csem annual report 2013

annual report2013

c sem - a nnua l r ep or t 2 013

01

Contents

IntervIew wIth the chaIrman and the ceO

hIghlIghts

ctI prOjects

sme & IndustrIal prOjects

eurOpean prOjects

a lOOk InsIde csem

FInancIal repOrt

BOard

Impressum

02

04

06

16

22

26

30

34

36

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2

3

5

7

9

4

6

8

chapters

c sem - a nnua l r ep or t 2 013 0 2 0 3

Claude Nicollier, how do you define innovation?claude nicollier: Innovation is something that really happens between the brain and the heart. education, background and professional experience provide the base upon which the brain acquires the reflex of innovation, allowing people to develop continuously. the spirit of innovation takes its root in the heart, as a cer-tain form of constant curiosity that is developed in childhood and never disappears. at csem, people want to be, and are, innovative. they use brain and heart to help companies become ever more competitive and also search out new avenues with passion and commitment. this is in our company culture, which is unique. It is expressed in all of our corporate activities and is what makes csem such a valuable organiza-tion for industry.

How can CSEM help companies be more innovative?claude nicollier: the risk for a company selling reliable, successful products is that it focuses too much on doing business and so remains stuck in its comfort zone. entre-preneurs know that to stay competitive in the long term, they need to constantly challenge structures, solutions, production cycles and markets. csem helps its customers find new

solutions by encouraging the use and combin-ation of new technologies and by transferring them to novel applications. take sensors, for example: connected sensor networks can be used in an endless number of fields and in unlimited applications, from medical and sports devices to increasing the quality of measurements and boosting the performance of production lines.

How do you explain CSEM’s success?claude nicollier: Over the years, csem’s expertise and proven success have gener-ated a true culture of innovation that inspires customers and academic and industrial partners alike. From a very strong tradition in watchmaking and decades-long expertise in miniaturization, csem has gradually added competence in other application fields that require a quest for perfection and a commit-ment to precision such as space, aeronautics, medical, semiconductors and many others. In doing so, we have established ourselves as a “one-stop-shop”. today, csem is the place to come when looking for technologies that make the difference.

Mario El-Khoury, why are some companies reluctant to innovate? mario el-khoury: Innovation is always a matter

2013 was an exceptIOnally successFul year, wIth csem earnIng recOgnItIOn In every FIeld OF actIvIty. FrOm the 2013 eurOpean assOcIatIOn OF research and technOlOgy OrganIzatIOns prIze tO the BIOalps award tO a new cOntract FOr satellIte InstrumentatIOn, puBlIc BOdIes, academIa and prIvate Industry alIke cOmmended Our cOntrIButIOns tO varIOus IndustrIes such as watchmakIng, BIOtechnOlOgy and space. here, chaIrman claude nIcOllIer and ceO marIO el-khOury dIscuss csem’s leadIng rOle In suppOrtIng InnOvatIOn and helpIng Its partners, maInly smes — the BackBOne OF swIss Industry — gaIn the mOst BeneFIt FrOm It.

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Interview with the Chairman and the CEO

of risk, of going outside the comfort zone and doing different things, or doing things differ-ently. companies have a natural resistance to taking risks and they don’t appreciate uncer-tainty. the idea behind csem was to reduce or mitigate the risk for swiss companies by giving them access to existing technologies and helping them with technical transfer to their fields of application. that’s where government incentives make a big difference. this public financial support, direct from the confederation and cantons or through innovation agencies like ctI, allows csem to be at the service of smes and large industrial groups alike.

CSEM was formed during a time of crisis for Swiss industry. How would you characterize the situation today?mario el-khoury: adrien jaquerod, a founder of what later became csem, said in 1940 “industry needs science to keep its competitive

edge against foreign competition”. this is still fully true today. to remain competitive, we need to innovate and facilitate the transfer of results from science to industry. what has changed drastically is the complexity of technology and globalization, with any company worldwide able to access state-of-the-art production-equipment and low-cost labor. this change makes it harder for companies, and mainly smes, in countries like switzerland to maintain their competitiveness without relying on technological innovation. what is mainly needed is disruptive innovation, which is one of csem’s specialities.

How does CSEM help SMEs in particular? mario el-khoury: csem has a leading role in the innovation process in switzerland. through the years, we have assisted the swiss watchmaking, medtech, instrumentation and cleantech industries, always with the same mission: helping industry take advantage of

the most promising scientific results. the complexity of technology is increasing in parallel to a higher degree of convergence and integration. today, any successful product is an integration of different, very costly technologies. It is not affordable for smes to maintain a high level of multidisciplinary applied-research inside their structures.this is particularly true as products become more complex and multifunctional. so csem grants these smes access to the knowledge of more than 300 seasoned engineers coming from very wide areas of research and engineering, to state-of-the-art infrastructure and equip-ment, and to a large array of avant-garde but matured technologies. the maturity level of csem’s technologies is highly appreciated by smes, which are often risk averse. Our engineers and managers also provide smes with a digest of state-of-the-art technologies and roadmaps for the future, helping them position and benchmark themselves.

Mario el-Khoury, ceO claude Nicollier, chairman of the Board

BioAlps awardsthe life science cluster Bioalps, a network of research- and academic institutions, start-up companies, and large multinationals, recognized csem for its contribution as an engine of development for biomedical activities in western switzerland. the Bioalps awards honor companies and personalities in the field of life sciences who have made significant contributions to the region’s exceptional international reputation. In 2013, Bioalps honored andrea pfeifer, ceO of ac Immune, and mario el-khoury. Its annual networking day focused in 2013 on the influence of diet on gene function and how research into nutrition and health is likely to revolutionize the way we eat and improve our well-being. Bioalps is supported by the cantons of western switzerland and by the swiss state secretariat for economic affairs (secO).

EARTO innovation prizecsem was one of three winners of the 2013 european association of research and technology Organizations (eartO) Innovation prize, an award that honors research and technology transfer showing high potential for future applications in economy and society. the prize recognized csem’s contribution to the global competitiveness of the swiss watch industry through the development of silicon micro-components. the components, produced through wafer-level fabrication, are distinguishing a new generation of high-performance watches and rejuvenating the industry. the groundbreaking methods of working with silicon have led to unprecedented accuracy and reliability with less maintenance — watches no longer lose precision through exposure to magnetic fields, temperature variations and shocks.

Highlights


Third-generation meteorological satellites thanks to its unique competence in high-preci-sion and complex mechanical systems, csem was granted a multi-million euro contract by thales alenia space France to provide instrumentation for a third generation of meteorological satellites. From a geostationary orbit some 36,000 kilometers above the earth, the satellites will monitor weather and climate over the coming decades. having already contributed to the success of the first and second generation of metop satellites, csem and several swiss smes that we have sub-contracted will participate in specific design, manufacturing and assembly operations during the development of the meteosat third generation (mtg). the project is a joint project between eumetsat, the company operating the european meteorological satellites, and the european space agency (esa).

© esa-p. carril

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CSEM PV-center the photovoltaic center started operations in january after receiving 19 million swiss francs in training, research and innovation grants from the swiss government through 2016. dedicated to applied research and technology transfer in the domain of solar energy, the center aims to speed up the industrialization process, develop new generations of photovoltaic cells and modules and support the transition to a national energy system in which solar power plays an essential role. the csem pv-center builds on 25 years of leading-edge technology developments at epFl’s Imt pv-lab in neuchâtel and at csem muttenz. It now employs more than 30 researchers and professionals with the industrial and academic backgrounds to take on the challenges of a new, clean energy source.

Empa, CSEM and PSI cooperate as key innovators in materials analysisreasearch and technology Organizations (rtOs) play a pivotal role in the process of innovation, and cooperation can further strengthen their impact. to this end, swiss rtOs empa, the paul scherrer Institute (psI) and csem have continuously reinforced their cooperation over the last few years in multiple domains including materials analysis. the complementarity of the rtOs benefits swiss industry through the optimization of produc-tion processes and improvement of the quality of swiss-made products. Because materials analysis is a broad field that encompasses many different methods, the rtOs held a tech-nology briefing to discuss techniques including x-ray diffraction and microscopic approaches and explain in detail where and how each can be used.

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Mario El-Khoury visits Korea with Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammannmario el-khoury visited south korea with a swiss delegation led by Federal councilor schneider-ammann to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the areas of science and technology and their respective approaches to innovation. a 2011 agreement between csem and kIat, the korean Innovation agency, was the initial step in the process. this cooperation was reinforced during the july visit through the signature of a letter of intent between switzerland’s commission for technology and Innovation and kIat. existing links between csem and major korean organizations were enhanced during the trip. such cooperation targets new business links between swiss companies, particularly smes, and the korean market.

“ctI Is mandated tO suppOrt the transFOrmatIOn OF research IntO ecOnOmIc value In the swIss InnOvatIOn ecOsystem. csem Is a valuaBle and dedIcated research partner In thIs cOntext, cOntrIButIng excellent knOw-hOw cOmBInIng scIentIFIc and IndustrIal experIences.”

at the end of 2011, the swiss government introduced a major relief package to counter the detrimental effects of the overly strong franc. part of the initiative was a special budget appropriation of chF100 million to the government’s innovation promotion agency, the commission for technology and Innovation (ctI). the measure was meant to encourage export-oriented companies to submit proposals for promising innovation projects despite the economic downturn and resulting decrease in earnings. Of the 256 projects supported, csem participated in 26 across switzerland. serving as the unique technology partner in 21 projects and together with valuable industrial partners or swiss academia in five others, csem played a key role in helping a number of companies deliver innovative technology with the funding provided.

CTI projects

Walter SteinlinctI president


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Wolfgang Moritz

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the cell cultures now used to predict efficacy and side effects during drug discovery are limited in their predictive powers — the two-dimensional structures don’t accurately represent the morphology or function of actual tissues. Insphero ag produces uniformly sized three-dimensional microtissues meant to provide more accurate information. with a 3d liver model already on the market, Insphero’s ultimate ambition is to develop a “body-on-a-plate.” the microstructured well plate will combine brain, heart, kidney and liver microtissues in individual wells, allowing researchers to mimic exposure to drug metabolites in the body. csem is helping them meet that goal, together with two research groups from the universities of zurich and Bern.

while Insphero tackles the challenging task of developing microtissues that mimic the human brain, csem is focused on developing a special plastic microtiter plate that can contain mul-tiple microtissues in each well. an essential part of that process was developing concepts compatible with serial production. “you can come up with any idea, but if you can’t do mass production of a consumer good, there’s no way you can pursue the project any further,” moritz says. “It’s essential to design a concept that’s already compatible with production.” csem moved the new plate from design concept to small series production, developing a plate that will eventually allow Insphero to test the innovative concept with their customers. “we didn’t have to bother about any of that and could really focus on tissue development,” moritz says. “csem took care of it all.”

Wolfgang Moritzhead of r&D at Insphero aG, schlieren (Zh)

“csem’s partIcular advantage Is that It’s a One stOp shOp. whatever yOu need, whatever technOlOgIcal challenge yOu have, yOu can FInd sOmeOne at csem wIth exactly that expertIse.”

3D microtissues for more accurate medicine testing

CTI projects

mOre InFO aBOut thIs artIcle

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/insphero.html

printed electronics look ready to provide a new generation of thin, light-weight, flexible, and low-cost processes and products, companies just need the machines to manufacture them.

the ctI project swiss precision electronic gravure printer (swIpegrape) aimed to develop and test a high-precision laboratory gravure printing machine that can make thin-film devices such as transistors and circuits. csem worked with norbert schläfli maschinen to transform an older generation printer into an enhanced version — labratester II — that can print multiple layers on different substrates with the micrometer-precise alignment that is required by electronic devices.

csem and norbert schläfli maschinen developed the new printing tool and showed its capability by making demonstrators includ-ing field-effects transistors and inverters. the project also allowed for the screening of materials and the refinement of processes before scale-up production of printed elec-tronics. the fully printed devices perform well and prove that labratester II can serve as an r&d-scale gravure printer. the project not only helped norbert schläfli maschinen transform an older technology, it also gave the company new ideas about what path to take in the future: a follow-up to labratester II is already in the works. “now we know what csem and other customers want to do and in the future we can offer customer-specific solutions,” schläfli says. “this is a significant advantage for us.”

Michael and Norbert SchläfliOwners at Norbert schläfli Maschinen, Zofingen (aG)

“we needed a partner lIke csem tO wOrk wIth these machInes and gIve us FeedBack. On the BasIs OF the results, we cOuld OptImIze Our prOducts and get Ideas FOr new develOpments.”

Swiss precision for printed electronic devices



CTI projects

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/sm.html

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Biotech and pharmaceutical companies need accurate information about ph during their bioprocesses — the value ultimately affects productivity, stability and product quality. lab technicians have until now measured the variable by removing samples from bioreactors and evaluating them in external machines, or by using optical ph sensors to monitor values continuously. the first is a labor-intensive approach that disturbs cell cultures, while the second is only valid for a limited range of ph. csem and partner c-cIt are developing an electrochemical ph sensor that covers a wide range of ph analysis, combined with non-invasive, continuous monitoring: the device will offer the advant-ages of both existing methods, but none of the drawbacks.

c-cIt started off in 2009 with a monitoring system for the online measurement of glucose. customers liked the device, but feedback was unanimous: they wanted a better way to monitor ph too. the company decided at that point to develop a disposable sensor based on new technologies. at about the same time, csem got in touch. “they presented what they do and we saw that it was a perfect fit,” spichiger says. c-cIt is now working with csem groups in muttenz and landquart to develop the sensor, which combines screen-printed electrodes and a ph-sensitive layer. c-cIt plans to present the device to potential customers in may 2014. “From the first measurements we see that it has a nice ph range that fits biotech applications perfectly,” spichiger says. “I’m very happy with what we’ve done.”

Stefan SpichigerGeneral Manager at c-cIt aG, Wädenswil (Zh)

“the knOwledge csem has Is almOst unIque FOr swItzerland. the expertIse In electrOchemIstry In landquart and knOwledge OF screen prIntIng electrOdes In muttenz Is an excellent cOmBInatIOn.”

Non-invasive, continuous pH monitoring with electrochemical sensors


CTI projects

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/ccit.html

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Jiri Nohavaapplication engineer at csM Instruments sa, a company of anton paar, peseux (Ne)

“It was One OF the Best prOjects I’ve Been InvOlved In – On a peOple level, a cOmmunIcatIOns level and In terms OF what we achIeved tOgether.”

the human body is made up of many soft tissues. the Bioindenter is a unique instrument that can test and characterize the mechanical properties of almost every one of them. From refining disease models and pharmacology, to developing new drugs, engineering tissues and improving diagnosis of altered tissues such as those linked to atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis and cancer, the Bioindenter opens up new domains for high precision indentation instruments.

csm Instruments and csem combined their respective expertise in nanoindentation and biology to develop the Bioindenter and bring it to the market in just 18 months. Based on csm Instruments, commercially available ultra nanoindentation tester, the innovative product incorporates a csem-developed biochamber that allows the instrument to keep the biological probes in their natural environment. the first instrument dedicated to investigating local mechanical properties of soft tissue via instrumented indentation, the Bioindenter was developed based on the demands of customers who need such a tool for their research. with it, csm Instruments fulfilled its goals of filling a gap in the market and enhancing its competitiveness. “Our two fields of expertise really fit well together,” says nohava. “It’s very difficult to think of anyone else we could have worked with.“

Mechanical testing for the body’s soft tissues


CTI projects

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/csm.html

Peter Chabrecekr&D Manager at seFar aG, thal (sG)

“FOr unIversItIes Or research InstItutes It’s mOstly just ImpOrtant tO shOw that a cOncept wOrks. as a cOmpany, we want tO knOw that It wOrks, But alsO that It can Be IndustrIalIzed. csem Is an Ideal partner Because theIr Interests lIe In prOducIng sOmethIng FOr Industry tOO.”

Flexible, fabric-based electrodes for OLED technology


seFar ag now makes fabric-based electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Because of their unique combination of electrical, optical and mechanical properties, the company thought these same electrodes could be used in organic light-emitting diodes (Oleds), an attractive technology because of the need for low-cost, large area, flexible lighting. when seFar looked to develop their electrodes for this use, they turned to csem for help. “csem are the experts in optoelectronics,” chabrecek says. “we knew we needed to work together.”

Oled electrodes need to be compatible with

technologies leading to end products. they should be transparent, flexible and able to cover large areas at a relatively low cost. the material now most commonly used in such electrodes, Indium tin Oxide (ItO), has a num-ber of drawbacks including high cost and low conductivity. during the project, csem iden-tified how to use seFar electrodes to make high-quality Oled devices that both overcome these issues and meet two requirements — high electrode conductivity and uniform organic coating layer thickness — for uniform light emission over large areas. csem’s technique involves using high-throughput,

cost-effective roll-to-roll compatible pro-cesses to coat seFar’s substrates. the high conductivity of the fabric-based electrodes combined with the precise thickness control of the organic coating resulted in low-cost, large-area, ItO-free Oled devices with highly uniform light emission. these fabric-based electrodes demonstrated optical performance comparable to standard ItO-coated glass substrates and electrical performance that far exceeded that of the existing tech-nology. “we have shown that it is possible to produce Oleds based on seFar substrates,” chabrecek says. “this was exactly our goal.”


CTI projects

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/sefar.html

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Reinhard VölkelceO at sUss MicroOptics, hauterive (Ne)

“peOple stay at csem, and sO knOw-hOw Is cOnserved Over the lOng term. In technOlOgy, thIs Is ImpOrtant IF yOu dOn’t want tO reInvent the wheel agaIn and agaIn.”

Upgrade takes mask alignersto the sub-micron scale

the miniaturization of features to the submicron scale in microsystems manufacturing has led to an exponential increase in the price of production equipment, an additional expense that can only be justified by high-volume mass production. csem and suss microOptics have developed an upgrade for cost-efficient mask aligner lithography — advanced mask aligner lithography (amalIth) — that allows standard mask aligners to transfer regular submicron patterns onto silicon chips at low costs. the innovation allows machines available in most clean rooms to produce custom-made perio- dic features with submicron dimensions:

this drastically reduces costs compared to current production methods and paves the way for the widespread integration of such chips in the fields of bio-sensing, testing and imaging.

amalIth is based on suss’ mO exposure Optics®, a key enabling technology that allows for perfect shaping of the light. the upgrade makes sense technologically, but also from a business perspective. suss has installed about 5,000 mask aligners throughout the world and has so far upgraded half of all mask aligners in switzerland with amalIth. “providing the upgrade is good business,”

völkel says. working on the upgrade equipment, csem used its own optics know-how and clean room to design and produce prototypes of plasmonic color filters, ultra-thin membranes for cell cultures and light emitting diode parts, effectively demonstrating a range of new possibilities to customers. By doing so, the project helped suss microOptics widen its customer base. “csem is helping us spread the message that we have a very interesting upgrade that opens the door to lithography technology that was not possible in mask aligners before,” völkel says.


CTI projects

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/microoptics.html

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Hermetic sealing for swept source lasers

Marc EpitauxVp engineering at exalos, schlieren (Zh)

“the BIg advantage OF wOrkIng wIth csem Is that we can access resOurces dedIcated tO the needs OF the prOject; such resOurces Include tOp-end engIneers wIth ad hOc knOwledge and experIence as well as cOstly specIalIzed equIpment. thIs Is deFInItely a BIg advantage FOr us, and FOr any sme.”

hermetic sealing is often used to encapsulate miniature sensors, mems and electronic systems to ensure long-term reliability or a specific atmosphere. In these applications, a very high level of hermeticity is required to avoid moisture penetration or to maintain a controlled atmosphere. as low vacuum levels can benefit certain mems devices working on resonance by reducing both air drag friction and power consumption, it made sense to try to reduce the internal pressure of the package to improve the functionality of mems mirrors integrated inside. together, csem and exalos developed a new process to hermetically vacuum seal packages of swept source lasers that can be used in applications such as optical coherence tomography (Oct), bio-chemical spectroscopy, and fiber-optic sensing.

Introducing a low vacuum meant first figuring out an optimal sealing process and then developing a method of assessing the rate of air leakage into the package. to tackle the first problem, exalos and csem developed a laser-based soldering technique.

It is a low-temperature process with localized heat that is less likely to damage sensitive electro-optical components, and it also allows fast processing for high throughput. they then moved to qualify the sealing process by determining leakage into the package, information that indicates how long the vacuum will stay below the limit needed to keep the devices working properly. “It all comes down to the reliability of the component,” epitaux says. “we need to ensure that the module that we’re building and selling will work with the same specifications over five years.” to this end, the partners developed several tests such as temperature cycling and subsequent destructive testing, a yield analysis and a long-term measurement of the internal pressure in the sealed package. the final result is a highyield vacuum sealing process for packaging swept source lasers. exalos and csem are continuing to work together to develop the technology into a product. “csem’s packaging knowledge helped us get this through fast,” epitaux says. “we’re really benefitting from csem’s experience.”


CTI projects

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/exalos.html

mOre than 200 cOmpanIes rangIng In sIze FrOm smes tO large OrganIzatIOns BeneFIt FrOm Our technOlOgIcal knOw-hOw every year. FrOm cOntract r&d tO the develOpment OF specIFIc BusIness sOlutIOns, csem helps custOmers FInd answers tO technOlOgIcal challenges In dOmaIns that requIre a passIOn FOr precIsIOn and dedIcatIOn tO qualIty such as the FIelds OF watchmakIng, medIcal, transpOrtatIOn, energy, securIty, manuFacturIng, lIFe scIences and telecOmmunIcatIOns.

Our special focus is on smes, an essential element of the swiss economy. these companies account for some 55% of our collaborations and, of these, more than 50% involve very small projects. we support customers with our own research, but also by acting as a portal whenever we see that an sme customer may have a need that other institutions can better fulfill. In the following pages, we look at projects ranging from the development of a new kind of photovoltaic cell to the production of a unique heartbeat monitor.

SME & industry projects


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the rapid improvement in technology and sig-nificant reduction in the cost per kilowatt hour (kwh) of competing technologies challenges solar industry manufacturers to constantly improve production equipment and processes. to this end, meyer Burger and csem are developing a disruptive crystalline silicon tech-nology with heterojunction (hjt) solar cells. the partners aim to increase the performance efficiencies of such solar cells to more than 22%, offering a significant advantage over standard solar cells, which feature efficiencies of up to 18%. when combined with industrial production processes, this new technology results in solar energy costs in europe of four to six euro cents per kwh, making photovoltaic cells a competitive source of electricity.

hjt cell technology combines the advantages of mono crystalline silicon solar cells with the good absorption and superior passiva-tion characteristics of amorphous silicon. the resulting high efficiencies and thermal characteristics play a key role in significantly increasing the generation of energy. the straightforward hjt production process takes

place at low temperatures and involves fewer steps than the processes used to manufac-ture other cell designs. this makes the hjt process economically attractive.

“heterojunction is the only technology that allows us to use less silicon material without losing efficiency while still improving the cell’s output in hot regions and in photovol-taic building integration,” leu says. “there is huge potential for this.” csem is supporting meyer Burger in realizing the potential of silicon wafer substrates in combination with a crystallization process that improves the con-version of electricity and efficiency. In parallel, new cell interconnection technologies such as the meyer Burger “smartwire connection technology” are improving the conversion efficiency and performance of solar cells. “csem’s pv-center has a very sophisticated level of equipment and expertise of hetero-junction technology,” leu says. “we benefit from csem as a leading swiss research institute for micro- and nano-technologies in terms of technology expertise and market-ori-ented developments.”

“maIntaInIng a mutual exchange OF Ideas wIthIn a netwOrk OF cOmpetItOrs whIle prOtectIng expertIse and knOw-hOw In a research InstItute Is a cOnstant challenge. csem Is aBle tO generate relevant Intellectual prOperty In a tImely FashIOn.”

Sylvère LeucIO Innovation & technology at Meyer Burger Group , thun (Be)

New technology enables high-performance solar cells



http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/mb.html

Stève Gygersenior project Manager / team Leader at Melexis technologies sa, Bevaix (Ne)

“at csem, the qualIty OF develOpment, relIaBIlIty OF results and cOmpetence OF r&d persOnnel Is prOven. these elements were mandatOry FOr estaBlIshIng a partnershIp. we dOn’t have tIme tO spend tryIng, we need tO have results.”

Wireless RF transceiver fills gap in company’s portfolio


From 1996’s programmable linear hall to 2011’s time of flight camera sensor, melexis technologies has a record of world firsts. when the company looked to introduce its newest innovation in wireless, it chose to collaborate with csem. thanks to this part-nership, melexis is set to offer later this year a low-power wireless rF transceiver that can be used in the latest generation of automotive key fobs, tire pressure monitoring systems, auto-matic meter reading and security systems, just to give a few examples.

csem and melexis, the sensor company that makes the integrated circuits relied on by nearly all automobile brands worldwide, have a close connection. their recent col-laboration involved the usual exchange of ideas and expertise, but went beyond routine

boundaries, with engineers from melexis and csem designing side by side. “technology, knowledge and people transfer, the goals of ctI projects, were much more than fulfilled during our work together,” gyger says. melexis initially looked to csem to collaborate on an update of its BicmOs technology to standard cmOs, a move that would allow for more cost-effectiveness, higher integration and efficiency in devices targeted for mass produc-tion. the end result is a low-power wireless rF transceiver for digital data communication, leading-edge Ip to be integrated with sensor technologies, enabling products that weren’t commercially feasible with the older technology. “cost- and performance-wise, what we have now is a product that fills a hole we had in our catalogue,” gyger says.



http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/melexis.html

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Haki Hintsa, head of medical and Alexandros Giannakis, ceO sensecore, Zurich

“the maIn advantages OF a partnershIp wIth csem Include wOrkIng wIth hIghly mOtIvated wOrld-class scIentIsts, accessIng and/Or creatIng Ip and havIng a wIde range OF technIcal resOurces avaIlaBle.”

Smart clothing assesses performance and health

alexandros giannakis first came into contact with dry electrodes while working for csem almost ten years ago. part of the team assessing the commercial applicability of new technologies, giannakis became convinced that the devices — an innovative departure from the sticky or gel-based electrodes otherwise commercially available — were the best choice for monitoring biometrical data and assessing performance and health within sports and medicine. now, giannakis is the head of sensecore, a company that sells a human monitoring platform that measures variables such as ecg, respiratory and activity-based parameters as well as body temperature and targets those particular markets. consisting of dry electrodes clipped on to clothes developed for activities such as exercise or sleep, the device can improve

performance and recovery, and monitor people in special circumstances, such as after surgery.

using background technology from csem, sensecore gathered an elite group of medical experts and industrial partners to develop the final product, which includes unique software monitoring health, training, biomechanics, recovery, nutrition and mental energy as well as a range of state-of-the-art garments. the combination results in the product’s main advantages: it is a single device that can monitor a wide range of high-quality data, is packaged in application-specific garments that are comfortable to wear and provide unique feedback through software. the technology is now fully developed for the first generation of products and sensecore has been pursuing

commercial partnerships since september 2013. csem contributed to the development of microelectronics, algorithms, novel solutions and firmware applications, but also supported the industrialization process with work on packaging, materials and water-tightness. “In every step of the project, we have worked as one team,” giannakis says. “as a result, it would be impossible to imagine this (ad)venture without csem on sensecore’s side.”



http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/sensecore.html



Tero MennanderceO at pulseOn, Finland

“the maIn advantages OF wOrkIng wIth csem are technOlOgy, cOmpetence and relIaBIlIty. Once yOu agree On technIcal specIFIcatIOns and tImelInes, It really gets dOne accOrdIngly. that’s ImpOrtant.”

When Finnish design meets Swiss precision

the majority of today’s heart rate monitors are electrocardiogram-based (ecg) based devices that require an additional cumbersome chest belt. while the approach may be tolerable during use in sports, it is too obtrusive for analyzing sleep quality or athlete recovery. Finnish company pulseOn is set to introduce a wrist-worn device that provides highly accur-ate heart rate, physical activity and gps data without the need for a chest probe. the user’s vital signs can be sent wirelessly to mobile devices in order to monitor heart activity during exercise and recovery, physical activity, stress levels and sleep quality with the help of a smartphone app.

the new product is based on csem’s patented vital sign monitoring technology, which uses a multi-parameter opto-inertial measure-ment technique. though the basic approach is straightforward, engineers had to improve measurement quality significantly to make it competitive with data generated by standard ecg-based monitors. this meant increasing signal quality and precision by improving both opto-mechanical aspects and the design of

optical sensors as well as refining electronic and multi-channel processing aspects linked to power consumption and the size of the wrist device. the work also resulted in an ultra-low-power application-specific integrated circuit (asIc) dedicated to wearable biomedical sensing devices, enabling further miniaturiz-ation of the product. “today we have the best offering in terms of features, size of the device, design, accuracy and reliability of the data,” mennander says.


http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/pulseon.html

2 0 21

csem takes part In a numBer OF eurOpean prOjects wIthIn the FramewOrk OF prOgrams IncludIng Fp7, eureka and Others. a vast natIOnal and InternatIOnal netwOrk allOws us tO get InvOlved In dIverse prOjects In a numBer OF dOmaIns IncludIng health, space, aerOnautIcs, envIrOnment and telecOmmunIcatIOns. thIs access tO eurOpean FundIng Opens dOOrs FOr swIss sme partners, gIvIng them OppOrtunItIes tO jOIn In large InternatIOnal prOjects.

In 2013, csem was involved in 71 projects, an astounding 20 projects per 100 researchers, a ratio among the highest of its european research center peers. this fact alone demon-strates the quality of our technology, especially taking into account the rigorous selection pro-

cess. the Orion and the shoppingmate projects featured in this report were developed within a category of eu projects that specifically targets the competitiveness of smes, the backbone of the european, and to an even greater extent, swiss, economies.

European projects


5

2 2 2 3

François-Régis MahrerManaging partner at Digesto sàrl, puplinge (Ge)

“csem’s reputatIOn was an ImpOrtant advantage In terms OF gettIng the prOject Funded. thIs Is a great OppOrtunIty FOr a swIss sme tO prOvIde the technOlOgy that Is rIght at the mIddle OF a eurOpean prOject wIth 21 partners.”

Organic waste management on site

most smes involved in food and agriculture have a common problem — organic waste. the millions of tons produced each year by restaurants, hotels, fish processors, cheese makers and the like have to be stored, trans- ported and disposed of in what is now a costly and inefficient process. the eu-sponsored Orion (Organic waste management by small scale Innovative automated system of anaer-obic digestiOn) project aims to provide an alternative solution with an anaerobic diges-tion machine scaled for smes. able to treat a wide range of organic waste and convert it into energy, it will reduce treatment cost while increasing hygiene and autonomy for the producers that use it.

the solution consists of a number of compon-ents, including a grinder and feeding tank, a digestion module, electronic sensors to diagnose and monitor anaerobic digestion, biogas combustion and heat recovery as well as supervision and control for local and remote maintenance. the targeted result is a unit allowing food-sector smes to locally turn waste into energy and biomass that can be

used after the digested solid and liquid matter is characterized and compliance is verified. “we’re making a complete food production loop, with the residues being put back into the earth,” says mahrer. “this project makes a lot of sense.” while csem’s technical contribution focuses on surface engineering including chemical functionalization and topographic structuring to control bacterial growth — both in terms of preventing it where it shouldn’t take place such as on sensors and promoting it in the digestion process — it also supports partners through its network. “csem is excellent at drawing our attention to the sorts of technologies that can be integrated into the project,” mahrer says. “their overview of the industrial sector is a significant advantage for smes.” the consortium also includes local partners: the university of applied sciences of western switzerland and cand-landi sa, a sanitation company.

European projects


http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/digesto.html

2 4 2 5

Ali HusseinVp sales and Marketing at OnYourMap sa , préverenges (VD)

Online shopping makes it easy to compare prices and to find exactly what you need. traditional shopping allows you to touch and examine products before purchase. the eu-sponsored shoppingmate project aimed to combine the advantages of both approaches in an application that helps consumers save time and find exactly what they need in brick and mortar shops. It also allows such businesses to increase sales and boost competitiveness.

the shoppingmate application, developed during the course of the project, allows users to get online descriptions, prices and localizations of products optimally fitting their needs in a specific geographical location at the lowest price. this innovative combination of features — particularly the simultaneous localization of the customer and the product on a mobile basis — is what makes the application a unique platform. shoppers can use the tool to compare prices, search for bargains and availability, as well as check shop ratings and product reviews. the platform combines technologies that enable content searching, location and navigation, giving users directions to the relevant shops.

Onyourmap specializes in location technologies and contributed to the requirements specifications. csem was responsible for shop-data acquisition. capturing relevant shop-item content for artificial intelligence-matching algorithms while proposing an attractive, efficient data-capture process was a challenging element of the project, which targeted both small shops and large chain stores. using semantic web techniques, csem developed a flexible, targeted shop-owner interface as well as a generic solution for massive data capture that enables, for example, the upload of bulk information extracted from a shop’s book-keeping tools. “It was an eye-opening experience participating with csem in an eu-funded project. we hope to collaborate with them in the future,” hussein says. “It was excellent to understand the methodologies used by the eu and to contribute to such an innovative project.”

Optimized shopping on the go

“we prOFIted enOrmOusly FrOm csem’s knOw-hOw In the area OF eurOpean prOjects. the eu has cOmplex ways OF FOrmalIzIng requIrements and FOllOw-up On prOgress and FOr us It was new. It was gOOd tO partIcIpate In a eurOpean prOject.”

European projects


http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/oym.html

Putting our people first


csem’s high level of employee retention and low absenteeism provide clear evidence that the approach is sound. Our company culture is imbued with this beautiful potential for creativity, a source of hope for the technologies of the future.

Forming “bilingual” employees who feel at home in the worlds of both science and industry is a critical element of technology transfer. engineers and scientists coming to work at csem, whether they are seasoned professionals or young talent, gather experience and learn skills that allow them to be instrumental in the transformation of

research into products and and to better serve industry. here, we talk to former csem employee, ulrich claessen, who has gone on to lead research and development at maxon motor and to our first postdocs for Industry, Fiona pereira and ludovic le reste. the two young scientists are the first of a generation of phds hired by csem in the framework of this innovative program, which aims to help the stars of academia transform knowledge developed during their phd theses into concrete, mature technology that can be used by industry.

the cOntInuIty OF Our values Is the key tO the prOFessIOnal success OF Our cOllaBOratOrs. Our strategy, whIch acknOwledges that emplOyees are peOple Fully capaBle OF takIng respOnsIBIlIty, cOntInues tO Bear FruIt and we are very pleased wIth It.

engIneers’ BackgrOunds

102

56

48

ENGINEERS IN PHYSICS, PHYSICISTS

ENGINEERS IN MICROTECHNOLOGY

ENGINEERS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

31

13

8

ENGINEERS IN MATERIAL SCIENCE11

BIOLOGISTS6

CHEMISTS

25 ENGINEERS IN OTHER DOMAINS

ENGINEERS IN MECHANICS

ENGINEERS IN ELECTRONICS, ELECTROTECHNICS, ELECTRICITY

6

a lo ok in side c sem

2 6 2 7

In 2000, csem was looking for a experienced manager to build up its new activity in alpnach from scratch. the job offer got ulrich claessen’s attention. “there was almost nothing,” he says. “there were no employees, there was a bare room, the research topics had to be defined and the people had to be found. I thought that this was an interesting assignment.“ claessen accepted the position as division head, microrobotics, and joined the executive board.

Over the next year, claessen hired about 30 people and worked to interweave the

new activity into csem’s environment. the following years involved finding customers and building up alpnach’s four main areas of research. “I have tried to bridge the gap between industry and research for all my professional life,” he says. “Both sides can learn a lot from each other.”

claessen worked at csem for more than six years before moving on to join maxon motor in 2007. “It was the combination of industry and research experience that made me a good candidate for that new job,” he says. claessen now oversees 10 departments

active in platform development for dc and Bldc motors, encoders, and control sys-tems; customized product development for markets including medical, robotics and aerospace and applied research for future motor technologies. “I profited a lot from csem because I became part of the technology network,” he says. “still today, if I have a question and want to know something, I know who I should call.”

Ulrich Claessen

Ulrich Claessen, r&D Director and Member of the executive Board at maxon motor, sachseln (OW)

“at csem I gOt an excellent OvervIew On recent develOpments In mIcrO- and nanOtechnOlOgy, and I Became part OF a technOlOgy netwOrk In swItzerland and aBrOad.”

A look inside CSEM


102

56

48

ENGINEERS IN PHYSICS, PHYSICISTS

ENGINEERS IN MICROTECHNOLOGY

ENGINEERS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

31

13

8

ENGINEERS IN MATERIAL SCIENCE11

BIOLOGISTS6

CHEMISTS

25 ENGINEERS IN OTHER DOMAINS

ENGINEERS IN MECHANICS

ENGINEERS IN ELECTRONICS, ELECTROTECHNICS, ELECTRICITY

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/mm.html


Fiona pereira started working at a company, deltadOt ltd., even before she finished her undergraduate degree in microbiology and biochemistry at london southbank university. It is therefore little surprise that the postdoc for Industry appealed to her far more than continu-ing research in a purely academic setting. “I’ve always had a very commercial outlook,” she says. “working at csem is giving me a chance to commercialize something that I’ve developed — that’s why I’m here.”

pereira is working on the development of an interface device that she initially developed during her phd at Imperial college. the basic idea of the tool is to use a chip to create nano-liter volume droplets of biomolecules that come from a “first dimension” bioprocess or separa-tion. a microprobe then transfers the droplets

to a “second dimension” type of analysis such as liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry or capillary electrophoresis, while at the same time removing the oil in which the droplet is suspended. the end effect is to link instrument-ation in the lab, effectively allowing an upgrade of existing analytical tools.

pereira is continuing with research on this tech-nology during her postdoc, but is also looking at the project from a more industrial point of view. “I’m not only doing science in this role, I also have a marketing and commercial role,” she says. “I’ll be doing a bit of project leading too and that definitely adds something to the experi-ence. when I go to get another job, I’ll have the science side and the management side. I think that will be a big advantage.”

Fiona Pereira

“scIence In ItselF Is OF cOurse a wOnderFul thIng. I thInk thOugh that IF yOu have One FOOt In Industry, yOu knOw what cOmpanIes are lOOkIng FOr, and thIs gIves yOu sOme perspectIve On where tO take yOur research IF yOu want tO gO dOwn the path OF gettIng It cOmmercIalIzed.”

Fiona Pereirapostdoc for Industry, cseM Landquart

A look inside CSEM


a lo ok in side c sem

http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/fp.html

2 8 2 9

ludovic le reste’s phd thesis at the university of Oxford focused on the development of a new method of dna sequencing, work that lay at the interface between biology and physics. when he finished, he looked for work that enabled a transition from science to industry. “I knew I wanted to stay in science, but I also wanted to do work that was more applied,” he says.

this requirement led him first to a postdoc further developing work carried out during his phd at chelsea technologies group ltd., and then to csem after a move to switzerland. “this is a great organization because I can develop my research into mature technology for industry while still doing cutting edge work,” he says. “It was exactly what I was looking for.”

since coming to csem, le reste has been involved in projects ranging from sensors that can measure gas concentrations and ph values to helping to construct a prototype of an autonomous machine that may eventually be able to detect blue-green algae pollution in water. the work, which has involved taking demonstrators from another group and trying to apply them to his own team’s application, has given him exposure to different fields of expertise and to a wider range of col-leagues, collaboration that he calls a “great opportunity”.

le reste hopes to move on to work as a development engineer or in the research department of a large company. his post-doc has been beneficial in helping him reach this goal because it allowed him to bring his

research work to quasi-industrial maturity. this in turn means he’s attractive to industry because of his high profile, but also because of the technology he masters and can rapidly transform into an industrial product. he has also built the necessary network — his intimate link to csem and its technology is an important asset for him and his future employer. “I hardly had any contacts within the industrial world in switzerland when I first came,” he says. “this gives me a good oppor-tunity to bring my new expertise to industry.”

Ludovic Le Reste

Ludovic Le Restepostdoc for Industry, cseM Neuchâtel

”wOrkIng at csem gIves academIcs a real pIcture OF the Indus-trIal wOrld — cOnFrOnted By Its needs, yOu develOp a deeper apprecIatIOn OF deadlInes and Budgets.”

A look inside CSEM


http://www.csem.ch/AR2013/llr.html

we have returned tO grOwth, FIrmly suppOrted By puBlIc suBsIdIes FOr research and IndustrIal Funds, the twO pIllars OF Our BusIness mOdel. the Increase OF mOre than 10% In revenue FrOm Industry Is the key pOsItIve element OF Our 2013 FInancIal result.

Industry takes up the slack

this encouraging development more than compensates for the slight downturn in revenue from public projects, expected as the ctI “strong Franc” projects start to wind down.thanks to the increase in public subsidies, we were able to start pv-center activity with the hiring of a group of photovoltaic spe-cialists and the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment.For this year — very positive in terms of both targeted growth and results — it is worth noting that the successful sale of a stake has also allowed us to boost provisions for risk in our portfolio of spin-offs and start-ups. thus strengthened, csem can pursue its fundamental mission of supporting a wide range of innovative industrial companies with an appropriate dose of risk.

F in a nci a l r ep or t c sem - a nnua l r ep or t 2 013

7

3 0 31

chF

tOtal revenues

puBlIc cOntrIButIOns

prOjects and servIces

tOtal OperatIng expenses

expenses dIrectly related tO prOjects

staFF cOsts

OperatIng cOsts

OperatIng result

nOn-cOre actIvItIes

result FOr the perIOd

2013

74’589’133

33’479’974

41’109’159

74’341’063

10’264’787

48’673’386

15’402’890

248’070

45’883

293’953

%

100

45

55

100

14

65

21

1

%

100

41

59

100

14

65

21

1

2012

69’984’056

28’845’420

41’138’636

69’880’536

9’626’251

45’592’837

14’661’448

103’520

-62’436

41’084

key FIguresnOn-cOnsOlIdated FIgures

structure OF partIcIpatIOns

F in a nci a l r ep or t c sem - a nnua l r ep or t 2 013

csem

4-laBs 75.00%

Fully cOnsOlIdatedpartIcIpatIOns

sIlatech 30.00%

udItIs 26.00%

partIally cOnsOlIdatedpartIcIpatIOns

csem uae 49.91%

nOlarIs 40.00%

jade Invest 35.00%

nerOxIs 25.00%

hOltrOnIc 20.00%

snap sensOr 19.00%

sdk 13.00%

mIcrO-camera 7.50%

mccs 5.90%

InnOstarter 2.86%

neOde 2.10%

nOn-cOnsOlIdatedpartIcIpatIOns

3 2 3 3

sources of financing (in %)

total income = chf 74’598’133

OTHER PUBLICPROJECTS

34

29

12

11

10

4

AUTOMATION & CONTROL

AERONAUTICS,TRANSPORTATION& SECURITY

COMMUNICATION & SEMICONDUCTOR

INDUSTRIALINCOME

EU PROJECTS

CANTONS

CTI

BASIC GOVERNMENTFUNDING

WATCHMAKING

LIFE SCIENCES& FOOD

ENERGY &ENVIRONMENT

SPACE & SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTATION

MEDICAL & SPORT22

19

14

11

11

10

8

5


34

29

12

11

10

4




INDUSTRIALINCOME

EU PROJECTS

CANTONS

CTI


WATCHMAKING

LIFE SCIENCES& FOOD

ENERGY &ENVIRONMENT


MEDICAL & SPORT22

19

14

11

11

10

8

5


34

29

12

11

10

4




INDUSTRIALINCOME

EU PROJECTS

CANTONS

CTI


WATCHMAKING

LIFE SCIENCES& FOOD

ENERGY &ENVIRONMENT


MEDICAL & SPORT22

19

14

11

11

10

8

5

industrial incomeper sector (in %)

BOard OF dIrectOrs

Claude Nicollier, chairman

Jacques Baur, vice-chairman, rolex sa

Patrick Aebischer, ecole polytechnique fédérale de lausanne - epFl

Olivier Arni, municipal councillor, neuchâtel [since 12.6.2013]

Pierre-André Bühler, Foundation in favor of a horological research laboratory - Flrh

Adrienne Corboud Fumagalli, ecole polytechnique fédérale de lausanne - epFl

Mougahed Darwish, swatch group sa

Philippe Gnaegi, cantonal councillor, republic and canton of neuchâtel [until 12.6.2013]

Thierry Grosjean, cantonal councillor, republic and canton of neuchâtel [until 12.6.2013]

Georges N. Hayek, swatch group sa

Jean-Nathanaël Karakash, cantonal councillor, republic and canton of neuchâtel [since 12.6.2013]

Eric Klein, richemont International sa

Monika Maire-Hefti, cantonal councillor, republic and canton of neuchâtel [since 12.6.2013]

Alain Ribaux, municipal councillor, neuchâtel [until 12.6.2013]w

Roland Yves Siegwart, ecole polytechnique fédérale de zurich – eth zurich

Pierre-Alain Storrer, Foundation in favor of a horological research laboratory - Flrh

Hans Zimmermann, ascom holding sa [until 12.6.2013]

audItOrs

pricewaterhousecoopers, neuchâtel

c sem - a nnua l r ep or t 2 013 b o a r d

Organization

8

3 4 3 5

e x ec u t i v e b o a r d a nd di v i s ion a l & F unc t ion a l He a d s

executIve BOard

Mario El-Khoury, chief executive Officer

Georges Kotrotsios, vp, marketing & Business development

André Laville, chief Financial Officer

Philippe Steiert, director regional centers

dIvIsIOnal & FunctIOnal heads

Anne-Marie van Rampaey, vp, human resources

Patrick Albert, vp, microsystems technology

Christophe Ballif, vp, photovoltaics

Nicolas Blanc, vp, space program

Christian Bosshard, vp, thin Film Optics

Nico de Rooij, vp, epF coordination

Michel Despont, program manager mems

Harry Heinzelmann, vp, nanotechnology & life sciences

Jens Krauss, vp, systems

Jean-Marc Masgonty, vp, It, risk & quality management

André Perret, vp, strategic relations

Alain-Serge Porret, vp, Integrated and wireless systems

Stéphane Follonier, vp, landquart

c sem - a nnua l r ep or t 2 013 imp r e s s um

Publisher / CopyrightcsemFlorence amez-droz, [email protected] communication managert +41 32 720 5203 / F +41 32 720 5730

Design Inox communication sa, www.inox.com

Writing and editingcsem communicationssargent holliger communications, www.sargent-holliger.com

Photoscsem, joëlle neuenschwanderartaban.tv, david Baumann

Cover photophotovoltaic solar cells

PrintingImprimerie Baillod sa, Boudry

9

c sem

www.csem.ch

CSEM SAJaquet-Droz 1

CH-2002 Neuchâtel

CSEM AlpnachUntere Gründlistrasse 1

CH-6055 Alpnach Dorf

CSEM LandquartBahnhofstrasse 1

CH-7302 Lanquart

CSEM MuttenzTramstrasse 99

CH-4132 Muttenz

CSEM ZurichTechnoparkstrasse 1

CH-8005 Zurich

[email protected]@csem.ch

csem annual report 2013

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