Will Open-Source EDA Work?

By Kevin Fogarty - 26 Jun, 2019 - Comments: 4

Open-source EDA is back on the semiconductor industry's agenda, spurred by growing interest in open-source hardware. But whether the industry embraces the idea with enough enthusiasm to make it successful is not clear yet. One of the key sponsors of this effort is the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is spearheading a number of programs to lower the cost of chip ... » read more

5nm Vs. 3nm

By Mark LaPedus - 24 Jun, 2019 - Comments: 16

Foundry vendors are readying the next wave of advanced processes, but their customers will face a myriad of confusing options—including whether to develop chips at 5nm, wait until 3nm, or opt for something in between. The path to 5nm is well-defined compared with 3nm. After that, the landscape becomes more convoluted because foundries are adding half-node processes to the mix, such as 6nm ... » read more

New Applications Call For New Memory Types

By Sean SK Kang - 20 Jun, 2019 - Comments: 0

The semiconductor industry is on the verge of a transformative computing era driven by Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). However, achieving the improvements in computing performance and efficiency needed for new AI and IoT applications represent some of the biggest technology challenges the industry has faced. Among the most critical requirements is del... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test

By Mark LaPedus - 14 Jun, 2019 - Comments: 0

Market research In the second quarter of 2019, TrendForce said that the top-5 foundry rankings remained identical with that of last year. But sixth to tenth place showed some changes. Who is up or down in what is a tough business climate? Global fab equipment spending will rebound in 2020, growing 20% to $58.4 billion after dropping 19% to $48.4 billion in 2019, according to SEMI. However, ... » read more

Inspection, Metrology Challenges Grow For SiC

By Mark LaPedus - 11 Jun, 2019 - Comments: 2

Inspection and metrology are becoming more critical in the silicon carbide (SiC) industry amid a pressing need to find problematic defects in current and future SiC devices. Finding defects always has been a challenging task for SiC devices. But it’s becoming more imperative to find killer defects and reduce them as SiC device vendors begin to expand their production for the next wave of a... » read more

MicroLEDs: The Next Revolution In Displays?

By Mark LaPedus - 29 May, 2019 - Comments: 1

Flat-panel display technology is exploding on several fronts as more screens are required for more devices. But one type of display is generating an enormous amount of buzz in the market—microLEDs. Dozens of companies are working on micro-light emitting diodes (microLEDs), a technology that promises to provide better and brighter displays than current solutions in the market. Apple, Facebo... » read more

SiC Demand Growing Faster Than Supply

By Mark LaPedus - 23 May, 2019 - Comments: 2

The silicon carbide (SiC) industry is in the midst of a major expansion campaign, but suppliers are struggling to meet potential demand for SiC power devices and wafers in the market. In just one example of the expansion efforts, Cree plans to invest up to $1 billion to increase its SiC fab and wafer capacities. As part of the plan, Cree is developing the world’s first 200mm (8-inch) SiC f... » read more

New Imaging Tech Finds Buried Defects

By Shinsuke Mizuno - 23 May, 2019 - Comments: 0

By Shinsuke Mizuno and Vadim Kuchik Defects and contamination on the wafer can slow process development times and limit performance and yield. As chips get more complex, more defects can become buried within the increasing number of layers in the design. Finding and analyzing these buried defects is a major challenge for the industry, especially during the early learning cycles of new manufa... » read more

3D NAND Race Faces Huge Tech And Cost Challenges

By Mark LaPedus - 23 May, 2019 - Comments: 8

Amid the ongoing memory downturn, 3D NAND suppliers continue to race each other to the next technology generations with several challenges and a possible shakeout ahead. Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix and the Toshiba-Western Digital duo are developing 3D NAND products at the next nodes on the roadmap, but the status of two others, Intel and China’s Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC), is les... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test

By Mark LaPedus - 17 May, 2019 - Comments: 0

Market research In terms of overall IC sales, Intel has replaced Samsung as the number one quarterly semiconductor supplier in 4Q18 after losing the lead spot to Samsung in 2Q17, according to IC Insights. “While Samsung held the full-year number one ranking in 2017 and 2018, Intel is forecast to easily recapture the number one ranking for the full-year of 2019, a position it previously held ... » read more

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Knowledge Centers
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tag: Applied Materials

Will Open-Source EDA Work?

5nm Vs. 3nm

New Applications Call For New Memory Types

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test

Inspection, Metrology Challenges Grow For SiC

MicroLEDs: The Next Revolution In Displays?

SiC Demand Growing Faster Than Supply

New Imaging Tech Finds Buried Defects

3D NAND Race Faces Huge Tech And Cost Challenges

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test