Digital Twins Find Their Footing In IC Manufacturing


Momentum is building for digital twins in semiconductor manufacturing, tying together the various processes and steps to improve efficiency and quality, and to enable more flexibility in the fab and assembly house. The movement toward digital twins opens up a slew of opportunities, from building and equipping new fabs faster to speeding yield ramps by reducing the number of silicon-based tes... » read more

Testing PAs under Digital Predistortion and Dynamic Power Supply Conditions


The power amplifier (PA) – as either a discrete component or part of an integrated front end module (FEM) – is one of the most integral RF integrated circuits (RFICs) in the modern radio. In this application note, you will learn different techniques for testing PAs through an interactive application note with multiple how-to videos. To address these linearity and efficiency requirements,... » read more

X-ray Inspection Becoming Essential In Advanced Packaging


X-ray technology is moving into the mainstream of chip manufacturing as complex assemblies and advanced packaging make it increasingly difficult to ensure these devices will work as expected throughout their lifecycles. A single defect in a chiplet or interconnect can transform a complex advanced package into expensive scrap, and the risk only increases as the chip industry shifts from homog... » read more

Automotive Semiconductors Require Integrated Test Solution


The automotive semiconductor test market is experiencing organic growth as chipmakers produce higher volumes of devices serving an array of automotive applications. In addition, the range of applications for automotive-grade semiconductors is evolving as the technology advances. Manufacturers of automated test equipment (ATE) are adapting to ensure their systems can handle devices ranging from ... » read more

Leveraging Machine Learning in Semiconductor Yield Analysis


Searching through wafer maps looking for spatial patterns is not only a very time-consuming task to be done manually, it’s also prone to human oversight and error, and nearly impossible in a large fab where there are thousands of wafers a day being processed. We developed a tool that applies automatic spatial pattern detection algorithms using ML, parametrizing pattern recognition and clas... » read more

Real-Time Safety Monitoring for Predictive and Prescriptive Maintenance in Advanced Automotive Electronics


Software Defined, Electric, and Autonomous vehicles are driving new roadmaps for advanced electronics. Centralized architectures have introduced cutting-edge ECUs and SOCs. Coupled with stringent standardization, automotive manufacturers and OEMs are tasked with achieving functional safety in an ever-developing landscape. Maintaining safety standards without compromising performance and cos... » read more

What’s Missing In Test


Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss how functional test content is brought up at first silicon, and the balance between ATE and system-level testing, with Klaus-Dieter Hilliges, V93000 platform extension manager at Advantest Europe; Robert Cavagnaro, fellow in the Design Engineering Group at Intel (responsible for manufacturing and test strategy of data center... » read more

Achieving Zero Defect Manufacturing Part 1: Detect & Classify


Whether the discussion is about smart manufacturing or digital transformation, one of the biggest conversations in the semiconductor industry today centers on the tremendous amount of data fabs collect and how they utilize that data. While chip makers are accumulating petabytes of data across the entire semiconductor process, a question arises: how much of that information is being fully uti... » read more

Automotive Electronics Reliability Requires In-Field Silicon Monitoring


By Lorin Kennedy and Dan Alexandrescu For everyday consumers, no products require reliability more than automobiles. While consumers may be willing accept their laptops and phones limiting performance or abruptly turning off when systems reach unacceptable temperature levels, that is not the case for the reliability of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) or other safety critical system... » read more

Unlocking Efficiency: Tackling The Hidden Costs Of Setting Up Test


In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and manufacturing, the efficiency and effectiveness of automated test systems can significantly impact a company's bottom line. Have you considered where the bulk of these costs come from? While the complexities involved in developing, deploying, and maintaining these systems often pose substantial challenges, they also present immense opportuniti... » read more

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