December 2016 - Semiconductor Engineering


What we know after twelve years developing and deploying test data analytics solutions


Abstract: Since 2004, Texas Instruments and Portland State University have collaborated to develop and deploy test data analytical methods for use in a variety of applications, including quality screening, burn-in minimization, high cost test replacement and/or removal, and operations monitoring. In this paper, key findings amassed during this time are summarized. Find the technical paper h... » read more

The Week In Review: Manufacturing


CES mania At the upcoming CES in Las Vegas, Samsung Electronics will unveil the CH711, a new curved monitor based on quantum dot technology. Designed for gamers, the CH711 is available in 27- and 31.5-inch variations. The monitors feature a 1,800R curvature, an ultra-wide 178-degree viewing angle and a 2,560 x 1,440 WQHD resolution. [caption id="attachment_33488" align="alignleft" width="30... » read more

The Week In Review: IoT


Analysis Amazon Web Services has 81 services for its customers in the Internet of Things, online video games, and other markets, Quentin Hardy notes in this analysis. AWS is competing with Microsoft Azure and the Google Cloud Platform in cloud computing services, which are now extending beyond data centers and servers to offer software and a multitude of online services. “As innovations like... » read more

More Reactive, Less Warming


As mentioned in Part 4 of Semiconductor Engineering's series on fab sustainability, molecular fluorine is one alternative to PFCs or NF3 for CVD chamber cleaning in the integrated circuit and flat panel display industries. It has a number of advantages relative to NF3: an unstable, highly reactive molecule, F2 breaks down easily and has no global warming potential.  When NF3 is used, atomic... » read more

Overcoming The Limits Of Scaling


Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the increasing reliance on architectural choices for improvements in power, performance and area, with [getperson id="11425" comment=" Sundari Mitra"], CEO of [getentity id="22535" comment="NetSpeed Systems"]; Charlie Janac, chairman and CEO of [getentity id="22674" e_name="Arteris"]; [getperson id="11032" comment="Simon Davidmann"] CEO of [getentit... » read more

Tech Talk: Timing Closure


Arteris' George Janac talks about timing closure issues in advanced chips and why this has reared its head again for the first time in a decade.   Related Stories Timing Closure Issues Resurface Adding more features and more power states is making it harder to design chips at 10nm and 7nm. » read more

Architect Specs Harder To Follow


Interpreting and implementing architects' specifications is getting harder at each new process node, which is creating problems throughout the design flow, into manufacturing, and sometimes even post-production. Rising complexity and difficulties in scaling have pushed much more of the burden onto architects to deal with everything from complex power schemes, new packaging approaches, and to... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Dec. 27


Coffee ring effect In physics, the “coffee ring effect" has been the subject of study for years. This phenomenon is a simple concept. A liquid or droplet hits a surface and dries. The particles in the droplet are suspended. And ultimately, it leaves a ring-like pattern. The phenomenon is named for the formation of a ring-like deposit when coffee or other liquid resides on a surface. ... » read more

System Bits: Dec. 27


Melting quantum crystal of electrons Confirming a fundamental phase transition in quantum mechanics that was theoretically proposed more than 80 years ago but not experimentally documented until now, MIT researchers reported that they’ve observed a highly ordered crystal of electrons in a semiconducting material and documented its melting, much like ice thawing into water. The team said i... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 27


Tiny diamond radio Researchers at Harvard built the world's smallest radio receiver, built out of an assembly of atomic-scale defects in pink diamonds. The radio uses tiny imperfections in diamonds called nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. To make NV centers, researchers replace one carbon atom in a diamond crystal with a nitrogen atom and remove a neighboring atom -- creating a system that i... » read more

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