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Manufacturing Bits: Sept. 28


Self-healing ceramics Texas A&M University has discovered a new self-healing mechanism for ceramics, a technology that could one day be used for jet engines, hypersonic aircraft and nuclear reactors. Ceramics involve various materials that are neither metallic nor organic, but rather they are crystalline and/or glassy, according to the University of Maryland. One common example is clay,... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Packaging and test Advantest and PDF Solutions have launched their first jointly developed offering since forming a partnership in 2020. The new product is called the Advantest Cloud Solutions Dynamic Parametric Test (ACS DPT) solution. It integrates PDF Solutions’ Exensio portfolio of data analytics with Advantest’s V93000 Parametric Test System. The ACS DPT solution is designed to op... » read more

More Shortages Seen For Silicon Wafers


Silicon wafer shipments have been on a torrid and record breaking pace in the first half of 2021, where demand continues to outstrip supply. So what’s in store for buyers of wafers for the remainder of 2021 and beyond? “Right now, the overall wafer pricing environment is becoming more favorable to wafer suppliers due to demand increase. Supply is getting tight and the average selling pri... » read more

Gearing Up For Next-Gen Power Semis


After years in R&D, several vendors are moving closer to shipping power semiconductors and other products based on next-generation wide-bandgap technologies. These devices leverage the properties of new materials, such as aluminum nitride, diamond, and gallium oxide, and they are also utilized in different structures, such as vertical gallium-nitride power devices. But while many of thes... » read more

System-In-Package Thrives In The Shadows


IC packaging continues to play a big role in the development of new electronic products, particularly with system-in-package (SiP), a successful approach that continues to gain momentum — but mostly under the radar because it adds a competitive edge. With a SiP, several chips and other components are integrated into a package, enabling it to function as an electronic system or sub-system. ... » read more

Challenges With Chiplets And Packaging


Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss IC packaging technology trends, chiplets, shortages and other topics with William Chen, a fellow at ASE; Michael Kelly, vice president of advanced packaging development and integration at Amkor; Richard Otte, president and CEO of Promex, the parent company of QP Technologies; Michael Liu, senior director of global technical marketing at JCET; and Th... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Sept. 14


Probabilistic computers Sandia National Laboratories and others are developing what researchers call a probabilistic computer. Instead of traditional computing, Sandia is developing a system with built-in randomness that computes information differently every time. As part the research program, the Department of Energy awarded the project $6 million over the next three years to develop t... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Chipmakers, OEMs Intel plans to establish foundry capacity at its fab in Ireland. The company has also launched the so-called Intel Foundry Services Accelerator to help automotive chip designers transition from mature to advanced nodes. The company is setting up a new design team and offering both custom and industry-standard intellectual property (IP) to support the needs of automotive custom... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Sept. 8


Calibrating a microphone The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a faster and more accurate way to calibrate a microphone. NIST’s new calibration technique makes use of lasers, a promising technology that could supplant today’s methods. The technology could one day be used to calibrate sensitive microphones in factories, power plants and other settings li... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


OEMs For some time, the automotive industry has suffered due to chip shortages in the market. And the chip shortages are spreading into other markets. In the latest news, GM plans to idle key truck plants amid chip shortages, according to a report from Bloomberg. “GM said eight of its 14 North American assembly plants will experience shutdowns this month because of chip shortages, includi... » read more

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