Reflections On Photomask Japan 2023: Embracing The Era Of Curvilinear Masks


In April, 2023, I had the privilege of participating in Photomask Japan 2023 (PMJ2023), a web conference that brought together experts and enthusiasts in the field. The conference commenced with an enlightening keynote talk by Dr. Kurt Ronse of imec on the status and challenges of the high NA EUV ecosystem, presenting roadmaps for the introduction of high NA EUV. I would like to express my grat... » read more

Week In Review: Semiconductor Manufacturing, Test


Global semiconductor sales reached $574 billion in 2022, and U.S. semiconductor companies accounted for sales totaling $275 billion, or 48% of the global market, according to the 2023 Factbook released by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). DRAM and NAND prices likely will continue to fall further this quarter because production cuts have not kept pace with weakening demand, accord... » read more

Optimizing Scan Test For Complex ICs


As chips become more heterogeneous with more integrated functionality, testing them presents increasing challenges — particularly for high-speed system-on-chip (SoC) designs with limited test pin availability. In addition, the complexity of emerging packages like 3D and chiplets necessitates comprehensive new solutions that can provide faster results at multiple stages in the silicon lifec... » read more

Data Analytics For The Chiplet Era


This article is based on a paper presented at SEMICON Japan 2022. Moore’s Law has provided the semiconductor industry’s marching orders for device advancement over the past five decades. Chipmakers were successful in continually finding ways to shrink the transistor, which enabled fitting more circuits into a smaller space while keeping costs down. Today, however, Moore’s Law is slowin... » read more

The Data Revolution Of Semiconductor Production


During our insightful panel discussion on “The Data Revolution of Semiconductor Production – How Advancements in Technology Unlock New Insights,” we covered several topics including machine learning, edge computing and cloud-based data management. We discussed questions including: Are we creating the right data and doing enough with it? What needs to be done to make data actionable? Ho... » read more

Week In Review: Semiconductor Manufacturing, Test


The global sales slump in semiconductors but may be stabilizing, according to a new report from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). Worldwide sales of semiconductors fell 8.7% in Q1 2023 compared to the Q4 2022, and dropped 21.3% compared to the Q1 2022. Sales for the month of March 2023 increased 0.3% compared to February 2023. Meanwhile, SEMI reports worldwide silicon wafer shipment... » read more

What Data Center Chipmakers Can Learn From Automotive


Automotive OEMs are demanding their semiconductor suppliers achieve a nearly unmeasurable target of 10 defective parts per billion (DPPB). Whether this is realistic remains to be seen, but systems companies are looking to emulate that level of quality for their data center SoCs. Building to that quality level is more expensive up front, although ultimately it can save costs versus having to ... » read more

Device Validation: The Ultimate Test Frontier


This article is a condensed version of an article that appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of Chip Scale Review. Adapted with permission. Read the original article at https://chipscalereview.com/wp-content/uploads/flipbook/30/book.html, p. 26. In the early days of space exploration, spacecraft were manned by small teams of astronauts, most of whom were experienced test pilots who ... » read more

Power Semiconductors: A Deep Dive Into Materials, Manufacturing & Business


Whether you’re the owner of the average smartphone, commuting on trains, or driving around in a Tesla, you use power semiconductor devices every day. In a technology-dependent world, these devices are everywhere, and demand for more types of chips using different materials is growing. In the past, most engineers paid little attention to power semiconductors. They were deemed commodity, off... » read more

Deep Learning (DL) Applications In Photomask To Wafer Semiconductor Manufacturing


Published by the eBeam Initiative Member Companies (February 2023), this list of artificial intelligence (AI) systems used by member companies in their semiconductor manufacturing products shows progress. New examples of systems using AI include: image processing and parameter tuning in lithography tool mask metrology system B-SPline Control Point generation tool sem... » read more

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