Smarter Lights


New products targeting the emerging Smart Home Automation market are popping up every day. There are smart locks, smart thermostats, smart refrigerators, smart mirrors, and the list just goes on and on. Sooner or later, we, as consumers, will have to determine how all this smart technology will enter our homes. What will be the main gateway providing access to all this Smart Home Automation?... » read more

New Rules For DRAM


By Jim Feldhan DRAM revenues grew by more than 30% in 2013. Average selling prices increased more than 45% as capacity constraints especially for LPDRAM, motivated the transition from 2GB density parts up to 4GB DRAM units declined by almost 10%. Revenue growth rates of more than 30% combined with a declining unit base are not new to the memory market. But 2013 was a pivotal year for DRAM. ... » read more

Beyond The CES Hype


Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to realistically assess all the activity at CES 2014. The big screen TVs, the shiny new cars and all the excitement over Internet of Things certainly dazzled the CES show floor. But how much of it is hype and what will really become sustainable products? Smart lighting, smart refrigerators, smart cars, and a smart thermostat are all part of what is... » read more

2014 CapEx: Memory Is Leading The Way


The semiconductor industry is expensive. Billions of dollars are spent every year to keep the fabs running, build new fabs, and push the process technology to greater and greater heights. Billions more will be spent to make 450mm production a reality. In January 2013, Semico predicted that, based on initial indications from some companies, total CapEx would be flat this year. Based on current d... » read more

IP Ecosystem Solutions For Complex Systems


At the Semico Impact Conference: Focus on the IP Ecosystem, Mahesh Tirupattur, Executive Vice President, Analog Bits, challenged four panelists to an engaging discussion on their approach to IP Ecosystem Solutions for Complex Systems. Panel participants included Dan Kochpatcharin, Deputy Director, IP Portfolio Management, TSMC; Jason Polychronopoulos, Mentor Graphics; Chris Rowen, Cadence Fello... » read more

New World Applications And The Role of IP


Electronic devices have evolved from cyclical killer applications to everyday ‘must-have’ tools. Smartphones and tablets are a couple of these ‘must-have’ devices and are already making possible new world applications. Many of these new world applications, including the Internet of Things and mobile health, will be pervasive and promise high semiconductor unit volumes. Semico has identi... » read more

Dissecting The Numbers


In the annals of semiconductor history, July is typically the worst month of the year in terms of sequential monthly change. Going back to 1997, semiconductor sales in July are usually down 10% to over 30%. The chart below shows a pictorial representation of the monthly percent change in July over June for the last 16 years. We’re not implying that everyone should break out the party hats,... » read more

450mm Is On Its Way!


By Adrienne Downey Intel finally has taken the big plunge into 450mm manufacturing with the announcement of the start of construction of fab D1X Module 2. The company plans to spend $2 billion on construction of the new development fab this year alone. Its twin fab, Module 1, is 450mm-compatible, but will begin production later this year as a 300mm fab running a 14nm process technology. Intel�... » read more

The Alphabet Soup Of New Material Science


By Joanne Itow Escaping the scorching Arizona temperatures is only one reason why I always look forward to Semicon West. This year’s event was packed with an exceptional variety of activities and vendors. What was the most memorable take-away from the show? There were plenty of panels, presentation and networking discussions on the 450mm wafer transition and EUV. But the biggest thing that I... » read more

The Stakes Are High


By Joanne Itow Whether you call it a transition or a transformation, evolutionary or revolutionary, the implementation of 450mm wafers is going to be disruptive. There are both technical and operational hurdles associated with semiconductor production on 450mm wafers. The ramp of 450mm is expected to change the semiconductor manufacturing landscape. And what about the changes that may occur ev... » read more

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