Transistors Reach Tipping Point At 3nm


The semiconductor industry is making its first major change in a new transistor type in more than a decade, moving toward a next-generation structure called gate-all-around (GAA) FETs. Although GAA transistors have yet to ship, many industry experts are wondering how long this technology will deliver — and what new architecture will take over from there. Barring major delays, today’s GAA... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Nov. 2


IRDS lithography roadmap The Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology (JM3) has published a paper that outlines the lithography roadmap and the various challenges for the next 15 years. The paper, called the "International Roadmap for Devices and Systems lithography roadmap," projects that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography and a next-generation version will remain the m... » read more

Steering The Semiconductor Industry


Progress in semiconductors has been one of the most successful engineering feats, and the industry has ridden an exponential curve longer than anything else in history. It is also a highly conservative industry that has pushed away many disruptive changes in favor of small incremental changes that minimize risk. There have been significant changes over the decades, and they often required a ... » read more

Focus Shifts To Architectures


Chipmakers increasingly are relying on architectural and micro-architectural changes as the best hope for improving power and performance across a spectrum of markets, process nodes and price points. While discussion about the death of [getkc id="74" comment="Moore's Law"] predates the 1-micron process node, there is no question that it is getting harder for even the largest chipmakers to st... » read more

How To Build Systems In Package


The semiconductor industry is racing to define a series of road maps for semiconductors to succeed the one created by the ITRS, which will no longer be updated, including a brand new one focused on heterogeneous integration. The latest entry will establish technology targets for integration of heterogeneous multi-die devices and systems. It has the support of IEEE's Components, Packaging and... » read more

Why This Roadmap Matters


The semiconductor industry is now officially looking beyond PCs and servers, establishing metrics and guidance for existing and developing market segments rather than just focusing on how to get to the next process nodes. The IEEE's International Roadmap for Devices and Systems marks a fundamental shift in the industry. The uncertainty that has ensued ever since the introduction of 3D transi... » read more