From Lab To Fab: Increasing Pressure To Fuse IC Processes


Test, metrology, and inspection are essential for both the lab and the fab, but fusing them together so that data created in one is easily transferred to the other is a massive challenge. The chip industry has been striving to bridge these separate worlds for years, but the economics, speed, and complexity of change require a new approach. The never-ending push toward smaller, better-defined... » read more

Multivariate Analysis For Full Process Visibility


In semiconductor manufacturing, especially in electrical test data, but also in other parameters, there are often sets of parameters that are very highly correlated. Even a change in the correlation of those parameters may indicate a problem. For that reason, multivariate monitoring, or multivariate statistics, is applied to these parameters. Multivariate analysis, also known as multivariate... » read more

Journey From Cell-Aware To Device-Aware Testing Begins


Early results of using device-aware testing on alternative memories show expanded test coverage, but this is just the start. Once the semiconductor industry realized that it was suffering from device failures even when test programs achieved 100% fault coverage, it went about addressing this disconnect between the way defects manifest themselves inside devices and the commonly used fault mod... » read more

Using Advanced Analytics To Meet ESG Goals


With the continued advancement of environmental, social and governance goals, corporations are increasingly focused on reducing their carbon footprints. To accomplish this, these companies are being asked to operate their businesses more efficiently than ever before, whether the matter is reducing waste, water usage or power consumption. This is true for the semiconductor industry as well. A... » read more

Ramping Up Power Electronics For EVs


The rapid acceleration of the power devices used in electric vehicles (EVs) is challenging chipmakers to adequately screen the ICs that power these vehicles.[1] While progress toward autonomous driving is grabbing the public’s attention, the electrification of transportation systems is progressing quietly. For the automotive industry, this shift involves a mix of electronic components. Amo... » read more

Power-Supply Card Targets High-Voltage PMIC Test


The electronics industry is seeing a move toward higher voltages and currents to deliver sufficient supply and charging power in products ranging from handheld cellphones and tablets to workstations. This trend is evidenced in examples such as the many USB power-delivery (PD) profiles with ratings ranging from 10W (5V at 2A for USB PD 3.0 profile 1) up to 100W (5V at 2A, 12V at 5A, and 20V at 5... » read more

Testing High Power Discrete Devices


Emerging markets are driving the evolution of discrete power devices. Increased power requirements mean more power is being driven through a smaller device, creating challenges in both device design and test. This video series, 3 for 3, provides 3 answers for 3 pressing questions about trends in semiconductor test, and how testing for high power discrete devices is evolving. » read more

Five Smart Ways To Improve EV Battery Production


Batteries and battery management systems are the heart of today's electric vehicles. These components define the performance, safety, and driving range of more than 16.5 million1 electric vehicles currently on the road. As electric vehicle and battery manufacturers continue to look for ways to increase the efficiency and speed of their production processes, many turn to Nordson EFD for prec... » read more

Full Wafer OCD Metrology


Authored by: Daniel Doutt*a, Ping-ju Chena, Bhargava Ravooria, Tuyen K. Trana, Eitan Rothsteinb, Nir Kampelb, Lilach Tamamb, Effi Aboodyb, Avron Gerb, Harindra Vedalac ABSTRACT Optical Critical Dimension (OCD) spectroscopy is a reliable, non-destructive, and high-throughput measurement technique for metrology and process control that is widely used in semiconductor fabrication facilities (f... » read more

MEMS Device Cleaning


Cleaning is an essential process for MEMS applications in order to prevent device failure due to foreign material. Small particles located on MEMS devices are significant causes of device rejection and yield loss. These issues affect inertial devices, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, as well as microphones, laser bars and other MEMS devices. Click here to download. » read more

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