category: Blogs – MD

category: IoT, Security & Automotive

3D-IC Standardization Progress Continues
By James Amano - 14 Nov, 2013 - Comments: 1

Since its formation in December 2010, the SEMI 3DS-IC Standards Committee has made significant progress in establishing key standards in areas such as TSV metrology, glass carrier wafers, and terminology. The committee’s two newest standards are SEMI 3D6-0913 - Guide for Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) and Micro-Bump Processes for Frontside Through Silicon Via (TSV) Integration, and S... » read more

The Trouble With Triples—Part 1
By David Abercrombie - 14 Nov, 2013 - Comments: 0

If you’re a true geek like me, you may remember the Star Trek episode “The Trouble with Tribbles,” about the cute furry little aliens that purr when you pet them. They seemed so nice and friendly on the surface, but in the end, they became an exponentially growing mass of ravenous monsters that almost broke down the ship and consumed the storehouse of grain that was meant to provide human... » read more

More 3D Printing Applications
By Michael Watts - 14 Nov, 2013 - Comments: 0

There is enough news about 3D printing that the Guardian newspaper’s Web site even has a special section on it. The list of demonstrated applications runs the gamut from guns to panties via custom bobble head dolls and organs. It's interesting to look at all these ideas and try and work out which really has potential. There are 3 categories for potential: Practical. Possible with inv... » read more

Crunch Time
By Brian Fuller - 14 Nov, 2013 - Comments: 0

The electronics industry finds itself today at a tipping point (well, okay, another tipping point). Consider:  The network as we’ve known it for a couple of generations is changing before our eyes, not the least of which to accommodate the expected explosion of Internet of Things in the coming years. ARM CEO Simon Segars put it this way at the recent ARM TechCon event in Santa Clara: ... » read more

ARMing Intel
By Mark LaPedus - 14 Nov, 2013 - Comments: 0

For some time, the industry has kept a close eye on Intel’s fledging foundry business. The question is whether Intel will merely dabble in the foundry business or become a major player. The answer? It’s still too early to tell. Not long ago, Intel entered the foundry business and announced a smattering of small and niche-oriented customers, such as Achronix, Netronome and Tabula.  Micro... » read more

Lessons From Healthcare.gov
By Michael Watts - 01 Nov, 2013 - Comments: 0

Patterning equipment uses software and needs software security. With that rather weak segue, I would like to discuss software projects, considering they are in the news at the moment. The stories about the healthcare.gov rollout bring back fond memories for all of us of software projects that have gone horribly wrong. On the list of things that guarantee a project will miss deadlines, late c... » read more

3D Printing: Is This A Real Manufacturing Revolution?
By Michael Watts - 17 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

As a patterning guy I have been watching the 3D printing story with real interest. Can it deliver or its it hype ? I think that it's an intriguing way to build prototypes and unique parts, but I'm unconvinced that it has any volume manufacturing role. In particular, I have a hard time seeing a business where you can make large numbers of copies of the same manufacturing tool – a key to a “h... » read more

Standards Watch
By Ed Sperling - 17 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

This may sound odd to anyone outside of the SoC world, but as more functionality and more components move from PCB to chip—or at least the same package—what’s happening in the standards world is mirroring what’s going on in semiconductor design and manufacturing. The rule of thumb in the standards world is that as new techniques and technologies are introduced, the number of standard... » read more

The “Last Simple Node” And the Internet of Things
By Brian Fuller - 17 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

Power, performance and size are key targets that will enable the expected explosion of the Internet of Things (IoT). Today, most observers see the path to that running directly through 16/14nm finFET and below for the node’s ability to manage power and size and boost integration. Geoff Lees isn’t your average observer. The vice president and general manager of Freescale’s microcon... » read more

Following The Yen
By Dan Tracy - 17 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

An examination of the installed fab capacity base in Japan shows that total capacity expansion has stalled in recent years due to the consolidation and closures of facilities. The closure and consolidation of 27 facilities between 2009 and 2012 reduced the installed fab capacity in Japan by at least 350,000 200mm equivalent wafers per month. With that said, investments continued in some industr... » read more

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