ChipSensors Ltd, a fabless semiconductor start-up company, has unveiled a breakthrough in semiconductor technology enabling the surface of the chip itself to sense parameters such as temperature, humidity, certain gases and pathogens.

ChipSensors Ltd, a fabless semiconductor start-up company, has unveiled a breakthrough in semiconductor technology enabling the surface of the chip itself to sense parameters such as temperature, humidity, certain gases and pathogens. The patent-pending technology exploits the fact that the dielectric material in standard sub-micron CMOS comprises porous oxides and polymers, by selectively admitting or blocking ingress of the agent to be sensed, any resulting changes in electrical characteristics can be accurately detected and measured.

The 0.13 µm sensor chip has applications such as an all-electronic replacement for the type of electromechanical thermostats and humidistats used in building management and environmental monitoring systems. ChipSensors is also currently developing an ultra-low-power wireless version of this sensor. This integrates all the signal conditioning, microcontroller, memory and RF transceiver functions onto the same chip as the sensor itself, for incorporation into passive and active ID tags.

Until now, most sensors have been manufactured on glass or ceramic substrates, using specialist materials and manufacturing processes, proving difficult, if not impossible, to accommodate within mainstream foundry CMOS processes. The wafers had to be post-processed and the sensors then required testing and calibrating after packaging, which was time-consuming and expensive.

ChipSensors' proprietary technology overcomes these obstacles. It enables sensors, signal conditioning circuits, including high resolution analog-to-digital converters and RF transceiver functions, together with the microcontroller and memory, to be integrated on a single chip, fabricated entirely from standard CMOS.

AngelTech Live III: Join us on 12 April 2021!

AngelTech Live III will be broadcast on 12 April 2021, 10am BST, rebroadcast on 14 April (10am CTT) and 16 April (10am PST) and will feature online versions of the market-leading physical events: CS International and PIC International PLUS a brand new Silicon Semiconductor International Track!

Thanks to the great diversity of the semiconductor industry, we are always chasing new markets and developing a range of exciting technologies.

2021 is no different. Over the last few months interest in deep-UV LEDs has rocketed, due to its capability to disinfect and sanitise areas and combat Covid-19. We shall consider a roadmap for this device, along with technologies for boosting its output.

We shall also look at microLEDs, a display with many wonderful attributes, identifying processes for handling the mass transfer of tiny emitters that hold the key to commercialisation of this technology.

We shall also discuss electrification of transportation, underpinned by wide bandgap power electronics and supported by blue lasers that are ideal for processing copper.

Additional areas we will cover include the development of GaN ICs, to improve the reach of power electronics; the great strides that have been made with gallium oxide; and a look at new materials, such as cubic GaN and AlScN.

Having attracted 1500 delegates over the last 2 online summits, the 3rd event promises to be even bigger and better – with 3 interactive sessions over 1 day and will once again prove to be a key event across the semiconductor and photonic integrated circuits calendar.

So make sure you sign up today and discover the latest cutting edge developments across the compound semiconductor and integrated photonics value chain.

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