Assuring Reliable Processor Performance At Scale


In today’s data center environment, resilience is key. Cloud providers are built on as-a-service business models, where uptime is critical to ensure their customers’ business continuity. Reputation and competitiveness require service at extremely high performance, low power, and increasing functionality, with zero tolerance for unplanned downtime or errors. If you’re a hyperscaler, o... » read more

Unknowns Driving Up The Cost Of Auto IC Reliability


Automotive chipmakers are considering a variety of options to improve the reliability of ICs used for everything from sensors to artificial intelligence. But collectively they could boost the number of process steps, increase the time spent in manufacturing and packaging, and stir up concerns about the amount of data that needs to be collected, shared, and stored. Accounting for advanced pro... » read more

What Causes Semiconductor Aging?


Semiconductor technology has evolved to the point where no one can assume chips will last forever. If not carefully considered, aging can shorten the life of an IC below the needs for an intended application. Aging is well studied in technology circles, but while others less directly involved may understand at a general level this is a problem, it's not always obvious why. So what exactly ar... » read more

Will Steering Wheels Ever Disappear?


Autonomous vehicles are touted as the way of the future, and the general assumption is ultimately everything will be autonomous. But there are broad segments of the market where autonomy is unlikely to happen. There is no question that autonomy is possible. In fact, within certain bounds it's already here. Robo-taxis are available in some cities. Mercedes, Tesla, and Lexus are all touting so... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Chipmakers, OEMs TSMC reported sales of $15.736 billion for the fourth quarter of 2021, up 5.7% sequentially. Net income grew 6.4% quarter-over-quarter. In the fourth quarter, shipments of 5nm accounted for 23% of total wafer revenues, while 7nm accounted for 27%. In the first quarter of 2022, TSMC’s sales are expected to be between $16.6 billion to $17.2 billion. TSMC also expects its 20... » read more

Week In Review: Auto, Security, Pervasive Computing


Security Kyocera is using Rambus’ RT-130 Root of Trust and AES-IP-38 AES Accelerator IP for data security on Kyocera Evolution Series MFPs (multi-function printers). Connected printers are notorious targets for malicious actors to gain access a network or data. The Evolution Series MFPs’ data security mets Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 Cryptographic Module Validatio... » read more

Preventing Failures Before They Occur


A decade or so ago, when MEMS sensors were in the limelight, one of the touted applications was to install them on industrial or other equipment to get an advance warning if the equipment was approaching failure. Today, in-circuit monitoring brings the same promise. Are these competing technologies? Or can they be made to work together? “Almost all advanced tool manufacturing companies ... » read more

Supply Chain Security And Counterfeit Detection Using UCT


The recent shortage of chip supply and long lead times prompted system makers to turn to second tier suppliers and distributors for fulfilling their semiconductor needs. This in turn has put the spotlight on the growing concern of fraudulent or counterfeited integrated circuits (ICs). Proteus deep data analytics based on Universal Chip Telemetry (UCT) provides a new approach to supply chain ... » read more

2021 Top Tech Videos


While the world’s chip shortage dominated the 2021 headlines, the semiconductor industry blazed new trails with the increased electrification of cars, focused AI applications, improving power/performance, better utilization of data deluges, dealing with design challenges in advanced nodes and much more focus on chip security. Semiconductor Engineering’s Tech Talks reflected these focus a... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


Chipmakers TSMC has introduced another version of its 4nm process technology. The process, called N4X, is tailored for high-performance computing products. Recently, TSMC introduced another 4nm process, called N4P, which is an enhanced version of its 5nm technology. N4X is also an enhanced version of its 5nm technology. N4X, however, offers a performance boost of up to 15% over TSMC’s N5 pro... » read more

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