Manufacturing Bits: Feb. 2

By Mark LaPedus - 02 Feb, 2021 - Comments: 0

Capacitor-less DRAM At the recent 2020 International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), Imec presented a paper on a novel capacitor-less DRAM cell architecture. DRAM is used for main memory in systems, and today’s most advanced devices are based on roughly 18nm to 15nm processes. The physical limit for DRAM is somewhere around 10nm. DRAM itself is based on a one-transistor, one-capacito... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test

By Mark LaPedus - 29 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 0

Packaging and test Intel has invested an additional $475 million in its chip assembly and test manufacturing facility in the Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) in Vietnam. This takes Intel’s total investment in the Vietnam facility to $1.5 billion. The site assembles and tests Intel’s 5G products and processors. TSMC recently announced a huge increase in capital spending for 2021. A large perce... » read more

The Good, Bad And Unknowns Of Flexible Devices

By Ed Sperling - 27 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 0

Flexible hybrid electronics are beginning to proliferate in consumer, medical, and industrial applications due to their comparatively low weight, thin profile, and the ability to literally bend the rules of design. Open any smart phone today and you're likely to find one or more of these flexible boards. Unlike standard printed circuit boards, FHE devices are printed using a combination of r... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 26

By Mark LaPedus - 26 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 1

EU FIB project The European Union (EU) has launched a new project to develop next-generation structures and materials using focused ion beam (FIB) systems. The EU project, dubbed Focused Ion Technology for Nanomaterials or FIT4NANO, is spearheaded by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) organization. The project aims to bring European researchers and companies together to develop... » read more

New Transistor Structures At 3nm/2nm

By Mark LaPedus - 25 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 12

Several foundries continue to develop new processes based on next-generation gate-all-around transistors, including more advanced high-mobility versions, but bringing these technologies into production is going to be difficult and expensive. Intel, Samsung, TSMC and others are laying the groundwork for the transition from today’s finFET transistors to new gate-all-around field-effect trans... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test

By Mark LaPedus - 22 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 0

Chipmakers Intel posted its quarterly results. But the big question is whether the chip giant will outsource more of its production to the foundries. As reported, Intel has fallen behind TSMC and Samsung in process technology. And Intel may need to outsource some of its chip production to stay ahead. All of this rests on Pat Gelsinger, the new CEO at Intel. Gelsinger will be taking over for... » read more

Fearless Chip Forecasts For 2021

By Mark LaPedus - 21 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 0

It’s been a roller coaster ride in the semiconductor industry. In early 2020, the semiconductor business looked bright, but then the Covid-19 pandemic struck, causing a sudden downturn. By mid-2020, though, the market bounced back, as the stay-at-home economy drove demand for computers, tablets and TVs. The chip market ended on a high note in 2020, but the question is, what’s in store fo... » read more

A Look Inside ADAS Modules

By Prasad Dhond - 21 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 0

You glance down at your phone while rolling in slow-moving traffic. Against your better judgment, you proceed to read your latest email, oblivious to the fact that the car in front of you has braked. In the nick of time, your car starts beeping and flashing. You look up and slam the brakes. Whew! That was close. If this has happened to you, don't forget to thank the radar and camera modules in ... » read more

The Chip Industry’s Next-Gen Roadmap

By Mark LaPedus - 21 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 1

Todd Younkin, the new president and chief executive of the Semiconductor Research Corp. (SRC), sat down with Semiconductor Engineering to talk about engineering careers, R&D trends and what’s ahead for chip technologies over the next decade. What follows are excerpts of that conversation. SE: As a U.S.-based chip consortium, what is SRC's charter? Younkin: The Semiconductor Research... » read more

An Introduction To Virtual Semiconductor Process Evaluation

By Jeonghoon (James) Kim - 21 Jan, 2021 - Comments: 0

Process engineers develop ideal solutions to engineering problems using a logical theoretical framework combined with logical engineering steps. Unfortunately, many process engineering problems cannot be solved with a brute force, step by step approach to understand every cause-and-effect relationship. There are simply too many process recipe variables that can be modified to make a brute-force... » read more

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category: Manufacturing, Packaging and Materials

category: IoT, Security & Automotive

Manufacturing Bits: Feb. 2

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test

The Good, Bad And Unknowns Of Flexible Devices

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 26

New Transistor Structures At 3nm/2nm

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test

Fearless Chip Forecasts For 2021

A Look Inside ADAS Modules

The Chip Industry’s Next-Gen Roadmap

An Introduction To Virtual Semiconductor Process Evaluation