Challenges And Outlook Of ATE Testing For 2nm SoCs


The transition to the 2nm technology node introduces unprecedented challenges in Automated Test Equipment (ATE) bring-up and manufacturability. As semiconductor devices scale down, the complexity of testing and ensuring manufacturability increases exponentially. 3nm silicon is a mastered art now, with yields hitting pretty high for even complex packaged silicon, while the transition from 3nm to... » read more

Device Characteristics of GAA-Structured CMOS and CTFET Under Varying Temperatures


A new technical paper titled "Vertical-Stack Nanowire Structure of MOS Inverter and TFET Inverter in Low-temperature Application" was published by researchers at National Tsing Hua University and National United University in Taiwan. Abstract "Tunneling field effect transistors (TFET) have emerged as promising candidates for integrated circuits beyond conventional metal oxide semiconductor ... » read more

Understanding CFETs, A Next Generation Transistor Architecture


Computing power has experienced exponential growth over the last 70 years. This has largely been achieved through transistor scaling. Due to a continuous reduction in the size of transistors, engineers have been able to pack more and more of them onto a single chip [1]. This has led to faster, more powerful, and more energy-efficient devices. Improvements in fabrication processes and materials,... » read more

Improving Gate All Around Transistor Performance Using Virtual Process Window Exploration


As transistor sizes shrink, short channel effects make it more difficult for transistor gates to turn a transistor ON and OFF [1]. One method to overcome this problem is to move away from planar transistor architectures toward 3D devices. Gate-all-around (GAA) architectures are an example of this type of 3D device [2]. In a GAA transistor, the gate oxide surrounds the channel in all directions.... » read more

The History Of CMOS


Since CMOS has been around for about 50 years, a comprehensive history would be a book. This blog focuses on what I consider the major transitions. NMOS Before CMOS, there was NMOS (also PMOS, but I have no direct experience with that). An NMOS gate consisted of a network of N-transistors between the output and Vss, and a resistor (actually a transistor with an implant) between the output and... » read more

Modeling Effects Of Fluctuation Sources On Electrical Characteristics Of GAA Si NS MOSFETs Using ANN-Based ML


Researchers from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (Taiwan) published a technical paper titled "A Machine Learning Approach to Modeling Intrinsic Parameter Fluctuation of Gate-All-Around Si Nanosheet MOSFETs." "This study has comprehensively analyzed the potential of the ANN-based ML strategy in modeling the effect of fluctuation sources on electrical characteristics of GAA Si NS MOSF... » read more

Chipmaking In The Third Dimension


Every few months, new and improved electronics are introduced. They’re typically smaller, smarter, faster, have more bandwidth, are more power-efficient, etc. — all thanks to a new generation of advanced chips and processors. Our digital society has come to expect this steady drip of new devices as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. Behind the scenes, however, engineers are working feve... » read more

Precision Selective Etch And The Path To 3D


Scaling (the shrinking of the tiny devices in chips such as transistors and memory cells) has never been easy, but making the next generation of advanced logic and memory devices a reality requires creating new structures at the atomic scale. When working with dimensions this small, there is little room for variation. Compounding the problem is a need to remove material isotropically, or, un... » read more

Inner Spacer Engineering to Improve Mechanical Stability in Channel-Release Process of Nanosheet FETs


  Abstract "Mechanical stress is demonstrated in the fabrication process of nanosheet FETs. In particular, unwanted mechanical instability stemming from gravity during channel-release is covered in detail by aid of 3-D simulations. The simulation results show the physical weakness of suspended nanosheets and the impact of nanosheet thickness. Inner spacer engineering based on geometr... » read more

Advancing To The 3nm Node And Beyond: Technology, Challenges And Solutions


It seems like yesterday that finFETs were the answer to device scaling limitations imposed by shrinking gate lengths and required electrostatics. The introduction of finFETs began at the 22nm node and has continued through the 7nm node. Beyond 7nm, it looks like nanosheet device structures will be used for at least the 5nm and probably the 3nm nodes. The nanosheet device structure is the brainc... » read more

← Older posts