The Thermal Trap: How Dielectrics Limit Device Performance


The spread of artificial intelligence is forcing an uncomfortable truth on semiconductor manufacturing. Thin films, which are essential for isolating signals and insulating different components and metal layers, are becoming heat traps as physical dimensions continue to shrink in chips used inside AI data centers. That, in turn, is limiting how fast these chips can process data and increasing t... » read more

Navigating Geopolitical Shifts And AI-Driven Growth: Insights From The SEMICON West 2025 Market Symposium


By Clark Tseng and Nishita Rao The 2025 SEMICON West Market Symposium brought together leading analysts and strategists to decode the powerful forces shaping the global semiconductor market. Building on last year’s focus on fabless growth and workforce initiatives, this year’s sessions centered on the rising influence of geopolitics, trade policy, and AI-driven investment. Experts from... » read more

Advanced Process Control In Semiconductor Manufacturing


Fifth in a seven-part series: Advanced process control for semiconductor wafers is evolving in ways that can significantly improve yield and reduce scrap. As dimensions shrink, the need to improve manufacturing processes and reduce variability requires more precision. "Classic" APC was a step in the right direction, identifying problems in a process chamber, for example, and automating adjustme... » read more

Ensuring Reliability Becomes Harder In Multi-Die Assemblies


Multi-die assemblies are bringing together a variety of materials and processes with distinctly different physical properties, creating significant challenges in manufacturing and packaging that can impact yield at time zero and reliability in the field. What passes electrical screening at the end of the line may look good on paper, but these devices can still fail once exposed to rapid and ... » read more

Using Virtual Twins To Accelerate The Transition From Layout To Semiconductor Manufacturing


Standard electronic design automation (EDA) tools can be used to produce a semiconductor layout, which can be used to manufacture a device with targeted performance specifications. Unfortunately, designers have learned from experience that process capabilities on semiconductor manufacturing equipment can limit device yield and performance of any idealized device layout. Even though every... » read more

Expert Panel Sees History Of Continuous Photomask Innovations As Key To The Future


The eBeam Initiative conducted its 14th annual eBeam Initiative Luminaries survey in July and reported the results on September 23, 2025 to more than 200 attendees at its annual meeting during the BACUS SPIE Photomask Technology conference. Industry luminaries representing 51 companies from across the semiconductor ecosystem—including photomasks, electronic design automation (EDA), chip desig... » read more

How Photonics And Handheld Ultrasounds Are Transforming Medical Imaging


Medical imaging has always been a race against time: delivering accurate diagnosis to patients with the speed modern healthcare demands. Traditionally, that meant large, immobile ultrasound machines tucked away in radiology departments, often forcing patients to wait days or weeks for the imaging needed to move forward with treatment. But in recent years, the industry has been moving toward som... » read more

Charting The Frontiers Of Photomask Technology And Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography


The enormous computing demands of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications are putting intense pressure on every aspect of chip development. Challenges arise during architecture, design, and verification, persist through the manufacturing process, and extend to post-silicon lifecycle management as chips are deployed in the field. Lithography, the fabrication step of shining light... » read more

Enabling The Future: Heterogeneous Integration From Connected Devices To Data Centers


The digital landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace. From smartphones and wearables to autonomous vehicles and hyperscale data centers, the demand for faster, smarter, and more efficient electronics is reshaping the semiconductor industry. At the core of this transformation is heterogeneous integration—the convergence of multiple technologies, functions, and components into unified sys... » read more

Digital Twins For Packaging: Bridging Design, Fab, Test, And Reliability


Digital twins dominated discussions at SEMICON West this year, appearing in keynote presentations, panel sessions, and workshops. The conversation reflected a noticeable shift in how the industry views the technology. What once was mainly associated with design exploration now spans the manufacturing lifecycle. In packaging and assembly, digital twins are emerging as a way to connect design ... » read more

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