Package Assembly Design Kits: The Future Of Advanced Package Design


Why should there be an interest in Package Assembly Design Kits (PADK) today? For the most part, it is due to the advancement in the accumulation of files forming the PADK now offering a customized heterogeneous design experience that optimizes the device's intended package performance with complete connectivity verification, DRC, and assembly validation. Another primary reason is the ongoing f... » read more

Understanding CFETs, A Next Generation Transistor Architecture


Computing power has experienced exponential growth over the last 70 years. This has largely been achieved through transistor scaling. Due to a continuous reduction in the size of transistors, engineers have been able to pack more and more of them onto a single chip [1]. This has led to faster, more powerful, and more energy-efficient devices. Improvements in fabrication processes and materials,... » read more

Exploring The Fundamentals Of Photolithography


In the semiconductor materials industry, photolithography is a crucial technology for creating intricate electronic circuits. Essentially, it’s the art of printing at the nanoscale level, enabling the precise patterning of semiconductor materials. The ability to do this well is important for companies in the industry because it determines how detailed and efficient microchips can be. This aff... » read more

Integration Hurdles For Analog And RF In Next-Gen Packages


A rapid increase in wireless connectivity and more sensors, coupled with a shift away from monolithic SoCs toward heterogeneous integration, is driving up the amount of analog/RF content in systems and changing the dynamics within a package. Since the early 2000s, the majority of chips used at the most advanced nodes were systems-on-chip (SoCs). All features had to fit into a single planar S... » read more

Navigating The Talent Crunch: AI Solutions For A Thriving Semiconductor Manufacturing Sector


The CHIPS and Science Act is a historic piece of legislation passed by the US government in 2022 aimed at regaining American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. Supported by an unprecedented $52 billion in federal funding, this investment will also address supply chain vulnerabilities and national security concerns that were made glaringly public by the COVID epidemic. In addition to ... » read more

Reducing Risk In The Semiconductor Supply Chain


Companies that were hit with chip shortages during the pandemic are changing their strategies to prevent future problems, deploying a combination of supply chain mapping, second sourcing, and digital transformation. Those shortages caused a $200 billion loss for automotive manufacturers, and the disruptions were far more widespread, in many cases lasting for years. Companies of all sorts wer... » read more

A Wrap-Up Of Photomask Japan 2024


This year, I had the opportunity to attend the 30th Symposium on Photomask and NGL Mask Technology, also called Photomask Japan 2024 (PMJ), in Yokohama, Japan, from April 16 to 18. This well-regarded symposium brings together engineers from all over the world to share ideas on photomasks, NGL masks and related technologies. It was great being back to an in-person conference after four years ... » read more

Accelerating Innovation With An E-Beam Lithography System


By Al Blais and Johnny Yeap Traditional lithography remains a standard in the industry, providing precision and a relatively cost-effective way to create patterns on the wafer when producing very high volumes of chips. However, cycle times can be long depending on the complexity of the masks that must be made. The emergence of maskless e-beam lithography is providing a complementary path ... » read more

Sidestepping Lithography In Chip Manufacturing


Rising lithography costs, shrinking feature sizes, and the need for an alternative to copper are collectively spurring new interest in area-selective deposition. An extension of atomic layer deposition, ASD seeks to build circuit features from the bottom up, without relying on lithography. Lithography will remain a critical tool for the foreseeable future. But it has long been the most expen... » read more

Sparking Climate Action With Earth Month Lightning Talks


In the age of rapidly advancing technology and global connectivity, it’s essential to recognize the impact of our actions on the planet. As industries evolve, so must our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. In this spirit, the Climate Equity and Social Impact (CESI) working group, part of the SEMI Sustainability Initiative, last month hosted the semiconductor industry... » read more

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