The semiconductor industry continues to grow. And some new research relating to calcium carbonate structures (and sea urchins) could lead to even more innovation. Here's a quick update on recent electronics industry news.

Sea Urchins to Semiconductors
In the June 4, 2018 edition of the journal Nature Chemistry, AMOLF researchers revealed a way of converting calcium carbonate structures (e.g., sea urchin skeleton) into working electronics. According to the researchers, it’s possible to modify the composition of the material “so that it becomes a semiconductor without losing its shape. This could lead to more efficient and stable solar cells.”

Watch the following video to see how researchers convert a sand dollar into a semiconductor.
 

Automotive Chip Market to Reach $56.24 Billion
Grand View Research is anticipating that the global automotive chip market will be worth $56.24 billion by 2025. This represents a huge opportunity for not only for chip makers, but also for IP vendors and IoT security firms. “Rising awareness regarding energy-efficient lighting systems and burgeoning sales of luxury vehicles equipped with navigation and infotainment systems are creating an upswing in the demand for automotive chips,” the research firm reports. Learn More
 
Top Semiconductor Suppliers Realize Big Gains
IC Insights recently reported that the top 15 semiconductor companies’ sales increased by 26% in the first quarter of 2018 compared to Q1 2017. The list of top suppliers, which includes foundries, includes Samsung, Intel, and TSMC in the top three spots. IC Insights attributes much of Samsung’s success to “the strong surge in the DRAM and NAND flash markets over the past year.” Learn More

Innovative Digital Microswith Technology
We recently interviewed Menlo Microsystems CEO Russ Garcia about his company's Digital-Micro-Switch (DMS) platform. The company’s novel technology is poised to improve a range of technologies incuding communications networks and electric vehicles. Read the Interview