Atoms, ARMs, ARCs, Andes…And All The Rest


There was a time when nobody believed Intel processors would be replaced with any other device. Intel commanded the processor market. Rich Wawrzyniak, senior analyst for ASIC SoC at Semico Research, noted this was not always the case. In the early days of the PC there were many contenders and most people thought that Motorola would win because they had more money behind them. Ultimately, Intel ... » read more

The Week In Review: Manufacturing & Design


Silver surfers represent a more important technology market than “Generation X” and “Generation Y,” according to research from Gartner. Silver surfers are people in middle age or approaching old age. Although most technologists fail to recognize this fact, they are very interested in using technology and also have the time and the resources to pursue their interests, according to Gartne... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing & Design


Don’t look now, but Intel is expanding its foundry business. Previously, Intel garnered a small collection of foundry customers. But Intel would not entertain foundry customers that had competitive products based on ARM chips. Apparently, Intel is having a change of heart. “I think they’ve changed their position,” said Nathan Brookwood, a research fellow at Insight 64. “They will do A... » read more

The Week In Review: Oct. 18


By Mark LaPedus & Ed Sperling The problems continue with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. ASML promised to deliver an 80 Watt power source by year’s end. Now, the company said it only will have a 70 Watt source by mid-2014. “We are focusing on reaching the 70 Watts by the middle of next year,” said Peter Wennink, ASML’s CEO, in a conference call to discuss the company’s res... » read more

Multi-Beam Begins To Shine


After years of R&D and promises, multi-beam electron-beam technology is delayed and late to the market. The technology requires more funding and work than previously thought. And generally, the skepticism is running high for the technology. Finally, however, there is a ray of hope, and some momentum, in multi-beam—at least on the photomask front. Seeking to accelerate its multi-beam te... » read more

Debate Heats Up Over Bigger Glass


For more than two decades, photomask makers have been talking about moving to a new and larger mask size, sometimes called “bigger glass” by the industry. Generally, the discussions about “bigger glass” have been all talk and no action. But now, some chipmakers are turning up the volume in the discussions and are pushing for a larger mask size. A larger mask size would require the ph... » read more

Executive Briefing: Getting Direct On Litho


Semiconductor Engineering sat down and talked with David Lam, principal of the David Lam Group, an investment and advisory firm. Lam is also the chairman of Multibeam, a multi-beam equipment startup for direct-write lithography and other applications. He founded Lam Research in 1980 and left as an employee in 1985. He served on Lam Research’s board for five years after that. SE: Multibeam ... » read more

Inside Japan: The Applied Materials-Tokyo Electron Merger


The merger of Tokyo Electron and Applied Materials has turned heads around the globe, but behind the scenes in Japan there was a recognition that this deal had to be done now or it would never be possible. Releases from both companies describe it as a merger of equals, and the Japanese press has reported it that way. But international media outside of Japan take the view that Tokyo Electron ... » read more

Rethinking The Data Center


Ever since the introduction of the PC, the biggest challenge in computing has been more about getting software to take advantage of multiple processors or cores than getting the chips to run faster. Ironically, this issue was solved decades ago inside of data centers. Enterprise applications, built on databases, have always been relatively easy to parse so that individual pieces can be run sepa... » read more

What Needs To Be Fixed


Some incredible engineering feats at the nano level—particularly below 40nm—are making their way into production chips. Even creating a sub-micron chip in the first place is a testament to the advances in semiconductor engineering. Turning off large sections of the chip and implementing techniques such as voltage and frequency scaling, power gating, multiple voltage rails and islands, multi... » read more

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