Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 13

By Mark LaPedus - 13 Jan, 2020 - Comments: 0

Plastic gold ETH Zurich has developed an 18-carat gold nugget based on plastic. Instead of traditional metallic alloy elements, ETH’s gold nugget consists of a matrix of plastic. Weighing five to ten times less than traditional gold, ETH’s plastic gold can be used in watches, jewelry, radiation shielding, catalysis and electronics. Gold is a chemical element used in a plethora of app... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Oct. 9

By Mark LaPedus - 09 Oct, 2018 - Comments: 0

Super atoms The Technical University of Munich (TUM) has devised what it calls a super atom, a technology that could one day enable a new class of catalysts. TUM developed a cluster made up of 55 copper and aluminum atoms. The cluster looks like a crystal, but it actually has the properties of an atom or a heterometallic super atom. The super atom could one day be used to develop more cost-... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 24

By Mark LaPedus - 24 Jan, 2017 - Comments: 3

Trapping antimatter Japan’s Riken has conducted measurements in order to discover the differences between matter and antimatter, namely in the complex field of antiprotons. Antimatter is a material composed of antiparticles, according to Wikipedia. Antimatter has the same mass as particles of ordinary matter, but it has an opposite charge, according to Wikipedia. Basically, neutron... » read more

Rightsizing Challenges Grow

By Ed Sperling - 20 Apr, 2016 - Comments: 0

Rightsizing chip architectures is getting much more complicated. There are more options to choose from, more potential bottlenecks, and many more choices about what process to use at what process node and for which markets and price points. Rightsizing is a way of targeting chips to specific application needs, supplying sufficient performance while minimizing power and cost. It has been a to... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: July 28

By Mark LaPedus - 28 Jul, 2015 - Comments: 0

Molecular chips Researchers from various organizations have devised a transistor consisting of a single molecule and a few atoms. The work could one day lead to the integration of molecular-based devices with existing semiconductor technologies. This work was conducted by Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik (PDI), Freie Universität Berlin (FUB), NTT and the U.S. Naval Research L... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 27

By Mark LaPedus - 27 Jan, 2015 - Comments: 0

Calibration systems go portable The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is selling a new portable, vacuum-based calibration unit for use in instruments and other systems. The system, dubbed the Portable Vacuum Standard (PVS), is a compact unit that enables precise calibrations and measurements at a customer’s facility. Housed in the white “igloo” enclosure, the syste... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Sept. 16

By Mark LaPedus - 16 Sep, 2014 - Comments: 0

Making sounds with atoms What is the sound of one hand clapping? Perhaps a better question is what is the sound of an atom? Chalmers University of Technology has demonstrated the ability to make a sound with an atom. More specifically, researchers have made acoustic waves with an artificial atom. In doing so, researchers have demonstrated quantum physics with sound taking on the role of lig... » read more

Knowledge Centers
Entities, people and technologies explored

Shift Left Is The Tip Of The Iceberg

A transformative change is underway for semiconductor design and EDA. New languages, models, and abstractions will need to be created.

by Brian Bailey

Partitioning In The Chiplet Era

Understanding how chiplets interact under different workloads is critical to ensuring signal integrity and optimal performance in heterogeneous designs.

by Ann Mutschler

3.5D: The Great Compromise

Pros and cons of a middle-ground chiplet assembly that combines 2.5D and 3D-IC.

by Ed Sperling

AI’s Role In Chip Design Widens, Drawing In New Startups

Focus is on letting engineers do much more with the same or fewer resources — and less drudgery.

by Karen Heyman

Key Technologies To Extend EUV To 14 Angstroms

Alongside high-NA EUV will be better-performing photoresists, reduced roughness using passivation and etch, and lateral etching to reduce tip-to-tip dimensions.

by Laura Peters

What Comes After HBM For Chiplets

The standard for high-bandwidth memory limits design freedom at many levels, but that is required for interoperability. What freedoms can be taken from other functions to make chiplets possible?

by Brian Bailey

Memory Fundamentals For Engineers

eBook: Nearly everything you need to know about memory, including detailed explanations of the different types of memory; how and where these are used today; what's changing, which memories are successful and which ones might be in the future; and the limitations of each memory type.

by The SE Staff

Why Small Fab And Assembly Houses Are Thriving

Megafabs churning out the most advanced processors are not the only game in town.

by Bryon Moyer