Transforming Semiconductor Manufacturing: How AI And ML Boost Productivity And Beat The Skill Shortage


In the fast-paced world of semiconductor manufacturing, where innovation and efficiency are essential, there is a serious challenge – the persistent skilled labor shortage. As evident by billboards looking for workers along major highways, this shortage is not just a concern but a pressing reality. Semiconductor manufacturers in the United States face a multifaceted problem—tightened... » read more

AI Process Control Platform Enabling Next Generation Technology, Part 2


As feature dimensions in semiconductors continue to shrink and worldwide demand continues to expand, semiconductor equipment manufacturers need innovative ways to compete and deliver. The Tignis PAICe Maker physics-driven AI computational modeling platform accelerates leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing—from equipment R&D to reliable high-yield chip fabrication capability. Tignis sup... » read more

When And Where To Implement AI/ML In Fabs


Deciphering complex interactions between variables is where machine learning and deep learning shine, but figuring out exactly how ML-based systems will be most useful is the job of engineers. The challenge is in pairing their domain expertise with available ML tools to maximize the value of both. This depends on sufficient quantities of good data, highly optimized algorithms, and proper tra... » read more

Securing Chip Manufacturing Against Growing Cyber Threats


Semiconductor manufacturers are wrestling with how to secure a highly specialized and diverse global supply chain, particularly as the value of their IP and their dependence upon software increases — along with the sophistication and resources of the attackers. Where methodologies and standards do exist for security, they often are confusing, cumbersome, and incomplete. There are plenty of... » read more

AI Process Control Platform Enabling Next Generation Technology


PAICe Monitor delivers AI and machine learning-enabled analytics for all stages of the semiconductor fabrication process lifecycle — from process development and ramp readiness, to high volume production. Leveraging Tignis’ Digital Twin Query Language, PAICe Monitor enables process engineers to transform in-product fault diagnoses into continuous real-time monitoring—greatly improving ... » read more

Battling Over Shrinking Physical Margin In Chips


Smaller process nodes, coupled with a continual quest to add more features into designs, are forcing chipmakers and systems companies to choose which design and manufacturing groups have access to a shrinking pool of technology margin. In the past margin largely was split between the foundries, which imposed highly restrictive design rules (RDRs) to compensate for uncertainties in new proces... » read more

Goals of Going Green


The chip industry is stepping up efforts to be seen as environmentally friendly, driven by growing pressure from customers and government regulations. Some manufacturers have been addressing sustainability challenges for more than a decade, but they are becoming more aggressive in their efforts, while others are joining them. A review of sustainability reports across the semiconductor indust... » read more

Smart Manufacturing Makes Gains In Chip Industry


Lights out manufacturing is gaining steam across the semiconductor industry, accelerating productivity, improving quality, and reducing costs and environment impact. These benefits are the result of years of strategic investments in technologies like machine-to-machine communication, data analytics, and robotics to achieve higher levels of autonomy. Semiconductor factories have long depen... » read more

Risks And Faults We Can Detect Using Machine Learning And Physics


In its earliest form, technicians manually took condition status readings from individual pieces of equipment and used them to shape maintenance conclusions. Today, critical machine and system data can be streamed continuously, automatically, from industrial internet of things (IIoT) sensors for real-time analytics, diagnostics, and suggested actions. Click here to read more. » read more

Startup Funding: May 2022


May was another strong month for China as it continues its push to build a native semiconductor ecosystem. Over half the month's total funding went to startups in the country. Over half the companies funded were from China as well, including two FPGA companies, three making CPUs, a GPU startup, and numerous networking and wireless chip companies. Two of those, in FPGAs and CPUs, raised rounds s... » read more

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