September 2014 - Page 5 of 11 - Semiconductor Engineering

EDA Vendors Prepare For 7nm
By Ann Mutschler - 18 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

It’s not too early to begin looking at design tools for the 7nm, even though the node is not expected to be production-ready until later this decade. While still in the early stages, foundries already in development with leading EDA companies, even though the water remains murky at this point. “7nm right now is in early definition, so we don't know exactly what it will be,” observed... » read more

Wanted: Multi-beam E-Beam Inspection
By Mark LaPedus - 18 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

The IC industry is making a giant leap from planar devices to a range of next-generation architectures, such as 3D NAND and finFETs. But it’s taking longer than expected to ramp up these new technologies in the market. And the challenges are expected to mount for the next round of chips. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact issues with 3D NAND and finFETs. On the manufacturing front alo... » read more

Predictive Fab Management
By Michael Watts - 18 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

Managing variation requires a different approach in fab management, moving from reactive to predictive methodologies. This is easier said than done, however. Predictive fab management requires a much more detailed understanding of everything happening in the fab, including process variation, equipment variation, mix variation—all of which must be managed with dispatch strategies to produc... » read more

How Chip Vendors Counter Security Vulnerabilities In The IoT
By Tony Massimini - 18 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

The objective of the Internet of Things is connectivity and interoperability of many connected devices. There is a large amount of data that is being generated. This data is transmitted from end devices, the “things,” through a network of gateways, routers, smartphones, PCs and other devices up to the cloud into vast databases. Many sources of little data develop into Big Data. Information ... » read more

Materials Matter
By SEMI - 18 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

By Pushkar Apte Despite formidable technical and economic challenges, the semiconductor technology engine continues steaming ahead, changing the way we work and play in amazing ways. This engine primarily ran on the “Moore’s Law track” for nearly half a century – but now, the tracks are diverging for digital logic and memory, and “More-than-Moore” devices. Continuing progress requi... » read more

Navigating The Used Equipment Market
By Mark LaPedus - 18 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

For years, the used semiconductor equipment market has been an important but obscure part of the IC manufacturing supply chain. In fact, nearly all chipmakers have bought used tools over the years. Buying used equipment is a quick and relatively inexpensive way to fill a particular need in both 200mm and 300mm fabs. But after years of flying under the radar, the used IC equipment market is h... » read more

How To Buy Used Fab Tools
By Mark LaPedus - 18 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

Buying used equipment is a good way to find viable tools at reasonable prices. But the used equipment market is not a simple place to shop for good deals. As reported in this article, it’s a complex market. For example, buyers of fab tools can procure used gear from several sources—an OEM; a used equipment company; a broker; and through eBay. Some IDMs also sell used equipment. So what a... » read more

The Route To Faster Physical Verification And Better Designs
By Jean-Marie Brunet - 18 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

By Nancy Nguyen & Jean-Marie Brunet As we’ve moved to today’s leading-edge nodes, physical layout designers have faced more and more challenges to get their design to tape-out on schedule. Timing becomes increasingly difficult to converge, power reduction for both IR and leakage becomes a big issue, and most importantly, how do we meet all of the ever-growing and more complex signoff d... » read more

Changing The IP Supplier Paradigm
By Brian Bailey - 17 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

Semiconductor Engineering sat down with Rich Wawrzyniak, senior market analyst for ASIC and SoC at Semico Research; John Koeter, vice president of marketing for the Solutions Group at [getentity id="22035" e_name="Synopsys"]; Mike Gianfagna, vice president of marketing for [getentity id="22242" e_name="eSilicon"]; Peter McGuinness, director of technology marketing at [getentity id="22709" e_nam... » read more

Blog Review: Sept. 17
By Ed Sperling - 17 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

Ansys’ Benoit Debbaut looks at the Pitch drop experiment, which was started in 1927 (yes, that date is correct) to observe the excruciatingly slow movement of a thick liquid weighted down by gravity. Since inception, a total of nine drops have fallen. So when will the tenth drop fall? Place your bets...when you get around to it. Mentor’s Matthew Ballance highlights an interesting challe... » read more

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