Blog Review: July 28

Synopsys’ Chris Clark considers potential vulnerabilities in automotive over-the-air updates and best practices and new standards the industry can implement to improve security of vehicle software updates.

Cadence’s Paul McLellan gets a look at expected new fab construction in the coming years and where capacity is being focused.

Siemens’ Robin Bornoff dives into electromagnetic simulation with a look at the forces active in a solenoid.

Coventor’s Michael Hargrove examines the evolution from finFETs to nanosheet FETs to forksheet FETs and why BEOL interconnect technology needs to provide low wire and via resistance to take advantage of the power and performance improvements from these new transistor types.

Arm’s Richard York argues that it’s necessary to reduce the cost of ADAS systems to make them feasible in cheaper vehicles and considers some ways to manage costs.

SEMI’s Michael Hall and Wells Fargo’s Jennie Raubacher consider the impact of the overall economic recovery on the semiconductor industry as chip stocks soar and companies raise unprecedented amounts of capital

Codasip’s Roddy Urquhart identified trends that are influencing the uptake of the RISC-V architecture, such as increases in performance and the lowering of barriers between processor types.

In a blog for Ansys, Fisher & Paykel’s Manilka Abeysuriya shows how the appliance maker uses simulation to improve an often taken-for-granted feature of many modern refrigerators, the ice maker.

A Lam Research writer checks out how IoT is being applied in different industries, from saving water in agriculture to connected vehicles.

NXP’s Marcus Borrmann introduces the REINDEER project, a multi-year effort to harvest RF energy to power batteryless connected devices.

Plus, check out the blogs highlighted in the latest Manufacturing, Packaging & Materials newsletter:

Executive Editor Mark LaPedus looks at three possible scenarios for an Intel/GF deal.

Amkor’s Vineet Pancholi explains why burn-in tests increase device reliability throughout the operating life.

QP Technologies’ Rosie Medina identifies cost-effective solutions for low to mid-volume open-molded plastic packaging.

JCET’s Ken Hsiao examines a range of packaging types tailored for everything from low-cost ultrasonic radar to complex lidar.

Calibra’s Jan Willis contends that new tools not only need to check for errors, but repair them as well.

SEMI guest blogger John West notes that while the whole equipment critical subsystems market is seeing growth, it is particularly strong for process power and reactive gas subsystems.

TechInsights’ Jeongdong Choe digs into the first sub-15nm cell integrated DRAM product.

Lam Research’s Terry Powell warns that with price spikes and shortages expected, companies should look for ways to reduce reliance on limited helium supplies.

Brewer Science’s Jessica Albright shows why semiconductor companies need to evaluate their entire environmental impact.

Editor-in-chief Ed Sperling looks at why the Intel/GF deal suddenly makes a whole lot of sense.