What Is DRAM’s Future?


Memory — and DRAM in particular — has moved into the spotlight as it finds itself in the critical path to greater system performance. This isn't the first time DRAM has been the center of attention involving performance. The problem is that not everything progresses at the same rate, creating serial bottlenecks in everything from processor performance to transistor design, and even the t... » read more

Inside The New Non-Volatile Memories


The search continues for new non-volatile memories (NVMs) to challenge the existing incumbents, but before any technology can be accepted, it must be proven reliable. “Everyone is searching for a universal memory,” says TongSwan Pang, Fujitsu senior marketing manager. "Different technologies have different reliability challenges, and not all of them may be able to operate in automotive g... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Oct. 22


Flexible battery Researchers at ETH Zurich developed a flexible thin-film battery that can be bent, stretched, and twisted without interrupting the supply of power. Key to the battery is a new electrolyte and entirely flexible components. "To date, no one has employed exclusively flexible components as systematically as we have in creating a lithium-ion battery," said Markus Niederberger, P... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Chipmakers United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) has satisfied all closing conditions for the full acquisition of Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd. (MIFS), the former 300mm wafer foundry joint venture between UMC and Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd. (FSL). The completion of the acquisition is scheduled for Oct. 1. In 2014, FSL and UMC agreed for UMC to acquire a 15.9% stake in MIFS from FSL through pr... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Chipmakers Fujitsu, once a major manufacturer of ICs, continues to move away from chip production. On Semiconductor has completed the incremental 20% share purchase of Aizu Fujitsu Semiconductor Manufacturing, Fujitsu’s 200mm wafer fab in Aizu-Wakamatsu. On Semi will now hold a 60% majority ownership in the fab joint venture. Consequently, the name of the venture will transition to On Semico... » read more

Week In Review: Design, Low Power


Wafer company Soitec and European missile manufacturer MBDA joined together to buy the assets of Dolphin Integration. The IP and EDA tool provider, founded in 1985 in Grenoble, France, has been struggling, recently concluding insolvency proceedings and going into receivership. The new joint venture will absorb Dolphin's 155 employees and be owned 60% by Soitec, 40% by MBDA. The two companies co... » read more

Next-Gen Memory Ramping Up


The next-generation memory market is heating up as vendors ramp a number of new technologies, but there are some challenges in bringing these products into the mainstream. For years, the industry has been working on a variety of memory technologies, including carbon nanotube RAM, FRAM, MRAM, phase-change memory and ReRAM. Some are shipping, while others are in R&D. Each memory type is di... » read more

Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto


Deals SoftBank Corp. reached an agreement with Indonesia’s Link Net to work together on Internet of Things technology. Hidebumi Kitahara of SoftBank said in a statement, “The global mobile industry is now entering the 5G era, with IoT becoming the central focal point of innovation. This partnership with Link Net shows our strong commitment to further boost technology innovation in the glob... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Chipmakers and OEMs Fujitsu Semiconductor and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) announced that UMC will acquire all of the shares of Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited (MIFS), a 300mm wafer foundry joint venture between both companies. In addition to the 15.9% of MIFS shares currently owned by UMC, Fujitsu Semiconductor will transfer the remaining 84.1% of its shares in MIFS to UMC, making MI... » read more

Toward IIoT Security Standards


Security is a high priority within Industrial IoT projects, but it is advancing like the rest of the industry—inconsistently, with big gaps between the leaders and everyone else. That isn't unique to one or two industrial segments. It applies to all of them, and even to slices within particularly industries. "There is some confusion about security because it's not just the IT issues," s... » read more

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