Antex soldering iron has controls and display in the handle
Following market research, Antex has introduced what it claims is the first soldering iron with temperature control buttons and a temperature display built in to the handle. Called TCS 50W, the 240V 50W iron needs no base and can be set between 200 and 450°C, which is displayed on the back-lit LCD. It comes with ...
Microsemi outbids Skyworks for PMC-Sierra
Microsemi has trumped Skyworks’ offer for PMC-Sierra. It is offering $2.4 billion compared with Skyworks’ $2billion. The offer is 50% above PMC’s share price before the Skyworks offer. “This acquisition will provide Microsemi with a leading position in high performance and scalable storage solutions targeted for data centre and cloud applications, while also adding a complementary portfolio ...
Metamaterial gives light infinite wavelength for on-chip comms
A metamaterial has achieved zero refractive index, increasing the phase velocity, and therefore wavelength, to infinity, claims Harvard University, which is predicting use on ICs. It consists of an array of silicon pillars embedded in polymer and clad in gold film. “Light doesn’t typically like to be squeezed or manipulated but this metamaterial permits you to ...
Forget graphene, 2D laser uses tungsten disulphide
Berkeley Lab scientists have turned to two-dimensional tungsten disulphide to make a disc resonator based laser. WS2 is a transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC), which have a natural bandgap making them more suited to photon-electron interaction – more so than graphene which has no bandgap. TMDC bandgaps are indirect in the bulk material, and direct in ...
Ericsson says 5G technology improves 4G download speeds today
5G mobile may be five years away from the commercial market but technology being developed for the next generation mobile networks is to be used to improve today’s 4G mobile communications. Technology for managing the densely packed network infrastructure needed for 5G can also improve data download speeds in 4G networks. Ericsson is running a ...
Toshiba, SanDisk move in 3D NAND manufacturing equipment
Despite the imminent expected sale of SanDisk to Western Digital, Toshiba and SanDisk have announced the start of installation of 3D NAND manufacturing equipment in New Fab 2 at Yokkaichi. New Fab 2 is primarily intended to provide the clean room space necessary to transition a significant portion of the current Yokkaichi 2D NAND capacity ...
Government wants firms to target aerospace sector
UK companies are being given the opportunity to capitalise on the commercial opportunities in the aerospace sector at Aerodays 2015. European research in aeronautics and air transport is being showcased at Aerodays 2015 being held in London this week. The event features companies being funded by Innovate UK to develop technology enablers which will allow for ...
China minister sees 5GIC collaborative research
China’s minister of cybersecurity visited the 5GIC (5G Innovation Centre) at the University of Surrey this week, as part of the Chinese president’s visit to the UK. Minister Zhuang Rongwen led a forty-strong delegation which included representatives from Chinese companies including Baidu and Tencent. It is likely that 5G mobile communications has been identified as ...
Applied Micro tapes out 16nm finfet PAM4 IC
Applied Micro has taped out the first 16nm finfet PAM4 chip for 400Gbit/sec fibre optic systems, says CEO Paramesh Gopi. “Fibre-optics will move to a mainstream technology in the data centre,” says Gopi. PAM 4 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) appears to be the future of Ethernet though there has been some debate about it. Applied Micro ...
Silicon shipments hit a record
2015 has been a record year for silicon shipments, says SEMI. Polished and epitaxial silicon shipments totalling 10,042 million square inches have been shipped in 2015, exceeding the market high set in 2014. Shipments are forecast to continue at record levels in 2016 and 2017 with 10,179 million square inches shipped in 2016; and 10,459 ...
