Over the last year, we've interviewed major clock chip companies. Reporting on the increasing demand for high-precision frequency control, regular reference signal control optimal for timing, and the diversification of applications brought about by the advancement of 5G communications, electrification of automobiles, and IoT evolution, The presence of the clock chip increases.

From the end of the serialization to now, we have seen news that various clock chip companies have increased their investment in this "clock equipment" content. And while the camp based on MEMS clock chips continues to improve technology, it has seized the opportunity to launch a formal offensive. This time the content is closer to the center of the latest trends than the previous serial theme updates, and at the same time, it also takes an overview of the current market for clock equipment.

First of all, what is the so-called "clock device"? It is a device that creates a stable "clock signal" at a certain interval so that the electronic circuits of all electronic devices can continue to function without chaos. "Clock Chip" has been the protagonist of this clock chip for many years, and its main manufacturer is a Japanese enterprise group. For example, Nippon Denbo Industries, Dai Vacuum, Taiga Crystal Oscillator, Seiko Epson, plus Citizen Precision Equipment, which makes a living on small precision watches, electronic parts giants Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and Kyocera, etc.

In fact, the uses of these devices are actually very rich. At first, they were mainly used for clocks. Later, the scope of application was also expanded in mass consumer markets such as mobile applications. In addition, recently, with the electrification of automobiles, the installation of electric vehicles such as ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance Systems)/AD (autonomous driving), and the expansion of data center needs, the installation of optical connectors for connection within servers and between data centers, 5G base stations, 5G smartphones, wireless headsets, wearable terminals, battery management system installations, various IoT, aerospace, etc. are gradually expanding in application areas that seek high added value.

Previously, the number of clock chip parts used in each car was 70 to 100 for high-end cars, 30 to 40 for ordinary cars, and 20 for small cars such as light cars. The number of components mounted on them continues to increase. Further increases in V2X (Vehicle to X) for autonomous driving, in-vehicle LiDAR, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, etc. are confirmed. Regarding the reason for the increase in clock chips in this vehicle, some people suggest that it is caused by the increase in the number of ECUs installed and the sophistication of the ECU itself. In addition, 5G and other technologies also require 10 times more clock chips than 4G. In addition, in aerospace, as the number of satellites increases, it is expected to increase by 8 times compared with the current situation. It can be said that demand will definitely increase in the future. .

Clock-based timing devices are roughly divided into "crystal oscillator" and "crystal oscillator (crystal oscillator + oscillator circuit (IC))". In terms of crystal oscillators, Japan leads in manufacturing technology. The manufacturing method of "photolithography" used in semiconductor photolithography technology is currently only available to major manufacturing plants in Japan. This technology is the main reason for differentiation from overseas forces. Detailed explanations are omitted as the same series of reports and explanations have been completed.

The grade of the crystal, which is a factor that differentiates product accuracy, is achieved by each company through its own production from crystal ingot cultivation to commercialization. This is why high-precision, high-quality product manufacturing without characteristic deviation can be achieved.

In addition, there are many cases where oscillation circuits (ICs) for crystal oscillators are purchased through partnerships with professional manufacturers. However, according to the interview in this series, Seiko Epson’s crystal oscillators and oscillator circuits (ICs) are also homemade, which is also its advantage.

Although it is off topic, there seems to be a limited number of manufacturers that manufacture and export the oscillation circuit (IC) used in this crystal oscillator. Therefore, it is worth mentioning that Asahi Kasei Electronics’ semiconductor factory in Nobeoka City, Miyagi Prefecture is positioned as one of the manufacturers responsible for IC manufacturing and export sales. When a fire accident occurred in October 2020, it was required to manufacture crystal oscillators. Companies took the hit.

Well, news about this main manufacturer of crystal oscillators increasing investment after entering 2022 has occurred one after another. At least within the scope of the information obtained by the author, Nippon Radio Industry, Davacuum, and Dahe Crystal Oscillator received information about enhanced investment.

First of all, based on the mass production of photolithography processing methods, Nippon Denpa Industry, which leads the yield rate of the largest size of 4 inches, clearly stated in the "New Medium-Term Business Plan" (22-24 Fiscal Years) announced in the spring of 2022 that it will shift to In the growth investment stage, it announced plans to invest a total of 11.5 billion yen within three years. This investment strategy includes a plan to invest 5.4 billion yen in production growth out of 11.5 billion yen (3.7 billion yen for automotive and 1.6 billion yen for mobile communications), and 2.1 billion yen for research and development.

In addition, the company is currently developing on the premise of the extreme direction of increasing the diameter to 4 inches. The vehicles that are responsible for the investment in increasing production are the Suzhou plant in China, the main plant, as well as Malaysia, Furukawa, and Hakodate. Cutting-edge products for mobile communications are handled by Hakodate NDK, and photolithography blank manufacturing is handled by the Sayama Plant. As the demand for formalization of 5G increases, the development of cutting-edge products in the small and high-frequency fields will be strengthened.

And it is also leading in the 5G field. The University of Tokyo, Tohoku University, and Hiroshima University, institutions that research information communications using time synchronization technology, participate in the commission from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) and jointly promote research and development. The company has developed a numerically controlled crystal oscillator and plans to jointly implement time-synchronous wireless communication equipment with information and communication research institutions in 2022.

Secondly, what is attracting the most attention in increasing investment is the establishment of a unique "photolithography processing method" and the pursuit of a large vacuum for active development. In June 22, the Tokushima Works (Yoshinogawa City, Tokushima Prefecture, covering an area of ​​88,000 square meters) has a clean room of about 900 square meters for the photolithography process, and announced that mass production will begin in June. The plant will be produced together with the existing photolithography processing base Tottori Plant (Tottori City), allowing the company to increase its production volume of photolithography crystal wafers by approximately 2 times compared to the past.

The company also plans to expand the second phase of its clean room and introduce additional mass production equipment in the future. The clean room of the Tokushima Plant that increased production this time has introduced equipment corresponding to 4-inch wafers. Compared with 3-inch wafers, the production volume of crystal wafers has increased by approximately 1.7 times. At the same time, it is said that the equipment has specifications that can also support 6-inch wafers. If it is a 6-inch wafer, the production capacity is estimated to be about twice that of a 4-inch wafer. Due to the strong demand for photolithography-type crystal oscillators in both high and low frequencies, the company will currently focus on crystal oscillators to enhance its production capacity.

On the other hand, Dahe Crystal Oscillator has been increasing investment. The total investment planned in the three years from 2022 to 2024 is about 3 billion yen, which implies an annual investment of about 1 billion yen. In order to cope with the tight supply and demand of tuning fork crystal oscillators, it is planned to add production lines at its subsidiary Aomori Taiga Plant, which is the main manufacturing base, with an annual increase of about 15%. Currently, demand for battery-driven IoT modules tends to increase, which seems to be driving the demand for tuning-fork crystal oscillators.

Among recent new product trends, announcements for automotive devices stand out. For example, Seiko Epson has launched a new product with a built-in digital temperature compensated crystal oscillator (DTCXO) real-time clock module for automotive applications. Its operating temperature can reach up to 125°C, supports a high output frequency of 170MHz, the allowable frequency deviation is one-half compared with previous products, and has high accuracy with phase jitter of less than about 1/25. A new CMOS output crystal oscillator product with low jitter characteristics for automotive use (2.0×1.6mm compliant/compact product with an area ratio of 64% and a volume ratio of 55%) (announced in May 2022) has been launched.

Similarly, Nippon Radio Industry recently announced in July a new TCXO (temperature compensated quartz oscillator) product with a size of 2.0×1.6mm (height 0.8mm), an operating temperature of up to 125°C, and a support for 100MHz high-frequency output. In AD/ADAS-related applications such as distance measurement using LiDAR or Radar, it is necessary to use ToF (Time of Flight) or FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) methods that can handle high radio frequencies or high-speed movements in pulse signals. The reference clock that requires signal reception from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and the reference clock of various wireless communications requires a TCXO with high frequency stability in the 100MHz band, and a miniaturized product.

In addition, in Dahe Crystal Oscillator, during the interview, I also heard information about automotive-related GT cutting crystal oscillators that support up to 200°C. Based on the common characteristics of these new products, it can be seen that the demand for AD/ADAS has increased to the point where the maximum temperature range for vehicles needs to reach 125°C, and it is also required to support high-frequency output above 100MHz and miniaturized products with a size of 2.0×1.6mm.

On the other hand, the technological evolution of MEMS-based clock chips is also amazing. The trend can be seen in the pace of SiTime in the United States, which has more than 90% of the world's market share in the MEMS-based clock chip market and has shipped a total of 2.5 billion units.

When the company began mass production of crystal devices in 2008, it lagged behind other crystal oscillator companies. But after that, he continued to improve his skills and started to catch up technically from around 2013. Now the company's products have reached a level of catching up in terms of top performance. The number of customers has also been raised from 5,000 in 2019 to 15,000 in 21 and 50,000 in 25.

In the manufacturing process, unlike the vertically integrated and in-house crystal camp, a horizontal division of labor semiconductor supply chain is used (Bosh is the MEMS oscillator, TSMC is the analog circuit, and subsequent steps are UTAC in Thailand, ASE in Taiwan, Carsem in Malaysia, etc.). As a result, 9 types of MEMS wafers, 19 types of CMOS wafers, and 22 types of packages were combined to produce 125 basic products. Various types such as power supply voltage, temperature range, and output type were added in an orderly manner, and finally the base number was 40,000. Shipping to a wide range of uses becomes possible. In line with the strategy of expanding sales based on the demand for added value of oscillators and clock ICs that use high performance and environmental resistance as weapons, we will also consider entering the oscillator market in the future. Looking back at historical changes, just as semiconductorization such as vacuum tubes, HDDs, and lighting continues to grow, the company has a deep impression of a future in which crystals and clock chips are siliconized.

In addition, during the interview 22 years later, Murata Manufacturing also had the opportunity to learn that it has developed consumer-grade MEMS oscillators specifically for the 32kHz frequency band. The advantage of the MEMS oscillator developed by the company is that the piezoelectric effect type MEMS can be processed in the same way as a crystal oscillator without the need for an IC. 0.6 × 0.9mm and ultra-small, installed in a semiconductor package, the silicon material is selected and produced to have good temperature characteristics, and achieves ESR75kΩ, current consumption of 100.9nA, etc. It is on par with crystal oscillators, and may achieve performance exceeding the above depending on the situation. It can be seen from this that MEMS-based clock chips are also constantly improving technology and developing steadily.

This time, I tried to focus on the updated contents of the same series of electronic equipment industry news. However, in less than a year, we can feel that these things are evolving at a dizzying speed. Currently, there are statements from various crystal-based clock chip companies that “there is almost no market interaction with the MEMS camp.” However, as mentioned above, the MEMS camp also plans to launch a formal challenge. In the future, as the demand for high-precision and high-reliability clock chips expands, the roles played by various clock chip manufacturers, centered on Japan, and clock chip manufacturers that challenge based on MEMS will continue to increase.

*Disclaimer: This article is original by the author. The content of the article is the personal opinion of the author. The reprinting by Semiconductor Industry Watch is only to convey a different point of view. It does not mean that Semiconductor Industry Watch agrees or supports the view. If you have any objections, please contact Semiconductor Industry Watch.

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