What Goes Wrong In Advanced Packages


Advanced packaging may be the best way forward for massive improvements in performance, lower power, and different form factors, but it adds a whole new set of issues that were much better understood when Moore's Law and the ITRS roadmap created a semi-standardized path forward for the chip industry. Different advanced packaging options — system-in-package, fan-outs, 2.5D, 3D-IC — have a... » read more

Hunting For Open Defects In Advanced Packages


Catching all defects in chip packaging is becoming more difficult, requiring a mix of electrical tests, metrology screening, and various types of inspection. And the more critical the application for these chips, the greater the effort and the cost. Latent open defects continue to be the bane of test, quality, and reliability engineering. Open defects in packages occur at the chip-to-substra... » read more

Using 5nm Chips And Advanced Packages In Cars


Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the impact of advanced node chips and advanced packaging on automotive reliability with Jay Rathert, senior director of strategic collaborations at KLA; Dennis Ciplickas, vice president of advanced solutions at PDF Solutions; Uzi Baruch, vice president and general manager of the automotive business unit at OptimalPlus; Gal Carmel, general manager of... » read more

Preventing Chips From Burning Up During Test


It’s become increasingly difficult to manage the heat generated during IC test. Absent the proper mitigations, it’s easy to generate so much heat that probe cards and chips literally can burn up. As a result, implementing temperature-management techniques is becoming a critical part of IC testing. “We talk about systems, saying the system is good,” said Arun Krishnamoorthy, senior... » read more

Cloud Vs. On-Premise Analytics


The immense and growing volume of data generated in chip manufacturing is forcing chipmakers to rethink where to process and store that data. For fabs and OSATs, this decision is not one to be taken lightly. The proprietary nature of yield, performance, and other data, and corporate policies to retain tight control of that data, have so far limited outsourcing to the cloud. But as the amount... » read more

Making Sure AI/ML Works In Test Systems


Artificial intelligence/machine learning is being utilized increasingly to find patterns and outlier data in chip manufacturing and test, improving the overall yield and reliability of end devices. But there are too many variables and unknowns to reliably predict how a chip will behave in the field using just AI. Today, every AI use case — whether a self-driving car or an industrial sortin... » read more

Week In Review: Auto, Security, Pervasive Computing


Automotive/Mobility Chip-telemetry company proteanTecs has joined TSMC’s IP Alliance Program, which puts proteanTecs’ Universal Chip Telemetry (UCT) IP into TSMC’s catalog of production-proven IP. UCT is a monitoring system designed directly into chips to pull measurements from inside the chip throughout its lifecycle, including after placement in systems in the field. Monitoring the hea... » read more

Predicting And Avoiding Failures In Automotive Chips


Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss automotive electronics reliability with Jay Rathert, senior director of strategic collaborations at KLA; Dennis Ciplickas, vice president of advanced solutions at PDF Solutions; Uzi Baruch, vice president and general manager of the automotive business unit at OptimalPlus; Gal Carmel, general manager of proteanTecs' Automotive Division; Andre van de ... » read more

Part Average Tests For Auto ICs Not Good Enough


Part Average Testing (PAT) has long been used in automotive. For some semiconductor technologies it remains viable, while for others it is no longer good enough. Automakers are bracing for chips developed at advanced process nodes with much trepidation. Tight control of their supply chains and a reliance upon mature electronic processes so far have enabled them to increase electronic compone... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Chipmakers and OEMs A severe winter storm has hit many parts of the United States, including Texas. In Austin, utility providers are prioritizing service to residential areas. As a result, electricity and natural gas providers have temporarily suspended service to Austin’s semiconductor manufacturers, including Samsung and NXP. "Due to the recent blackouts in Texas, Samsung Austin Semicon... » read more

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