The Kynix Blog

There is no doubt that the use of LCD headlamp is a succcessful further step towards digitalizing lighting. LCD headlamp which enables complex functions will also be relevant to autonomous driving. Let's talk something about the following research project about developing a headlamp basics on a LCD (  Full name is Liquid Crystal Display )which made by HELLA and seceral partners.This technology is an good example already known in the home entertainment field.  About The ProjectIn the context of the research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) regarding the fully adaptive light distribution for intelligent, efficient and safe vehicle lighting (VoLiFa2020), HELLA has developed a headlamp on the basis of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) in collaboration with project partners Merck, Institut für Großflächige Mikroelektronik IGM, Stuttgart University, Porsche, Elmos Semiconductor, Schweizer Electronic, and the University of Paderborn. Complex FunctionsIn general,the new LCD headlamp projects 30.000 pixels onto the road. This allows adjusting the light pattern in an intelligent and continuous manner to various driving situations in real time. The use of an LC display is a further step towards digitalizing lighting. This means: the adaptation of the light pattern will increasingly be determined by software. The driver will obtain the best possible view of the road. Individual segments with e.g. other traffic participants or strongly reflecting street signs can be omitted or dimmed in a targeted manner. Highly complex functions are also conceivable: navigation arrows or lines showing the ideal lane can be projected onto the road. LCD technology enables functions that will also be relevant to autonomous driving.  The LC display is the headlamp’s key component. It is situated between the LED light source and the projection lens. The display generates a matrix with 100 x 300 pixels that can be individually controlled and dimmed. A camera installed in the vehicle as well as a sensor optically reading distances and speeds (light detection and ranging sensor, LiDAR), will forward the ambient information to the headlamp control unit via a processor. This will then direct the individual display pixels up to 60 times per second. 25 high-power LED’s arranged in three rows will serve as light source. Each LED’s light intensity will be adjusted to the respective lighting situation. Due to increasing traffic volumes and safety requirements, intelligent lighting systems are of increasing importance. LCD technology enables completely new functionalities and opportunities here. And the use is not limited to passenger cars. Other vehicle categories, such as commercial vehicles or buses also provide meaningful application areas. ThanksgivingThanks to this project's great resolution and sharpness of detail, it opens up a diffirent new paths in automotive lighting technology. 

SummaryChristmas is coming,as well as the New Year's Day. In keeping with the festive lighting of the holiday season,there are various LED lighting architecture in the world. Now let me take you to tour the landmarks lit with LEDs.  In the touring of this LED architecture, I will also introduce how this landmarks be done. Well,these These attention grabbing displays are dependent on products that can deliver a wide range of colors, and a control scheme that allows lighting designers to fully realize their creative ideas. First Stationlet's begin with the glorious Miami in Miami,Florida.  Located downtown, the Miami Tower is a 47-story landmark that you may have seen in films and on television. Before conversion to LEDs, it was lit with a total of 382 1,000 W and 400 W metal halide fixtures, with gels (color filters) applied by maintenance crews to change the color effects. Conversion to a combination of LED flood lighting and strip lighting reduced energy, maintenance, and operating costs by over a quarter million dollars annually, and the building fa?ade can now be changed to a virtually limitless combination of colors and patterns with the “push of a button”. Miami Tower and the other landmarks reviewed in this article are illuminated using Philips Color Kinetics products, which currently have a bit of a monopoly in architectural installations. The control scheme uses a data enabler to combine power with a proprietary Ethernet DMX-based data signal called KiNET, prior to routing to luminaires, junction boxes, and/or strings of strip lights.Over 16 million color combinations can be achieved through the 8-bit channels of Red/Green/Blue/White or Red/Green/Blue/Amber luminaires. A number of different controllers can be used to program either static or dynamic displays. DSP techniques ensure that data corruption is negligible even in noisy, high-EMI environments, e.g., adjacent to powered radio antennas.  Second StationLet's travel across the country to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.  The Bay Lights of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, installed in 2013 in what was meant to be a two-year run to celebrate the bridge’s 75th anniversary, is currently the largest LED lighting sculpture in the world. With over 25,000 white LED nodes installed on the 1.8 mile western span, the bridge surpasses even the Eiffel Tower in number of LEDs.This lighting system uses light strands,each made up of 50 individually controllable nodes designed to operate in the demanding environment conditons of the bridge--rain,vibration,wind and even road debris. Control software scans the installation to ensure that all lighting is operational Bridge lighting projects are the most challenging to implement according to Philips, because the process can include not just lighting designers, architects, and contractors, but also transportation authorities and the Coast Guard, each with separate concerns and requirements. In addition, lighting installation usually requires workers to hang from suspended cables, and to work at night to minimize traffic impact. Doesn't that sound like fun?  Third StationThis is the season to be shopping,so let's envy the lucky folks in Philadelphia who get to spend time at the appropriately named Lit Brothers Building.  Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1979, the Lit Brothers Building takes up a full city block with its mix of retail and office space. Unlike newer installations, preservation of the historic and structural aspects of the building were paramount in the lighting design, which includes both flood lights and light strips to illuminate the fa-ade and ornamental columns.As engineers, we’re interested in the technical and practical details of these LED projects, like lower operating costs and reduced maintenance requirements, but the non-energy benefits these projects bring can be even more significant. They play a tremendous role in creating a space that local residents and tourists look forward to visiting, enhancing the sense of fun and excitement in the community and the economic boost that often goes with it. Fina Station   The Bai Chay Bridge stands 50 m (164 ft) over Ha Long Bay, one of the most popular and beautiful tourist sites in Vietnam. In 2000, Ha Long Bay was nominated as one of the new seven natural wonders of the world, and in 2004, Ha Long Bay hosted almost 3 million tourists due to its geological value and natural beauty. Scattered across this bay are 1,969 islands, beautiful emerald waters, and with the Bai Chay Bridge, an edition in 2006, a new landmark in Vietnam.The Bai Chay Bridge has the widest width of any cable-stayed, single-plane concrete bridge in the world. The bridge was built to improve traffic conditions and adopt Japanese construction technologies. To make this landmark even more beautiful, the Bai Chay Bridge is now illuminated in colorful LED lights that reflect off the bay waters at night.LED lights were chosen due to their dynamic capabilities, long useful life and energy efficiency. In order to achieve all the goals the investor had set, Philips supplied an environmentally-friendly LED lighting solution for its high efficiency and dynamic and elegant lighting effects.The designers installed ColorReach Powercore gen2 and ColorReach Compact Powercore from Philips Color Kinetics to illuminate the cables and pillars that run high above the bridge, as well as to highlight the dramatic beauty of the bridge’s architecture. ColorGraze MX4 Powercore was used to illuminate the bottom of the bridge, and Archipoint iColor Powercore was used in a direct view application along the spans of the bridge. ConclusionSuch beautiful LED lighting architectures around the world create beauty, enhance entertainment and transform public spaces  for human being and nature. What's more,they witness the LED light's development and become an important milestone in the history of LED lighting. 

The days of making a prototype board by hand by the artist are long gone. For many years, the ability to make one's own PCBs was the characteristic of an ideal design engineer (or a big shot electronic hacker). The art of making a homemade PCB has progressed over time, beginning with the use of ferric chloride solutions and progressing to laser toner printers and, more recently, 3D printers. The commercial PCB manufacturing process has evolved in tandem with the evolution of "homemade technology." Over the last few decades, the manufacturing process of the PCB (and the businesses involved in it) have expanded by leaps and bounds. The use of materials changed, and the cost of production dropped like never before, ushering in the age of affordable PCB prototype service by full scale pcb manufacturers. Designers seldom approached a full-service PCB manufacturer to print a prototype in the early days. Designers either created a prototype of their own or, in the majority of cases, approached a small-scale board manufacturer to have their images created. In those days, the expense of printing a prototype was prohibitively expensive. As technologies and processes have advanced, both designers now shift to full-service PCB manufacturers for prototyping. The advancement of technology and modern processes allowed full-scale PCB manufacturers to print prototypes and small volumes at a much lower cost than in the past. Let's dig a little deeper to see what are the 10 most important items a designer should consider when selecting a PCB prototype service are.How to Choose the Right PCB Prototype Service ? 1. CostThe first criterion to consider when selecting a PCB partner should be consistency. The prototype you print should be error-free (like a missing print or a small drill hole than the actual design). The materials selected by the PCB printing company should be free of flaws. All of these factors add up to consistency. The PCB manufacturer's quality is critical for getting your prototype correct and working. You may evaluate quality by examining the services provided by a PCB manufacturer. Examine how seriously they take a prototype client when it comes to PCB prototype operation. What is the significance of this PCB prototype service business to a specific manufacturing company? You may also speak with the customer service representatives to see how knowledgeable they are about the prototype service. A good company/manufacturer that is serious about prototype service will almost certainly have a separate segment dedicated to prototype service only. Their website will have details on the subject. Customer service will be very knowledgeable and supportive. Finally, before making a decision, conduct research on the internet about a specific manufacturer, especially in forums and communities. ALLPCB, Sunstone, EuroCircuits, 4PCB, and EpecTec are some PCB manufacturers that provide high-quality prototype services based on my experience (and other reviews). 4PCB is the only one of these five firms that does not have a dedicated section for prototype printing. Sunstone and AllPCB have whole parts devoted to prototyping services. Services for all PCBs start as low as $5 USD. 2. MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)The minimum order quantity requested by the manufacturer, in my opinion, should be the second criterion in selecting a PCB prototype service. A prototype is a concept that is in its early stages and is subject to alteration. If a PCB manufacturer wants you to order a much larger minimum quantity (usually measured and quoted in square inches) than you can afford (or far exceeds your budget), you can avoid that manufacturer. The majority of manufacturers are willing to negotiate on this point.As a designer, you will negotiate with the manufacturer for potential orders. The main point here is that a MOQ that appears low or inexpensive to one designer (or design/production company) can be prohibitively expensive to another.33. CostThe cost/price quoted by the PCB manufacturer is the third factor to consider. In reality, the PCB printing industry is a highly competitive one. With the internet at their fingertips (4G and smartphones), everyone can search and compare quotes from various PCB manufacturing companies in a matter of hours. Because of the highly competitive climate, it is unlikely that there would be a significant difference in prices quoted by various manufacturers. Bear in mind that quality and price do not go together! Manufacturers with superior technologies, high-quality products, and overall quality would undoubtedly charge a higher price than their competitors. My advice is always to prioritize quality over price. Consider the following scenario: you had to reprint the prototype due to poor quality or a problem on the manufacturer's end. Weighing the additional cost (for reprinting) and time loss, I would probably choose a reputable manufacturer with good quality, even if the price is slightly higher.4. Turnaround TimeFast delivery of your prototype from the order date is a critical criterion to consider when selecting a PCB prototype service partner. It's pointless if a manufacturer takes two weeks from the order date to ship your prototype. The majority of prototype projects have strict deadlines. Typically, a manufacturer quotes 5 days or more to ship the prototype from the day the order is approved (Gerber files accepted). There are providers that provide quicker service as well; for example, ALLPCB provides prototype delivery within 2 to 3 days of Gerber file approval. EuroCircuits, a well-known PCB manufacturer, charges between 2 and 7 days for their prototype operation. Sunstone, another big player, provides a time guarantee in which they guarantee a refund if they fail to ship on the agreed-upon date. However, they are not as fast as the ALLPCB men, typically taking more than 5 days to complete an order (the maximum lead time of Sunstone is around 3 weeks). 5. Customization OptionsPrototypes are subject to alteration until they take on their final form. They can change scale, parts, and, in some cases, the entire form. It is difficult for any manufacturer to provide customizations on the fly. If customizations are important to you, look for a manufacturer who has the necessary equipment and facilities to provide what you want. 6. International DeliveryCheck to see if the manufacturer you've narrowed down offers delivery to your country, particularly if you're working with an overseas printing business. The majority of full-service manufacturers have foreign shipping to almost all business countries. The majority of designers now work with PCB manufacturers in China, who provide high-quality PCBs at a low cost. The majority of these well-established Chinese businesses provide worldwide shipping. 7. Instant Quote Facility The majority of well-known manufacturers provide instant quotes on their websites. Often go with manufacturers who provide this online quote service. Instant quotes provide us with an idea of the costs involved. 8. Industry ExperienceUnique and advanced projects need prior expertise in a specific industry. For example, if you're working on a communication technology project, it's best to work with a vendor that has a proven track record in the same industry. Similarly, as the number of layers on your board grows, go with existing players who are well-versed in multilayer printing. 9. Multi Disciplinary Services If you intend to outsource services such as PCB assembly, you should look for a manufacturer that provides a variety of options.10. Safe Packing & ShippingFinally, be certain that the manufacturer you choose adheres to healthy packaging and shipping practices. Nobody wants their goods to be harmed during delivery. If you need faster delivery, see if the manufacturer provides express shipping (often at a higher price). Ref:KY66-G6EU-134P-US DC6KY66-EF2-5NUKY66-G6K-2G-Y-DC4.5

SummaryResearchers at TU Wien have succeeded in developing a method for the controlled manufacture of porous silicon carbide. Silicon carbide has significant advantages over silicon; it has greater chemical resistance and can therefore be used for biological applications, for example, without any additional coating required.Extremely fine porous structures with tiny holes – resembling a kind of sponge at nano level – can be generated in semiconductors. This opens up new possibilities for the realization of tiny sensors or unusual optical and electronic components. There have already been experiments in this area with porous structures made from silicon.To demonstrate the potential of this new technology, a special mirror that selectively reflects different colors of light has been integrated into a SiC wafer by creating thin layers with a thickness of approximately 70nm each and with different degrees of porosity. “There is a whole range of exciting technical possibilities available to us when making a porous structure with countless nano holes from a solid piece of a semiconductor material,” says Markus Leitgeb from the Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems at TU Wien. Leitgeb developed the new material processing technology as part of his dissertation with Professor Ulrich Schmid in cooperation with CTR Carinthian Tech Research AG and sponsored by the Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies (COMET) program.“The porous structure influences the manner in which light waves are affected by the material. If we can control the porosity, this means we also have control over the optical refractive index of the material.” This can be very useful in sensor technology – for example, the refractive index of tiny quantities of liquid can be measured using a porous semiconductor sensor, thus allowing a reliable distinction between different liquids. Another attractive option from a technical and application-oriented perspective is to first make certain areas of the SiC wafer porous in a highly localized manner, before depositing a new SiC layer over these porous areas, and then causing the latter to collapse in a controlled manner – this technique produces microstructures and nanostructures which can also play a key role in sensor technology.  However, in all these techniques it is crucial that the appropriate starting material is selected. “Until now, silicon has been used for this purpose, a material with which we already have a lot of experience”, says Professor Schmid. Silicon also has significant drawbacks, however; under harsh environmental conditions, for example in extreme heat or in alkaline solutions, structures made of silicon are attacked and rapidly destroyed. Therefore, sensors made of silicon are often not suitable for biological or electrochemical applications. For this reason, at TU Wien, attempts have been made to achieve something similar with the semiconductor silicon carbide, which is biocompatible and considerably more robust from a chemical perspective. Some special tricks were required, however, in order to produce porous structures from silicon carbide. THE COLOR-SELECTIVE MIRRORFirst, the surface is cleaned, and then partially covered with a thin layer of platinum. The silicon carbide is then immersed in an etching solution and exposed to UV light, in order to initiate the oxidation processes. This causes a thin porous layer – initially 1μm thick – to form in these areas that are not coated with platinum. An electrical charge is then also applied in order to be able to precisely set the porosity and the thickness of the subsequent layers. Here, the first porous layer promotes the formation of the first pores when the electrical charge is applied.“The porous structure spreads from the surface further and further into the interior of the material”, explains Markus Leitgeb. “By adjusting the electrical charge during this process, we can control what porosity we want to have at a given depth.” In this way, it was possible to produce a complex layered structure of silicon carbide layers with higher and lower levels of porosity, which is finally separated from the bulk material by applying a high voltage pulse. The thickness of the individual layers can be selected such that the layered structure reflects certain light wavelengths particularly well or allows certain light wavelengths to pass through, resulting in an integrated, color-selective mirror. “We have thus demonstrated that our new method can be used to reliably control the porosity of silicon carbide on a microscopic scale”, says Ulrich Schmid. “This technology promises many potential applications, from anti-reflective coatings, optical or electronic components and special biosensors, through to resistant supercapacitors.” 

The introduction of the LDD-ES8, a customisable gigabit Ethernet switch module for industrial, commercial and building automation data services, has been announced by LDD Technology. The standard LDD-ES8 module is an 8 port unmanaged Ethernet Switch on a PC/104-Plus form factor intended for use in embedded applications. It features a high performance, low latency, switch able to handle full-rate gigabit packets on all ports simultaneously.Auto-negotiation allows each port to operate at 10/100/1000 Mbits with dual LEDs per port to indicate negotiated speed and link activity. Power is provided from the PC/104 stack or through a Molex Microclasp connector. The LDD-ES8 module is designed for fully independent operation but a USB port is provided to allow monitoring of port performance if required. Power consumption is typically 5W with all ports operating at 1 Gbit/sec.The LDD-ES8 Gigabit Ethernet switch was developed in response to a number of enquiries for custom designed products from customers who had been unable to find suitable off-the-shelf products which met their performance, footprint and end product life requirements.LDD Technology is able to offer an efficient and cost-effective customisation service in the event that customers require a design with a different number of ports or in a different form factor. The module has been designed using programmable FPGA technology which offers end users a further range of customisation options not normally found on competitive products based on dedicated devices with limited programmability.This allows customers the option of including the functionality of the standard Ethernet Switch into other designs which may require Ethernet switching as part of a more complex system with additional interfaces or processing being included in the FPGA as required.“Our LDD-ES8 Gigabit Ethernet Switch is an excellent example of how our extensive custom design experience for many different clients can be used to create a flexible standard solution for many applications” commented Malcolm Locke, Managing Director of LDD Technology. Ref:KY32-EP1S60B956C6KY32-XC7K325T-2FFG900CKY32-EPF8636ALC84-3

At this week's IEEE IEDM conference, world-leading research and innovation hub for nano-electronics and digital technology, imec, reported for the first time the CMOS integration of vertically stacked gate-all-around (GAA) silicon nanowire MOSFETs. Key in the integration scheme is a dual-work-function metal gate enabling matched threshold voltages for the n- and p-type devices. Also, the impact of the new architecture on intrinsic ESD performance was studied, and an ESD protection diode is proposed. These breakthrough results advance the development of GAA nanowire MOSFETs, which promise to succeed FinFETs in future technology nodes. GAA nanowire transistors are promising candidates to succeed FinFETs in 7nm and beyond technology nodes. They offer optimal electrostatic control, thereby enabling ultimate CMOS device scaling. In a horizontal configuration, they are a natural extension of today's mainstream FinFET technology. In this configuration, the drive current per footprint can be maximized by vertically stacking multiple horizontal nanowires. Earlier this year, imec scientists demonstrated GAA FETs based on vertically stacked 8nm diameter Si nanowires. These devices showed excellent electrostatic control, but were fabricated for n- and p-FETs separately.Imec now reports on the CMOS integration of vertically stacked GAA Si nanowire MOSFETs, with matched threshold voltages for n- and p-type devices. Key in the integration scheme is the implementation of dual-work-function metal gates to set the threshold voltages of the n- and p-FETs independently. In this process step, p-type work function metal (PWFM) is deposited in the gate trenches of all devices, followed by selectively etching the PWFM down to the HfO2 from the n-FETs and subsequent deposition of the n-type work function metal. The observation of matched threshold voltages (VT,SAT = 0.35V) for nMOS and pMOS devices validates the dual-work-function metal integration scheme.The impact of this new device architecture on the intrinsic ESD performance was investigated as well. Two different ESD protection diodes have been proposed, i.e. a gate-structure defined diode (gated diode) and a shallow-trench isolation defined diode (STI diode). The STI diode was the better ESD protection device, showing an excellent ratio of failure current (It2) over parasitic capacitance (C). Measurements and TCAD simulations also prove that the ESD performance in GAA nanowire based diodes is maintained in comparison to bulk FinFET diodes."GAA nanowire transistors enable ultimate CMOS device scaling, with low degree of added complexity compared to alternative scaling scenarios," stated Dan Mocuta, Director Logic Device and Integration at imec. The proposed integration scheme for Si GAA CMOS technology and the results on ESD protection are important achievements towards realizing these 7nm and beyond technology nodes. Future work will focus, among others, on further optimizing individual process steps, for example through the co-optimization of the junction and nanowire formation."Ref:KY56-2SA1987KY56-KSC5024RTUKY56-MJL4302A