Research Bits: Dec. 16


Back-end integration Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Waterloo propose a back-end integration platform that enables the fabrication of transistors and memory devices in a single compact stack on a chip. The approach uses amorphous indium oxide as the active channel layer of the back-end transistor. The properties of indium oxide allow a thin... » read more

Research Bits: Sept. 30


Hybrid memory for edge training and inference Researchers from CEA-Leti, Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA-List, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, IMS France, Université Paris-Saclay, and the Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies developed a hybrid memory system that combines the traits of ferroelectric capacitors (FeCAP)... » read more

Research Bits: August 26


THz-optical converter Researchers from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Harvard University designed a chip that can convert between electromagnetic pulses in the terahertz and optical ranges on the same device. Applications include communication, sensing, spectroscopy, and computing. The design embeds micron-sized transmission lines into a lithium niobate photonic chip... » read more

Research Bits: August 19


Co-packaged optics Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Bridgewater State University developed a new way to co-package photonic and electronic chips that uses existing automated pick-and-place assembly equipment in traditional fabs along with a less-expensive passive alignment process. “We’ve developed a packaging design [for integrating photonics with el... » read more

Research Bits: August 5


Non-volatile RF switches Researchers from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) designed non-volatile RF switches based on vanadium oxide (VOx) for high-frequency bands used in next-generation wireless communications like 6G. The RF switch uses a memristor structure that enables it to operate and maintain its set state without consuming standby power. Additionally, the ... » read more

Chip Industry Week in Review


Podcast: imec's roadmap and a one-on-one interview with the European research house's chief strategy officer. China's Xiaomi debuted an in-house-designed 10-core mobile SoC built on a 3nm process. The company did not identify the foundry. It also announced plans to invest 50 billion yuan (~$7B) over the next decade to develop high-end smartphone chips, as part of a 200 billion yuan (~$28B) c... » read more

Research Bits: May 13


Benchmarking 3D-IC cooling Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and HRL Laboratories developed a specialized chip to test and validate cooling solutions for packaged chip stacks. The chip dissipates extremely high power, generating heat through the silicon layer and in localized hot spots to mimic high-performance logic chips. It then uses diodes to measure temperatu... » read more

Research Bits: April 22


PIC heterogeneous integration Researchers from Hewlett Packard Labs, Indian Institutes of Technology Madras, Microsoft Research, and University of Michigan built an AI acceleration platform based on heterogeneously integrated photonic ICs. The PIC combines silicon photonics along with III-V compound semiconductors that functionally integrate lasers and optical amplifiers to reduce optical l... » read more

Research Bits: Mar. 18


High-frequency signal conversion Researchers from ETH Zurich developed a plasmonic modulator capable of converting electrical signals into optical signals with a frequency of over a terahertz. The modulator is a tiny nanostructure made up of various materials, including gold, and makes use of the interaction between light and free electrons within the gold. It converts signals directly, red... » read more

Thermally Aware Chiplet Placement Algorithm Based on Automatic Differentiation (MIT, IBM)


A new technical paper titled "DiffChip: Thermally Aware Chip Placement with Automatic Differentiation" was published by researchers at MIT and IBM. Abstract "Chiplets are modular integrated circuits that can be combined to form a larger system, offering flexibility and performance enhancements. However, their dense packing often leads to significant thermal management challenges, requiring ... » read more

← Older posts Newer posts →