Eyes On Zero Defects: Defect Detection And Characterization Metrology


By Darin Collins and Jessica Albright Metrology is the science of measuring, characterizing, and analyzing materials. Within metrology, there are several technologies used to detect material defects on a very small scale – precision on the scale of parts per trillion or less is necessary in the pursuit of zero defects. We broadly define our characterization approach into three main categor... » read more

Mobility And 5G Drive Adoption Of New Materials For Power Devices


Electric mobility, renewable energy, and other technology innovations like IoT, 5G, smart manufacturing, and robotics all require reliability, efficiency, and compact power systems, fueling the adoption of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) to support lower voltages in significantly smaller devices. But chip designers must overcome the technological and economical challenges of int... » read more

Process Window Optimization Of DRAM By Virtual Fabrication


New integration and patterning schemes used in 3D memory and logic devices have created manufacturing and yield challenges. Industrial focus has shifted from the scaling of predictable unit processes in 2D structures to the more challenging full integration of complex 3D structures. Conventional 2D layout DRC, offline wafer metrology, and offline electrical measurements are no longer sufficient... » read more

Regaining U.S. Chip Competitiveness


In the IC industry, companies compete in a multitude of different markets. At the same time, there is competition among nations on several different fronts. In technology, for example, various nations are competing for supremacy in 5G, AI and quantum computing. China has rekindled the worldwide competition in semiconductors. Backed by $150 billion in funding, the country is developing its do... » read more

Adding Value With Unit Level Traceability (ULT) In Automotive Packaging


Automotive product traceability has existed in one form or another for several decades. Traceability generally refers to tracking and tracing each component that comprises every sub-system in a car. Traditionally, this has been achieved with direct part marking on mechanical or electronic components, using 1D or 2D barcodes or radio-frequency identification (RFID). Since vehicle recalls are cos... » read more

Wafer Prep Key To Thinning SiP


In its ongoing push to create smaller, thinner, and denser chip packages, the semiconductor industry has intensified its focus on integrating separately manufactured components with different functionalities into systems-in-package (SIPs). Known as heterogeneous integration (HI), this approach now drives the industry’s roadmap for advancement. SiPs enable power-efficient, high-bandwidth conne... » read more

Chip Equipment Billings Soar In 2020


The global economy has started down a gradual path to recovery from COVID-19 in recent months as the world continues to combat the virus. Yet one sector – semiconductors – has shown impressive growth powered by a transformation hastened by the pandemic across industries ranging from education and work-from-home to healthcare. Semiconductor sales increased 12% in September to mark a secon... » read more

Accelerating Dry Etch Processes During Feature Dependent Etch


In dry etching, the trajectory of accelerated ions is non-uniform and non-vertical, due to collisions with gas molecules and other random thermal effects (figure 1). This has an impact on etch results, since the etch rate at any point on the wafer will vary depending on the solid angle visible to the bulk chamber and the ion flux for that angular range. These non-uniform and feature dependent e... » read more

Upturn Seen For Silicon Wafer Market


After a downturn in 2019, the silicon wafer market is expected to rebound in 2020. 2021 looks even better for silicon wafers. Silicon wafers are a fundamental part of the semiconductor business. Every chipmaker needs to buy them in one size or another. Silicon wafer vendors produce and sell bare or raw silicon wafers to chipmakers, who in turn process them into chips. The silicon wafer ma... » read more

The Ten Commandments Of Packaging


Semiconductor packaging continues to evolve as chipmakers find new ways to fit more functionality into smaller spaces. Whereas the package once served primarily as a means of attaching a chip to a circuit board and protecting it from damage due to heat, moisture, etc., packaging today plays an important role in adding value to the device, boosting customization while helping to reduce costs. ... » read more

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