Over the past two decades, the total number of VCSELs sold over the past two months has surpassed 20 years. "Representative Lumentum, a leader in global optical communications laser devices, recently attended the" 3D Depth Sensing and VCSEL Technology Seminar " When the language is surprisingly expressed.
Strong demand comes from Apple mobile phone face recognition to unlock the new application areas opened for 3D sensing.Lumentum is Apple's main supplier of the technology behind the sole foundry is the stability of the semiconductor ─ ─ the world's largest arsenic Gallium foundry, foundry market share of 66%, if added wafer output value, market share of about 25%.
In the future, as Apple prepares to expand the use of 3D sensing in other models, coupled with non-Apple camp, such as Qualcomm has already sharpened, ready to launch 3D next year Sensing feature phones, these bullish factors are pushing up the stable stock prices go Young.
"Strictly speaking, 3D sensing is not a new technology, but it is a new application that Apple brings to the handset." Chen Jin Choi, chairman of Wincom Semiconductor, explained that components such as VCSEL were available some decades ago and that early Is used to make some components for optical fiber communication because signals are attenuated during fiber transmission and amplified by VCSELs for a few kilometers. "But even so, the demand for optical fibers in the world adds up, not so much Big. "
Steadily consolidate the advantages of technology integration Apple fertilizer alone
"3D sensing has been around for more than five years and a lot of people used to say it was wolves." Winco's general manager Wang Yuqi pointed out that four years ago Apple bought the Israeli 3D real-time motion capture company PrimeSense as the layout of the 3D depth camera technology Patents can be applied in the field of gestures or motion control applications or games, as well as face recognition. "The most important thing about 3D sensing is the algorithm. When Apple bought it, we worked with Lumentum to develop it. For a long time, the VCSEL used in 3D sensing, this is a unique application, so many patents are in the hands of Apple. "
Chen Jin analysis, the difficulty of 3D sensing of mobile applications, lies in the original face recognition system on the airport, reduced and concentrated to a small mobile phone bangs (meaning the upper edge of the phone) space, it is necessary to put so much Function, miniaturized focus on such a small place, and scan time less than 0.1 seconds, not only far below the customs time, precision and sophistication requirements are higher.
Chen Shunping, a senior vice president of ManMao, believes that the general gallium arsenide plant uses 2-inch, 3-inch wafers to produce optical communication products. After the introduction of new applications, Apple's production capacity is not enough to use and there is no mass production capacity. Mao has been doing gallium arsenide wafers for 18 years. It is the first 6-inch gallium arsenide fab in Asia, just to make up for the needs of optical components. Without such capability, others can provide it quickly.
In the past, steady Mao focused more on the microwave communications market. Chen Jincai emphasized that manufacturing knowledge of PA (Power Amplifier) and VCSEL can be shared. "The two most important development policies of the company are to have multiple technologies and the second is to make technology independent. Therefore, the stability of the optoelectronics business department was established 8 years ago, initially to supply their own use of wafer epitaxy, began to expand the study, 6,7 years ago aware of the future 5G market applications, thinking about how to use optical communications to enhance Transmission efficiency.
"International manufacturers know that we are beginning to develop optical communications, but also the benefits of vertical integration, to find our common development, and gradually accumulated optical communications experience and foundation, but also a better understanding of the market demand, only today's VCSEL." Chen Jin said with a smile.
Small 3D sensing module unlimited opportunities
In addition to mastering the market, Chen Jin Choi believes that the stability of the gallium arsenide in the process of manufacturing capacity, but also compete for a strong opportunity to grab the backing. Mainly because of gallium arsenide is a composite material, each element has its own characteristics, mixed together , The process will produce a variety of variables and can not grasp the variable, "Even though we have been so familiar, there are still a variety of problems every day, accumulated more technical management experience, the first-tier manufacturers will find us, the market will be more Concentration, the more customers, the more experience, the more resolving power, the competitive threshold has been established, into an intangible asset, it is not so easy for others to come in. "
Speaking of the future of development, "3D sensing has just started, the imagination of the future a lot of space, and now it's just the tip of the iceberg." Wang Yuqi represented by Qualcomm at the seminar, show their own research and development of 3D sensing combined with 3D printing technology For example, we first stored the image of Wei Zhejia, president of TSMC Group, using 3D sensing technology. The scene was printed in 3D with a 1: 2 ratio. The spot heated up the participants and immediately asked: "The printed model can be seen through 3D sensing to unlock the phone? "The answer is of course negative, but also revealed the future of 3D sensing more possibilities.
Wang Yuqi said that now only the front of the Apple mobile phone equipped with 3D sensing, but many phones in the back of the lens also has 3D sensing capabilities, with AR, VR technology to truly measure the size and length of the space, the future furniture companies can build Set App, so that consumers directly measure their own space with 3D sensing, try to put all sections of furniture, you can accurately buy furniture.
The same logic can also be placed on the fitting room, the first three-dimensional measurement with a three-dimensional body type, really do not have to go out to try on, you can buy pre-fit fit clothes, "With the popularity of 3D sensing applications, the future Function will be more powerful and complete, these are opportunities. "Wang Yuqi said.
The next blue ocean: 5G, car networking
The prospects of future growth of Man Mao, not only in the 3D sensing, but also including the development of 5G, the Internet and other car networking, and even new opportunities for optical communications IC. Chen revealed that the development of microwave communications in the field of 5G , Has been working with a number of customers to develop. "5G is a three-dimensional application, each application has a different chip design, we can develop a full range of processes to meet market demand, although the specifications are not yet set, but we The first guess what the direction, process development will do first. "
Wang Yuqi further pointed out that 2020 is the first year of 5G. "The focus of the 5G is speed, one is volume, and one second is 10 to 100 times that of 3G. This is a necessary condition for the future success of the network; 6 GHz (Gigahertz) The following speeds of 5G PRE5G should be the mainstream of the next five years, but even so, compared to the current mobile phone only 2 or 3GHz, the market growth is still great. "
However, with the development of mobile phones becoming more and more important, "the future status of gallium arsenide will be more stable, and it has its own Natural physical properties are not easily replaced by silicon wafers. "Stressed that the Group will focus on Class III-V compounds and broaden its use of technologies and opportunities, with at least 6% of its annual revenues invested in research and development, accounting for the operating expenses More than half, at least 1 billion yuan each year.