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Silex Microsystems

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Silex Microsystems is a Jarfalla Sweden-based manufacturer of MEMS devices. It was founded in 2000. Amongst other things, it builds components for LIDAR applications.

History

Silex was founded in 2000.

In 2011 Silex licensed its technology to Nanoshift. At the time it manufactured in 6-inch and 8-inch

In July 2015, Northzone announced it had exited the Silex shareholder group. At the same time, Priveq and CapMan divested their holdings.

In January 2019 the Financial Times was concerned about the acquisition in 2015 of Silex by the Chinese NavTech company through the IC Fund of China. NavTech specializes in "navigation technology for aviation, satellites and defence". Shortly after acquiring Silex, NavTech bragged it would spend $300 million on a Beijing plant "relying on Silex’s technology".

In December 2019 Silex announced it had partnered with Kanagawa, Japan-based ULVAC to develop a thin film piezoelectric process.

On 14 December 2021 Silex announced it had acquired Elmos Semiconductor's Dortmund factory which makes 200mm CMOS wafers for €85 million.

In 2021 Silex was the world's leading MEMS manufacturer with $690 million in revenues.

In November 2022 the German government announced it had stopped the sale to Silex of Elmos Semiconductor's Dortmund plant because Silex was now owned by Sai Microelectronics, which is Chinese. The Bundesverfassungsschutz was concerned about Europe, which had "very little production capacity for semiconductors left", and MEMS technology is capable of application to military hardware.

In December 2023, Silex's technology was selected by Omnitron Sensors for its LIDAR product.

In May 2024 Silex announced it had plans to build a plant for 300mm, or 8 inch, wafers.

References

  1. ^ "Silex MicroSystems - Products, Competitors, Financials, Employees, Headquarters Locations". www.cbinsights.com.
  2. "Omnitron Sensors Selects Silex Microsystems for Reliable MEMS Scanner for LiDAR" (Press release).
  3. Microsystems, Silex. "Silex Microsystems Expands Adoption of Sil-Via® Platform; Licenses Technology to Nanoshift". www.prnewswire.com (Press release).
  4. "Northzone exits Silex Microsystems AB". July 14, 2015.
  5. "Priveq divests Silex Microsystems". July 12, 2015.
  6. Feng, Emily (29 January 2019). "How China acquired mastery of vital microchip technology". Financial Times.
  7. "ULVAC and Silex Microsystems Sign Joint Development Agreement for MEMS - News". Silicon Semiconductor.
  8. "MEMS foundry Silex Microsystems acquires 200mm wafer fab from Elmos Semiconductor". MEMS Journal -- The Largest MEMS Publication in the World.
  9. Clarke, Peter (September 6, 2022). "China's Silex Microsystems remains top MEMS foundry".
  10. "German government stops sale of chip factory to Chinese-owned buyer | Merics". merics.org. November 10, 2022.
  11. Davis, Shannon (September 12, 2023). "Omnitron Sensors Selects Silex Microsystems for Reliable MEMS Scanner for LiDAR".
  12. Clarke, Peter (May 2, 2024). "China's Silex announces fab to make MEMS on 300mm wafers".
  13. "Silex Paves the Way for 12-inch High Tech MEMS Fab | AEI". May 9, 2024.
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