Mark LaPedus

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Mark LaPedus is Executive Editor for manufacturing at Semiconductor Engineering.

Author's Latest Posts

New Patterning Paradigm?
By Mark LaPedus - 16 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

Chip scaling is becoming more difficult at each process node, but the industry continues to find new and innovative ways to solve the problems at every turn. And so chipmakers continue to march down the various process nodes. But the question is for how much longer? In fact, at 16nm/14nm and beyond, chipmakers are finding new and different challenges, which, in turn, could slow IC scaling or br... » read more

Next EUV Challenge: Mask Inspection
By Mark LaPedus - 16 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 2

Extreme ultraviolet ([gettech id="31045" comment="EUV"]) lithography is still not ready for prime time, but the technology finally is moving in the right direction. The EUV light source, for example, is making progress after years of delays and setbacks. Now, amid a possible breakthrough in EUV, the industry is revisiting a nagging issue and asking a simple question: How do you inspect EUV p... » read more

Flash Dance For Inspection And Metrology
By Mark LaPedus - 16 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

Chipmakers are moving from planar technology to an assortment of 3D-like architectures, such as 3D NAND and finFETs For these devices, chipmakers face a multitude of challenges in the fab. But one surprising and oft-forgotten technology is emerging as perhaps the biggest challenge in both logic and memory—process control. Process control includes metrology and wafer inspection. Metrolo... » read more

FinFET Rollout Slower Than Expected
By Mark LaPedus - 16 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 1

The foundry business is heating up as some new and large players are entering the 16nm/14nm [getkc id="185" kc_name="finFET"] market. But foundry customers are taking longer than expected to migrate to finFETs amid some technical and cost issues. On the foundry front, [getentity id="22846" comment="Intel"] has been the sole player in finFETs for some time. But now, [getentity id="22865" ... » read more

5 Issues Under The Foundry Radar
By Mark LaPedus - 16 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

In the foundry business, the leading-edge segment grabs most, if not all, of the headlines. Foundry vendors, of course, are ramping up 16nm/14nm finFET processes, with 10nm and 7nm in R&D. The leading-edge foundry business is sizable, but it’s not the only thing going on in the competitive arena. In fact, there are battles taking place in many other foundry segments, such as 2.5D/3D packag... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: April 14
By Mark LaPedus - 14 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

Monster waves of light The FOM Institute AMOLF has observed what researchers call monster waves of light. In this phenomenon, monster waves of light appear from nowhere and then disappear again. Researchers have shown that it is possible to influence the probability of this phenomenon. As a result, the technology could lead to faster telecommunication systems or more sensitive sensors, acco... » read more

The Week In Review: Manufacturing
By Mark LaPedus - 10 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 1

Intel is quietly delaying its process ramp at the 10nm node, according to multiple sources. In an e-mail, a spokesman for Intel said: “We have not disclosed a schedule for our 10nm process and we won't engage in speculation about it.” In March, though, Intel was supposed to make fab tool buys for high-volume manufacturing at 10nm, sources said. But now, those purchases won’t happen... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: April 7
By Mark LaPedus - 07 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

Liquid metal for Terminator robots The Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tsinghua University have devised a robot-like, self-fueled liquid metal mollusk. The liquid metal alloy within the system can move by itself and change form like the shape-shifting T-1000 robot in the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The system consists of a liquid metal motor. The liquid metal is a mix of gallium, i... » read more

Challenges Mount For Patterning And Masks
By Mark LaPedus - 06 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss [getkc id="80" comment="lithography"] and photomask trends with Uday Mitra, vice president and chief technology officer for the Etch Business Unit at [getentity id="22817" e_name="Applied Materials"]; Pawitter Mangat, senior manager and deputy director for EUV lithography at [getentity id="22819" comment="GlobalFoundries"]; Aki Fujimura, chief execu... » read more

The Week In Review: Manufacturing
By Mark LaPedus - 03 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

Suppliers in the automotive semiconductor market experienced exceptional growth in 2014, according to IHS. Based on final analysis of the 2014 results, Renesas maintained its leadership position as the number one supplier in 2014, according to the rankings. “For 2015, IHS expects to see a shift among the leading suppliers in this category, given the recent merger of Freescale and NXP, two lar... » read more

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