Luigi G. Occhipinti

For the entire European semiconductor market as a whole, including the UK, success relies not just on starting innovative chip companies but also on creating environments where they can thrive and scale seamlessly. In the UK’s case, it has the talent and the potential. Now, it needs the infrastructure and investment to match. #Semiconductors #Talent #Skills #Innovation

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Delighted that David Manners of Electronics Weekly has written about our CryoMem IP being available for licensing which will accelerate the Quantum Computing market as it enables CMOS control chips to be located with the qubits in the cryostat. #IP #cryo #QuantumComputing #qubit #cryostat https://lnkd.in/e3F8DFDH

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🗣️ "Light is everywhere, touches everything and is the basis for life and how we understand our world" The Photonics Leadership Group released an interesting report offering predictions for the next 10 years in UK #photonics ⌛ Currently, 76,000 people across 1,200 firms in the UK are employed in photonics. With £14.5bn of annual output, it's the 5th most productive manufacturing sector, and is projected to be a £50bn industry by 2035 (creating 150,000 more jobs!) 📈 Light affects more than we think. Innovations in agriculture, autonomous transport, advanced manufacturing and healthcare are largely dependent on advancements in photonics. The #UKGov are investing up to £1bn into #semicon over the next 10 years 💰 However, with the race to semiconductor supremacy well underway, will it be enough to keep up with other countries who have identified the strategic economical importance of photonics early on? 🤔 The full report is below. Interesting reading! #semiconductors #photonics #UK

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More exciting news as Wave Photonics, a Cambridge-based deep tech start-up, has received £4.5m funding to further continue its development of on-chip photonics designs! “Cambridge Enterprise Ventures is pleased to follow our initial pre-seed investment and co-lead Wave Photonics’ seed round with UKI2S. Integrated photonics is poised to disrupt high-value industries ranging from quantum computing to bio-sensing, and Wave Photonics’ team and technologies are in a great position to enable and accelerate the adoption of next generation integrated photonics products” says Christine Martin, Head of Ventures at Cambridge Enterprise. The round was led by the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund and Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, with participation from the Redstone and QAI Ventures’ Quantum Fund, Kyra Ventures, and Deeptech Labs. This investment will enable Wave Photonics to take its technology from a research manufacturing line to a commercial foundry. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/ekmkC7ii #Semiconductor #Photonics #QuantumComputing #DeepTech #Cambridge #Innovation

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Adisyn Ltd (ASX: AI1) is excited to announce that 2D Generation Ltd (2DG) has ordered a highly specialised semiconductor manufacturing system called an Atomic Layer Deposition Machine (ALD). Announcement Highlights: • 2D Generation has ordered highly specialised Atomic Layer Deposition (“ALD”) machine from Beneq • Beneq is a global leader in ALD equipment with customers spanning the semiconductor and electronics industries • New generation ALD to complement 2D Generation’s current ALD and accelerate the development of its semiconductor technologies including the graphene coated interconnect • Installation expected in 5-6 months • 2D Generation’s semiconductor IP is a critical advancement in semiconductor technology that will enable the next generation of generative AI and semiconductor solutions for data centres and beyond • Work will continue with 2D Generation’s current equipment • Adisyn will leverage 2D Generation’s innovative semiconductor solution to generate opportunities in AI1’s target markets including defence applications, data centres and cybersecurity Download the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/gUAtsrv9 Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/gZQDE-t5 Blake Burton Shane Wee Arye Kohavi #adisynltd #ai1 #2dg #2dgeneration #semiconductor #graphene

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We're excited to announce another milestone on our journey to accelerate machine learning in a low-carbon world: Oriole Networks has raised a further $22M in its Series A round led by Plural, with participation from UCL Technology Fund, XTX Ventures, Dorilton, and Clean Growth Fund. The recent funding brings the total raised by Oriole Networks this year to $35 million. Our co-founder and CEO, James Regan, said: “This funding is yet another milestone for Oriole following a year of rapid pace and growth. This is a booming market desperate for solutions and our ambition is to create an ecosystem of photonic networking that can reshape this industry by solving today’s bottlenecks and enabling greater competition at the GPU layer. Building on decades of research, we’re paving the way for faster, more efficient, more sustainable AI.” Ian Hogarth, Partner at Plural, said: “Applying 20 years of deep research and learning in photonics to create a better AI infrastructure demonstrates how much more innovation there is to come to help reap the benefits of this technology. The team behind Oriole Networks have proven experience in both company building and bringing deep science to commercialisation and are creating a fundamental shift in the design of next generation networked systems that will reduce latency and slash the energy impact of data centres on which we now rely.” Huge thanks to Jeremy Kahn at Fortune for spending time with us and digging into the story: https://lnkd.in/eevzE4Xf Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/eCrx8fpR

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Prof Oleg Mitrofanov’s latest research on terahertz (THz) technology has been featured in Advanced Photonics Research. The paper entitled 'InAs Terahertz Metalens Emitter for Focused Terahertz Beam Generation' presents a pioneering non-linear THz metalens emitter, developed in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories. This compact device integrates THz pulse generation and structuring, with potential applications in imaging, spectroscopy, and wireless communication systems. 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eTTUJAg9 #Photonics #TerahertzTechnology

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Semiconductor Growth in Wales: A Hub for Innovation and Investment Wales is fast becoming a powerhouse in the global semiconductor industry, with significant investments and initiatives transforming the region. Key developments include: 1️⃣ Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. Intertechnology is investing £51M in its Newport wafer fab, acquired earlier this year after Nexperia's forced sale. Supported by a £5M grant from the Welsh Government, this investment will enhance power device production, including a transition to silicon carbide (SiC) technologies. 2️⃣ KLA is establishing its European headquarters at Newport’s Imperial Park with a $100M project. The facility will include R&D cleanrooms, manufacturing, and aims to recruit up to 750 employees. 3️⃣ A £1.6M compound semiconductor packaging pilot line has launched at the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult in Newport, bolstering local innovation. 4️⃣ Additional initiatives, like Cardiff Gate’s new innovation site and Swansea University’s £2.5M Net Zero research project, highlight a focus on sustainability and advanced technologies. With strong global growth in compound semiconductors, Wales is positioning itself as a leader. Rebecca Evans, Economy Minister, notes: "After a decade of seeding the cluster, we are reaping the rewards of our commitment." Stay tuned as Wales continues to shape the future of semiconductors! Thanks again to eeNews Europe for the full article with more background and insights click the source link in the comments below. #Semiconductors #Innovation #Wales

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Electronic Specifier Ltd's Harry Fowle wrote a great piece on gallium nitride (GaN) and how it offers significant advantages over traditional silicon-based semiconductors like increased switching speeds and faster charging. Although GaN design comes with some challenges, its potential is large enough that the GaN power electronics market could exceed $2B by 2025! Traditionally, compound #semiconductor materials like GaN are difficult to manufacture due to crystal defects, but recent experiments with our MST film have shown promising results. I’m hopeful our progress will help unlock GaN’s full potential! https://bit.ly/3V8fsLZ

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Europe's semiconductor industry is making significant strides as the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) advances innovative pilot line proposals. Negotiations with four consortia have commenced, aiming to sign relevant agreements later this year, promising to catalyze innovation in the region. This pivotal moment demonstrates the collective commitment of European states to drive technological innovation and reinforce Europe's technological leadership on the global stage. #EU #chips #EUchips #chipsact #semiconductor #semiconductors #technology #development #innovation https://lnkd.in/dAjZJrDY

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#DisruptiveTech One year on from the launch of the £1bn National Semiconductor Strategy, the UK government has now announced the UK Semiconductor Institute, which will bring together government, universities and the private sector to support key components laid out in the strategy to grow the UK’s semiconductor sector. Over a trillion semiconductors are manufactured each year, and the global semiconductor market is forecast to reach $1tn by 2030 , with these chips underpinning future technologies, such as #AI, #quantum and #6G. Taiwan holds the lion’s share of global chip production, but its proximity to China has seen governments of some Western nations take a closer look at financing their own chipmaking plants and consider the cost to be worth bringing at least some production home. #semiconductors #microprocessors #UK Campaign Catapult, Pravo Consulting

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NPL and Quantum Motion have published a study that reveals the results of testing thousands of silicon transistors at cryogenics temperatures, highlighting the important behavioural changes that need to be considered in chips targeting quantum computing applications. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d2RnvQmg

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The European Commission has approved a €1.3 billion funding initiative to establish an advanced semiconductor packaging and testing facility in Novara, Italy, led by Silicon Box, as part of efforts to strengthen Europe’s semiconductor production capabilities. This initiative is aligned with the European Chips Act and aims to enhance the EU’s technological autonomy and security of supply, following a previous €5 billion investment for a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Dresden, Germany. The new facility will focus on innovative packaging techniques, enabling the integration of multiple chips into efficient modules, while also providing training programs to develop a skilled workforce and addressing supply chain vulnerabilities. https://lnkd.in/dAueRKCX

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Food for thought given the global shifts and challenges we face within the sector and the expectations that AI could drive better business productivity which is a key ingredient for much needed growth in the economy. https://lnkd.in/euH8dQdu

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Congratulations to the team at Oxford Ionics, who yesterday announced a new #quantum world record. 🖥️🚀 Led by Chris Ballance and Thomas Harty, the team has demonstrated the highest-performing #quantum chip in the world, with Oxford Ionics now the only company worldwide to have proven the building blocks of a scalable #quantum computer. These quantum #chips can also be produced at scale in a standard #semiconductor factory. This development represents a significant step towards the production of useful quantum computers that can perform computing far beyond the capabilities of traditional computing. Read the full piece in TNW 👀: https://lnkd.in/ex6v-Mds #QuantumComputing #Innovation

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This is highly recommended reading since in addition to semiconductors, it also covers UK silicon photonics and the trend towards Silicon chiplets and hetero integration (mainly work by CORNERSTONE). Thank you, Dr Andy G Sellars FIET, for sharing. And to the CETaS, The Alan Turing Institute, and especially Ardi Janjeva and Seoin Baek, for their hard and useful work. Quoting...... " The UK government’s new industrial policy plans will need stability and certainty for innovation, delivered through a long-term approach to supporting public and private R&D, bolstering skills and growing exports.103 This requires progress on long-standing innovation weaknesses, such as an inability to recruit enough diverse talent, a lack of access to finance for capital expenditure, and an overreliance on overseas manufacturing and prototyping facilities, which risks IP leakage. The challenge is accentuated by the scale of China’s investment in its technology and manufacturing industries. The country has continually exceeded the expectations of marketwatchers, with the result that Korean factories in China are facing pressure from local competition quicker than they expected. In recent years, Korea has anticipated this challenge by designating various national critical technologies and reinforcing protections for SMEs and innovative startups through incentives. The US CHIPS and Science Act R&D programme popularised the “Lab-to-Fab” motto – bridging essential technologies to mass production and the market. The UK has strengths in the “Lab” (i.e. fundamental research) while China has strengths in the “Fab” (i.e. manufacturing). For the UK to address its shortcomings on the latter side of the equation and expand its current lab-based capabilities into the proof of concept/prototype area, it will need to deepen its partnerships with countries such as Korea, Taiwan and Japan."

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You might think that ‘packet switching at light speed’ ought to be the mission statement for ParcelForce. But it’s actually the unofficial strapline for Camberley, Surrey-based photonics start-up Finchetto, whose CEO, Mark Rushworth put on a confident performance at a recent Silicon Catalyst Angels pitch session. Founded in 2020 by CTO, Michael Pearcey, Finchetto has developed what is claimed to be the world’s first fully passive, optical network switch – as in, no electronic circuitry is involved in its innards (technical explanation!). The switch is designed for use in use in ultra-high performance computing environments, such as, you guessed, AI data centres. The significance of Finchetto’s technology is two-fold. Firstly, power consumption is significantly lower than current network switches, including ‘combo’ boxes using optical and electronic circuitry. Finchetto claims its prototype switch draws only 38W, less than 5% of the power required by conventional technology. With traditional network switches estimated to account for some 20% of the energy consumed by data centres, this is a huge potential saving. Secondly, because the Finchetto switch uses optical technology ‘end-to-end’, it’s faster. Latency (essentially intra-circuit delay) is claimed to be 40-times lower than conventional switches. Net, net, the Finchetto network switch promises to be far more scalable – indeed, its optics can even be integrated into a single semiconductor chip to be mounted on a supercomputer motherboard and save even more space and power. Finchetto has already attracted much attention in the industry. The company was selected for the Intel Ignite incubator programme for deep-tech start-ups (although the Ignite web page has Finchetto tagged as ‘Phonetic Switching’ rather than ‘Photonic Switching’!). And just a couple of months ago, it was announced that Finchetto had been awarded a £1m grant from the £70m Technology Missions Fund Future Telecoms Mission, delivered by UK Research and Innovation. Rushworth was pitching for further pre-seed funding to take Finchetto through to a Series A round in the next 18-24 months, by which point its network switch and associated software will be ready for pilot deployment. Look, I am not photonics specialist in any shape or form. But if Finchetto’s technology fulfils its promise and they get their switch to market ahead of competition (and, yes, they have patented the core technologies), then dare I even whisper, “Cisco beware”? #optoelectronics #photonics #semiconductorindustry

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