Manufacturing Bits: Aug. 25


DNA storage for TV shows DNA storage was a hot topic about two or so years ago, but it’s been somewhat quiet since that time. DNA storage is back in the news. For the first time, Twist Bioscience has stored an episode of a new Netflix show using its synthetic DNA technology. The new show, BIOHACKERS, is a new six-part biotech thriller. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that car... » read more

Power Amp Wars Begin For 5G


Demand is increasing for power amplifier chips and other RF devices for 5G base stations, setting the stage for a showdown among different companies and technologies. The power amplifier device is a key component that boosts the RF power signals in base stations. It's based on two competitive technologies, silicon-based LDMOS or RF gallium nitride (GaN). GaN, a III-V technology, outperforms ... » read more

Moore’s Law Enters The 4th Dimension


The basic idea that more transistors are better hasn't changed in more than half a century. In fact, the overriding theme of a number of semiconductor conferences this month is that we will never have enough compute capability or storage capacity. In the past, when the number of transistors in a given area actually did double every 18 to 24 months, increasing density per square millimeter fo... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Packaging Chunghwa Telecom, ASE and Qualcomm Technologies have announced plans to jointly build Taiwan's first 5G mmWave enterprise private network smart factory. As part of the plan, ASE is deploying a series of smart factory technologies within its existing Kaohsiung, Taiwan-based campus. This includes the deployment of 5G mmWave network cells in the Kaohsiung campus. Qualcomm will be ... » read more

What’s Next For Semis?


It’s been a turbulent year in the semiconductor industry. 2020 was supposed to be a strong year. Then, the coronavirus outbreak hit. Suddenly, a large percentage of countries implemented various measures to mitigate the outbreak, such as stay-at-home orders as well as business and store closures. Economic turmoil and job losses soon followed, not to mention the human tragedy involved. M... » read more

Recovery In Flat-Panel Display Biz


The flat-panel display market is starting to recover after a period of oversupply and lackluster growth, fueled by new technologies as well as more people working from home. The flat-panel display market is complex. Several different technologies are at play, such as liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) for TV screens and other products, as well as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) for smartph... » read more

Process Model Calibration: Building Predictive and Accurate 3D Process Models


The semiconductor industry has always faced challenges caused by device scaling, architecture evolution and process complexity and integration. These challenges are coupled with a need to provide new technology to the market quickly. In the initial stages of semiconductor technology development, innovative process flow schemes must be tested using silicon test wafers. These wafer tests are leng... » read more

Zeroing In On Biological Computing


Artificial spiking neural networks need to replicate both excitatory and inhibitory biological neurons in order to emulate the neural activation patterns seen in biological brains. Doing this with CMOS-based designs is challenging because of the large circuit footprint required. However, researchers at HP Labs observed that one biologically plausible model, the Hodgkins-Huxley model, is math... » read more

ML Apps Enable Tool Diagnostics


Diagnosis of any kind requires the synthesis of information. As humans we are much better at doing this when we have ways of visualizing information versus looking at numbers and statistics, especially when the data represents something happening over time. Think of a GPS tracker that shows where you have walked in a day. The raw data are coordinates and time stamps. A map that shows you this i... » read more

Semiconductors Up Globally, Warnings Ahead


Things are picking up. Purchasing managers indices indicated July manufacturing increases in most key countries with only South Korea and Japan having PMIs still in contraction territory (chart 1). The Global PMI recovered sharply (chart 2), reaching 50.3 in July. Service sector still fighting pandemic The manufacturing sector is recovering but the service sector is still struggling, hit h... » read more

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