Understanding Write Combining On Arm


Write Combining (WC) is a specialized memory type defined by the x86-64 architecture that is used for gathering multiple stores into burst transactions over the system bus. WC is commonly used on x86-64 platforms for interaction with I/O and other peripheral devices. In this whitepaper we provide an overview of the Arm architecture memory types that provide WC-like capabilities. In addition, t... » read more

Blog Review: April 7


Cadence's Paul McLellan checks out the US National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence report and what it recommends for funding the development of AI as well as semiconductor manufacturing and research. Siemens EDA's Ray Salemi continues exploring Python for verification and shows how to use cocotb to create a simple bus functional model and connect it to a testbench. Synopsys... » read more

AI In Inspection, Metrology, And Test


AI/ML is creeping into multiple processes within the fab and packaging houses, although not necessarily for the purpose it was originally intended. The chip industry is just beginning to learn where AI makes sense and where it doesn't. In general, AI works best as a tool in the hands of someone with deep domain expertise. AI can do certain things well, particularly when it comes to pattern m... » read more

Sharing Secure Chip Data For Analytics


New approaches and standards are being developed to securely share manufacturing and test data across the supply chain, moves that have long been considered critical to the reliability of end devices and faster time to yield and profitability. It will take time before these methods become widespread in the IC supply chain. But there is increasing agreement these kinds of measures are essenti... » read more

How Do Machines Learn?


We depend, or hope to depend, on machines, especially computers, to do many things, from organizing our photos to parking our cars. Machines are becoming less and less "mechanical" and more and more "intelligent." Machine learning has become a familiar phrase to many people in advanced manufacturing. The next natural question people may ask is: How do machines learn? Recognizing diverse obje... » read more

Monitoring Chips On Many Levels


Monitoring is an important trend for optimizing yield, performance, and uptime in systems that use complex integrated circuits, but not all monitoring is the same. In fact, there are multiple levels of monitors. In many cases, they can be used together to help solve problems when something is amiss. They also can be used to help identify who in the supply chain owns the fix. “If the sys... » read more

Security For Cars That Are Smartphones On Wheels


Your modern car is a computer on wheels—potentially hundreds of computers on a set of wheels. Heck, even the wheels are infested with computers—what do you think prompts that little light on your dashboard to come on if your tire pressure is low? And computers don’t just run your infotainment system, backup camera, dashboard warning lights, and the voice that tells you to buckle your seat... » read more

Advantages Of Picosecond Ultrasonic Technology For Advanced RF Metrology


This paper is from China Semiconductor Technology International Conference (CSTIC). Picosecond Ultrasonics (PULSE Technology) has been widely adopted as the tool-of-record for metal film thickness metrology in semiconductor fabs around the world. It provides unique advantages, such as being a rapid, non-contact, non-destructive technology, and has capabilities for simultaneous multiple layer... » read more

Finding And Fixing Design And Testbench Coding Errors On The Fly


Two things are certain in chip verification: as many bugs as possible must be found and fixed before fabrication, and this must happen as early as possible in the development process. The much-desired “shift left” in verification requires that advanced analysis and debug technologies be available to engineers from the earliest stages of the project. It is preferable that many classes of err... » read more

ATE In The Age Of Convergence And Exascale Computing


We are currently in the midst of the age of convergence – that is, the convergence of data from a range of applications and data sources. These sources constitute anything that creates data – ranging from human-created data, such as voice and video, through automotive, mobile, and wireless/IoT devices. This also includes edge computing and servers storing the massive amounts of data needed ... » read more

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