The Importance Of Layering Data


The chip industry generates enormous quantities of data, from design through manufacturing, but much of it is unavailable or incomplete. And even when and where it is available, it is frequently under-utilized. While there has been much work done in terms of establishing traceability and data formats, the cross-pollination of data between companies and between equipment makers at various pro... » read more

The Gargantuan 5G Chip Challenge


Blazing fast upload and download speeds for cellular data are coming, but making the technology function as expected throughout its expected lifetime is an enormous challenge that will require substantial changes across the entire chip ecosystem. While sub-6GHz is an evolutionary step from 4G LTE, the real promise of 5G kicks in with millimeter-wave (mmWave) technology. But these higher-freq... » read more

High-Quality Test And Embedded Analytics For Secure Applications


Designs for secure applications such as smart cards and those used in the defense industry require security to ensure sensitive data is inaccessible to outside agents. This used to be a somewhat niche requirement and the implementation of custom solutions to meet these specific requirements was common. However, with the explosion within the semiconductor industry of automotive and cyber-phys... » read more

Preventing Failures Before They Occur


A decade or so ago, when MEMS sensors were in the limelight, one of the touted applications was to install them on industrial or other equipment to get an advance warning if the equipment was approaching failure. Today, in-circuit monitoring brings the same promise. Are these competing technologies? Or can they be made to work together? “Almost all advanced tool manufacturing companies ... » read more

A Practical Approach To DFT For Large SoCs And AI Architectures, Part I


The traditional processors designed for general-purpose applications struggle to meet the computing demands and power budgets of artificial intelligence (AI) or machine leaning (ML) applications. Several semiconductor design companies are now developing dedicated AI/ML accelerators that are optimized for specific workloads such that they deliver much higher processing capabilities with much low... » read more

High-Quality Test And Embedded Analytics Are Vital For Secure SoCs


Applications like as smart cards and devices used in the defense industry require security to ensure that sensitive data is inaccessible to outside agents. This used to be a niche requirement met through custom solutions. However, now that automotive and cyber-physical systems are proliferating, the requirements around secure test and monitoring are becoming mainstream. The current best strateg... » read more

Increasing IP And SoC Debug Efficiency 10X With Intelligent Waveform Reuse


Design and verification reuse lies at the very heart of every modern chip development effort. A system on chip (SoC) project with billions of gates cannot possibly be completed in reasonable time without leveraging blocks from prior projects and commercial intellectual property (IP) offerings. These reused blocks are themselves challenging to develop since they are as large and complex as previ... » read more

Supply Chain Security And Counterfeit Detection Using UCT


The recent shortage of chip supply and long lead times prompted system makers to turn to second tier suppliers and distributors for fulfilling their semiconductor needs. This in turn has put the spotlight on the growing concern of fraudulent or counterfeited integrated circuits (ICs). Proteus deep data analytics based on Universal Chip Telemetry (UCT) provides a new approach to supply chain ... » read more

Over-The-Air (OTA) Test Socket And Handler Integration Technology For 5G Mass Production Testing


This paper presents the integration of socket, measurement antenna and handler for over-the-air (OTA) testing of antenna-in-package (AiP) devices using automated test equipment (ATE) for 5G applications. The design and characteristics of sockets for performing OTA testing in the radiating near field are also discussed. The paper also describes the structure of OTA handler integration using thes... » read more

Inspecting And Testing GaN Power Semis


As demand for new automotive battery electric vehicles (BEVs) heats up, automakers are looking for solutions to meet strict zero-defect goals in power semiconductors. Gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) wide-bandgap power semiconductors offer automakers a range of new EV solutions, but questions remain on how to meet the stringent quality goals of the automotive industry. Among t... » read more

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