Interconnects Emerge As Key Concern For Performance


Interconnects are becoming increasingly challenging to design, implement and test as the amount of data skyrockets and the ability to move that data through denser arrays of compute elements and memories becomes more difficult. The idea of an interconnect is rather simple, but ask two people what constitutes an interconnect and you're likely to get very different answers. Interconnects are e... » read more

New Architectures, Much Faster Chips


The chip industry is making progress in multiple physical dimensions and with multiple architectural approaches, setting the stage for huge performance increases based on more modular and heterogeneous designs, new advanced packaging options, and continued scaling of digital logic for at least a couple more process nodes. A number of these changes have been discussed in recent conferences. I... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Trade As reported, the U.S. recently implemented more restrictions on U.S. chip sales to Huawei. In response, SEMI has released the following statement in response to the new export control rule changes announced by the U.S. Commerce Department: “SEMI recognizes the role of export control measures to address threats to U.S. national security. However, we are very concerned the new export ... » read more

Week In Review: Auto, Security, Pervasive Computing


Pervasive computing — data center, edge, IoT Marvell is working on silicon for the data infrastructure market using TSMC’s 5nm process node. Marvell says it has multiple designs already under contract for its 5nm portfolio across the carrier, enterprise, automotive, and data center markets. The first products are sampling by the end of next year.  Ansys’ multiphysics signoff tools, R... » read more

Moore’s Law Enters The 4th Dimension


The basic idea that more transistors are better hasn't changed in more than half a century. In fact, the overriding theme of a number of semiconductor conferences this month is that we will never have enough compute capability or storage capacity. In the past, when the number of transistors in a given area actually did double every 18 to 24 months, increasing density per square millimeter fo... » read more

Week In Review: Design, Low Power


Tools & IP SiFive announced OpenFive, a self-contained and autonomous business unit that will offer custom silicon solutions with differentiated IP. OpenFive will be led by Dr. Shafy Eltoukhy, SVP, and general manager of OpenFive. OpenFive debuted with a new Die-to-Die (D2D) interface IP portfolio to serve next-generation chipset based designs for networking, HPC, and AI markets. The D2D p... » read more

Finding Defects With E-Beam Inspection


Several companies are developing or shipping next-generation e-beam inspection systems in an effort to reduce defects in advanced logic and memory chips. Vendors are taking two approaches with these new e-beam inspection systems. One is a more traditional approach, which uses a single-beam e-beam system. Others, meanwhile, are developing newer multi-beam technology. Both approaches have thei... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Chipmakers At its Architecture Day this week, Intel disclosed its roadmap for the company’s next-generation microprocessors, graphics chips, FPGAs and other products. As part of the event, Intel announced some new enhancements for its existing 10nm finFET technology. Basically, it’s a mid-life kicker for the technology. Intel calls it the 10nm SuperFin technology, which is a redefinitio... » read more

Chiplet Reliability Challenges Ahead


Assembling chips using LEGO-like hard IP is finally beginning to take root, more than two decades after it was first proposed, holding the promise of faster time to market with predictable results and higher yield. But as these systems of chips begin showing up in mission-critical and safety-critical applications, ensuring reliability is proving to be stubbornly difficult. The main driver fo... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Aug. 10


EUV mask cleaning process TSMC has developed a new dry-clean technology for photomasks used in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, a move that appears to solve some major problems in the fab. TSMC and Samsung are in production with EUV lithography at advanced nodes, but there are still several challenges with the photomasks and other parts of the technology. Using 13.5nm wavelengths, EUV... » read more

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