lightmatter combines electronics, photonics and algorithmic expertise to create a next-generation computing platform purpose-built for AI. The company has created a photonic processor and interconnect that offers what it says are record-levels of speed, efficiency and cooling capabilities.

Tempo Automation provides the foundation for devices across industries, designing and manufacturing printed circuit boards for aerospace, medtech and industrial tech companies on which to launch big ideas. Specializing in rapid PCB prototyping and low-volume circuit board production, Tempo Automation’s services include AutoCAD analysis and same-day DFM capabilities.

Broadcom designs, develops and supplies semiconductor technology and infrastructure software solutions, covering a range of enterprise storage, networking and communications use cases. The company’s line of products include storage adapters, wireless embedded solutions, RF components, processors, custom silicon devices and motion control encoders, helping power massive businesses across a range of industries.

Qorvo uses its radio frequency and microchip products to increase connectivity across the globe. Its chips are used across several applications and fields including defense and aerospace, Wi-Fi connectivity, automotive and wireless infrastructure. The company offers locations in 17 different countries and its products can be bought online.

Micron Technology deals with memory — computer memory and data storage. It creates products for companies that produce smartphones and also memory and storage consumer products. Micron pioneered a way to store ever-growing amounts of data in a cost-effective way, according to the company’s site.

Cree is a global leader in silicon carbide technology and production. Its products provide services for industries ranging from electric vehicles to renewable energy and storage to aerospace and defense.

Intel is used in a variety of sectors, ranging from hospitality and retail to sports, healthcare, financial services and transportation. Its product lineup includes its Pentium and Intel Core and Xeon chips; chipsets for mobile, desktop, server and embedded use; graphics processing units; single- and multi-node servers and server chassis and boards; plus FPGAs and programmable devices, according to the Intel website.

Ares Materials produces AI-enabled optical polymers designed to bring the display industry to new heights. The company analyzes the requirements of its customers and transforms them into formula splits to rapidly produce new prototypes, leading to optical films and adhesives that the company said outperform expectations.

Butterfly Network created the first handheld, whole-body ultrasound probe, which is paired with cloud-based software to deliver an imaging system that delivers vital information, in a variety of use cases, across multiple care settings. The Butterfly iQ and next-generation Butterfly iQ+ have received CE Mark and FDA clearance, and are sold in hospitals and clinics worldwide.

Celera utilizes an AI-driven platform to offer custom integrated circuit design to customers with a variety of needs. The company said it is among the first manufacturers to be able to offer custom integrated circuit boards by automating the design process, allowing Celera to deliver chip layouts 100 times faster than legacy teams and flows — a breakthrough in the analog/mixed-signal research and development process.

Corsair produces several lines of products that, according to the company, not only allow for high-powered computing, but make the digital experience as enjoyable and capable as possible. From memory, storage and cooling components to gaming chairs and ambient light setups, Corsair serves those in need of exceptional computing solutions across industries.

Dover Microsystems’ CoreGuard technology presents a solution for preventing software vulnerabilities from being exploited in embedded systems and protecting processors from network-based attacks. The company said it believes in addressing cybersecurity challenges from the root cause and stopping attackers’ abilities to take over the processor before all else, adding protection capabilities to the physical unit to pair with existing software protection measures.

GCT Semiconductor creates IoT connectivity components that support and enhance the growth of an industry, according to the company’s website. GCT’s ultra-low power IoT solution offers easy plug-and-play capabilities and minimal operator maintenance, leading to further advancements in devices like smart cars, smart homes, healthcare devices and more.

Lightelligence says it is committed to increasing the speed and capabilities of artificial intelligence technology, utilizing the power of photonics to achieve exceptional results. The company’s optical chips offer high speeds, low latency and low power consumption capabilities, leading to upgrades over traditional electronic architectures, with deep learning algorithms and tunable Efficient Unitary Neural Networks integrated to empower high-performance computing.

Marvell designs silicon technologies that expand capabilities in the automotive, enterprise and cloud industries, driven by comprehensive research and development when creating processor, switch, SSD and Ethernet products. The company has been involved in launching advanced data centers, connecting automotive networking technology through a centralized Ethernet and installing smart 5G infrastructure.

Micross provides semiconductor solutions to innovative companies across the aerospace, defense and commercial industries, offering full turnkey capabilities and testing expertise to solve emerging challenges. The company said that its reputation, built up over decades of working with the unique demands of clients, has led it to become a leader in driving time-to-market, even when a high level of service integration is necessary.

NanoGraf Corporation designs silicon anode products that help bridge the gap between the power-consumption needs of today’s consumers and the technology that is available to them. Utilizing silicon as a replacement for graphite in lithium-ion battery powered devices, NanoGraf Corporation increases gravimetric and volumetric capabilities in devices when fully lithiated, helping deliver longer battery life and better experiences to users.

NetMercury is a high-volume supplier of semiconductors and hi-tech products, with more than 1,200 suppliers worldwide. The company produces and houses more than 30,000 products for uses ranging from advanced process control, assembly and packaging to chemical delivery, cleanroom tech and more, with repairs, sourcing and supply chain management solutions available as well.

Patchr.io said it bridges the gap between innovators and manufacturers by offering an intuitive platform for PCB design and prototyping through both software and low-volume manufacturing capabilities. The company’s solutions feature a complete design suite, a streamlined prototyping stage and a fabrication process that utilizes only top-quality materials and includes assembly as well.

Real Silicon offers a range of high-performance SOC, internal processor and IoT technology solutions that enable manufacturers to pack remarkable amounts of power into their designs while still producing streamlined products. Multiple performance chipsets are available, along with low-power devices for applications requiring battery endurance, and are put into use by companies like AMD and Juniper Networks to consistently bring new capabilities to extraordinary industries.

Sentons designs surface-agnostic touchscreen technology, combining acoustic electromechanic principles and proprietary SurfaceWave technology to develop interactive surfaces in any shape or material. The company’s touchscreen technology has been applied to technology ranging from wearables to automotives and PC devices, with gesture-tracking algorithmic software also available from Sentons that provides more natural user experiences in all devices.

Syndiant produces micro-display chips that allow consumers to enjoy large screen experiences in portable electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, game consoles and cameras. The company’s patented architecture uses powerful parallel processing to create high resolution light modulating chips within a small form factor for use in pico projectors.

Vita Inclinata Technologies relies on advancing silicon capabilities and growing automation applications to ensure that technological limitations never result in death for those working across dangerous industries. With use cases in the aerospace, defense, construction and additional high-risk industries, Vita Inclinata’s load stability, hoisting and long line solutions bring additional lines defense into play when they are most needed, with additional solutions available for the private sector as well.

Volta Labs engineers tools that lead to more critical discoveries in the biotech industry. Combining computing and automation expertise with material sciences, biochemistry and genetic engineering, the company creates programmable fluidic chips that make biological automation possible, opening up a world of possibilities that further blur the line between life science and technology.

Alien Technology produces RFID technology that it says leads to heightened capabilities and significantly better security across physical and digital devices. Specializing in the design and fabrication of RFID ICs, readers, antennas, tags and labels, Alien Technology offers RFID solutions and professional services to back up their work.

Ambiq Micro develops low-power batteries for use in IoT and wearable devices that it says broadens the limits of what is possible in portable tech. The company’s Subthreshold Power Optimized Technology utilized in its batteries uses 13 times less energy than conventional batteries without having to sacrifice device functionality or appearance, making it the battery of choice for everything from gaming headsets to intelligent remotes.

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We develop, design, manufacture, and sell displays where it is necessary for the interface that deliver a lot of information at an instant and deliver it to the global market. We create interactive spaces that go beyond the expected, elevate everyday lives, and move people"s hearts. From bases in major cities in Asia, Europe, and North America, we build strong customer relationships by developing products that respond to market needs.

The modern economy runs on semiconductors. The tiny electronic circuits, named for the electrical properties of the material from which they"re made, are the brains for millions of devices, including space vehicles, car computers, smartphones, medical equipment, appliances, and more. As applications proliferate, semiconductor manufacturers continue to prosper.

These companies compete in producing smaller, cheaper, and faster chips for increasingly powerful and affordable technology products. Semiconductors can be divided into four main categories: microprocessors, memory chips, commodity integrated circuits, and complex "systems on a chip."

The numerous chipmakers range from household names with global reach to smaller suppliers little known outside their specialized market niche. Their chips are an essential input for manufacturers of technology hardware and industrial equipment.

The semiconductor industry and chipmakers" stocks tend to be highly cyclical. Still, many investors view the sector as important given its secular growth trend and major role in the development of new technology.

Below are the 10 top semiconductor companies based on their 12-month trailing (TTM) revenue. This list includes suppliers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, but is limited to companies with stocks publicly traded in the U.S., either on an exchange or in the over-the-counter market. Some foreign compani