ESD Verification For 2.5D And 3D-ICs


Ensuring your integrated circuit (IC) design can withstand electrostatic discharge (ESD) events without incurring damage or failure is an extremely important activity in IC circuit design and verification. While automated flows for ESD verification are well-established for regular 2D ICs, 2.5D and 3D integration presents new challenges in both ESD design and verification. The new automated ESD ... » read more

Gas Analysis For A Greener Tomorrow


In our quest for a sustainable future, monitoring and managing air quality and greenhouse gases have become more critical than ever. Advanced technology plays a pivotal role in this endeavor. By providing the tools needed to understand and mitigate environmental impacts, we aim towards a greener tomorrow. The MGA Series from MIRO Analytical are laser-based gas analyzers designed for prec... » read more

Testing For Thermal Issues Becomes More Difficult


Increasingly complex and heterogeneous architectures, coupled with the adoption of high-performance materials, are making it much more difficult to identify and test for thermal issues in advanced packages. For a single SoC, compressing higher functionality into a smaller area concentrates the processing and makes thermal effects more predictable. But that processing can happen anywhere in a... » read more

Speeding Up Acoustic Wafer Inspection


Higher density and more vertical layers require higher-resolution inspection. In the past that generally resulted in longer scan times, which can slow throughput in the fab or assembly house. Bryan Schackmuth, senior product line manager at Nordson Test & Inspection, explains how rotational scanning using acoustic wafer inspection can speed up inspection time by a factor of eight, why it is... » read more

Efficient ESD Verification For 2.5/3D Automotive ICs


Protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD) events is an extremely important aspect of integrated circuit (IC) design and verification, particularly for 2.5/3D designs targeted for automotive systems. ESD events cause severe damage to ICs due to a sudden and unexpected flow of electrical current between two electrically charged objects. This current may be caused by contact, an electrical ... » read more

Auto Chip Aging Accelerates In Hot Climates


Automotive chips are aging significantly faster than expected in hot climates with sustained high temperatures, raising concerns about the reliability of electrified vehicles over time and whether advanced-node chips are the right choice for safety-critical applications. Many of the most advanced electronics used in vehicles today are ASIL D-compliant, expected to function up to 125° C. But... » read more

Redefining XPU Memory For AI Data Centers Through Custom HBM4: Part 2


This is the second in a three-part series from Alphawave Semi on HBM4 and gives insights into HBM implementation challenges. Click here for part 1, for an overview on HBM, and in part 3, we will introduce details of a custom HBM implementation. Implementing a 2.5D System-in-Package (SiP) with High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) is a complex process that spans across architecture definition, designi... » read more

Chip Industry Week In Review


Global chips sales hit a record $56.9 billion in October, a 22% increase versus October 2023, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. Also, global semiconductor equipment billings reached $30.38 billion in Q3 2024, a 19% YoY increase and 13% growth QoQ, SEMI reported. TSMC commenced equipment installation for its 2nm fab in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, six months ahead of schedule. The 2n... » read more

Enhancing Compute Security Architecture For New-Age Applications


New-age AI-powered applications are becoming increasingly essential in our daily lives. Continuing to do so requires that these applications and services meet three primary challenges: Achieving high performance for complex compute tasks. Ensuring cost-effectiveness and seamless integration with existing infrastructure. Maintaining robust security and privacy measures. Historicall... » read more

USB4 Sideband Channel Is Not a Side Business


The USB4 specification has been around for several years now. Two years ago, USB4 version 2.0 was also released by the USB Promoter Group. This specification enables up to 80Gbps link speed per direction in symmetric mode and 120Gbps link speed in asymmetric mode. Be it Gen 2, Gen 3, or Gen 4 link speeds of 20Gbps, 40Gbps, 80Gbps, or 120Gbps, the sideband channel is indispensable for the sta... » read more

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