Upcoming Challenges And Changes In Semiconductor Materials


Semiconductor Engineering sat down with Dan Brewer and Srikanth Kommu, co-CEOs at Brewer Science, to talk about current and future changes in materials used in semiconductor manufacturing and adjacent markets. What follows are excerpts of that conversation. SE: What was behind the decision to have co-CEOs instead of just one? Brewer: We see a lot of value to having multiple perspectives b... » read more

Advancing Medical Devices Through Heterogeneous Integration


As medical treatments continue to evolve, innovation in medical devices plays a vital role, enabling increasingly complex, precise, and safer interventions. For example: Endoscopic devices provide high-resolution in vivo imaging, Wearable sensors offer real-time monitoring of vital signs, Implantable devices engage with the human body at the cellular level. These devices’ ongo... » read more

MEMS And Imaging Drive The Sensor Revolution


By Ana Bernardo and Sitong He As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, MEMS and imaging sensor technologies are driving transformative changes across industries, shaping the future of connectivity, intelligence, and sustainability. Powered by advances in miniaturization, AI integration, and sustainable design, MEMS and imaging technologies are enabling groundbreaking applications—... » read more

Improving GaN Device Architectures


As the universe of applications for power devices grows, designers are finding that no single semiconductor can cover the full range of voltage and current requirements. Instead, combination circuits use different materials for different parts of the overall operating range. GaN is especially well-established in low-power applications like chargers for personal electronics, while silicon and... » read more

Global IC Fabs And Facilities Report: 2024


The chip industry made significant capital investments this year to build new fabs and facilities or expand existing premises. A number of sites were dedicated to SiC, GaN, DRAM, HBM, along with packaging and assembly by OSATs, and essential gases, chemicals, and other components. More than a dozen R&D centers were also established for 8-inch wafers, EUV, and advanced packaging. Investments... » read more

What’s Next For Through-Silicon Vias


From large TSVs for MEMS to nanoTSVs for backside power delivery, cost-effective process flows for these interconnects are essential for making 2.5D and 3D packages more feasible. Through-silicon vias (TSVs) enable shorter interconnect lengths, which reduces chip power consumption and latency to carry signals faster from one device to another or within a device. Advanced packaging technology... » read more

Optimizing New Interconnect Technologies To Support Next-Generation Semiconductor Devices


Interconnects are the wiring system that connect together the components of a semiconductor device and permit these components to work together. One of the key metrics of any semiconductor interconnect scheme is the metal pitch size. Metal pitch is the minimum distance between the centers of two horizontal interconnects in a semiconductor. It's a key metric used to measure the progress of chip ... » read more

Heterogenous Integration Expertise for Sensors and MEMS Packaging and Assembly


Sensors and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are unlocking new design possibilities for miniature devices used in healthcare, smart systems, consumer electronics, and more. Designers need a partner experienced with Heterogenous Integration (HI) to assemble the unique components for these devices and address the complications of these integrations. In this white paper, you will learn: ... » read more

Laser Ablation Dicing Revolutionizes Ultra-Thin Wafer Saws Beyond The Capability Of Blade Dicing


The demand for consistently high electrical performance in the power discrete semiconductor market has driven component developers to continuously enhance semiconductor assembly packaging technology through advanced package design and wafer fabrication methods. Among the cost-effective approaches are increasing the die area size and decreasing the die thickness, which minimize electrical resist... » read more

TCAD Simulation Challenges For Gate-All-Around Transistors


By Victor Moroz and Shela Aboud The transition from finFET technology to Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology helps to reduce transistor variability and resume channel length scaling. It also brings several new challenges in terms of transistor design that need to be addressed. One of the challenges is handling the thin Si layers that come with GAA technology, where Si channel thickness scale... » read more

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