Progress In Quantum Computing


A recent wave of quantum computing investment has given rise to claims of a quantum computing bubble, based on overly optimistic technological claims in a field area that experts say has yet to demonstrate any real utility. But executives on the industry’s front lines say quantum computing is indeed a commercially viable technology, albeit one that is at least several years away from overcomi... » read more

The High Price Of Smaller Features


The semiconductor industry’s push for higher numerical apertures is driven by the relationship between NA and critical dimension. As the NA goes up, the CD goes down: Where λ is the wavelength and k1 is a process coefficient. While 0.55 NA exposure systems will improve resolution, Larry Melvin, principal engineer at Synopsys, noted that smaller features always come with a process cos... » read more

Week In Review: Auto, Security, Pervasive Computing


Automotive and mobility Seventeen U.S. states must decide whether or not to follow California's new law that mandates that all new cars, pickups and SUVs be electric or hydrogen-powered by 2035. The Clean Air Act dictates that states must follow federal guidelines unless they follow certain components of California's rules. A research firm says consumers are most passionate about a high-tec... » read more

Week In Review: Design, Low Power


Revenue for the top 10 IC design houses globally hit US$ 39.6 billion in 2Q22, a 32% growth over the prior year, according to a Trendforce report. The firm contends this growth trend will be difficult to maintain due to the high preceding base period and overall worse market conditions. Renesas introduced a RISC-V MCU specifically optimized for advanced motor control systems. The new ASSP in... » read more

The Next Incarnation Of EDA


The EDA industry has incrementally addressed issues as they arise in the design of electronic systems, but is there about to be a disruption? Academia is certainly seeing that as a possibility, but not all of them see it happening for the same reason. The academic community questioned the future of EDA at the recent Design Automation Conference. Rather than EDA as we know it going away, they... » read more

How Climate Change Affects Data Centers


Data centers are hot, and they may get even hotter. As climate change impacts temperatures around the world, designers are changing the computing hubs that are tied to nearly every aspect of modern life to make them more efficient, more customized, and potentially more disaggregated. These shifts are taking on new urgency as the tech industry grapples with months of sweltering temperatures o... » read more

Is There A Limit To The Number of Layers In 3D-NAND?


Memory vendors are racing to add more layers to 3D NAND, a competitive market driven by the explosion in data and the need for higher-capacity solid state drives and faster access time. Micron already is filling orders for 232-layer NAND, and not to be outdone, SK Hynix announced that it will begin volume manufacturing 238-layer 512Gb triple level cell (TLC) 4D NAND in the first half of next... » read more

Chipmakers Model AI For Radio Access Networks


The chips that power and connect smartphones are now foundational to a disparate portfolio of daily tasks we take for granted, from accessing the internet to snapping a photo or asking Siri or Google if rain is in the forecast. Most people don’t think twice about the conflicting demands these tasks can place on semiconductors, but for engineers at leading chip manufacturers, this balancing ac... » read more

Week in Review: Auto, Security, Pervasive Computing


Automotive and Mobility Lyft launched a new robotaxi service that operates on and around the Las Vegas Strip using the electric Ioniq 5 vehicle from Motional. Similar services by other companies are currently in use in a handful of other U.S. cities, including San Francisco and Phoenix. The new Lyft service currently requires the presence of safety drivers, though Lyft and Motional say it will... » read more

New Uses For AI In Chips


Artificial intelligence is being deployed across a number of new applications, from improving performance and reducing power in a wide range of end devices to spotting irregularities in data movement for security reasons. While most people are familiar with using machine learning and deep learning to distinguish between cats and dogs, emerging applications show how this capability can be use... » read more

← Older posts Newer posts →