Shift Left Strategy For Semiconductor Production Testing


In the fast-paced world of semiconductor manufacturing, achieving higher yields and reducing costs are constant challenges. Ideally, yield should only be impacted by unavoidable defects when everything else is performing as expected. However, when yield reduction occurs due to the process sensitivity of the design, these issues can be detected and, in many cases, corrected. proteanTecs has d... » read more

Aftermarket Sensors Boost Yield In Wafer Fabs


Third-party sensors are being added into fab equipment to help boost yield and to extend the life of expensive tools, supplementing the sensors that come with equipment used in fabs. The data gleaned from those sensors has broad uses within the fab. It can measure process module performance, identify defect sources, and alert fabs of impending equipment failure. And when coupled with machine... » read more

AI Predictive Modeling Tools Move Into Critical Role To Leverage AI, ML


The semiconductor industry, as always, is at the forefront of transformational technological innovation, driving escalating complexity of manufacturing processes that extend time-to-market delivery, inflate research and development costs, and lead to expensive delays when problems arise. As manufacturers navigate these challenges, the need for comprehensive prediction of manufacturing proble... » read more

Achieving Zero Defect Manufacturing Part 3: Prevention Of Defects


The concept of zero defect manufacturing has been around for decades, arising first in the aerospace and defense industry. Since then, this manufacturing approach has been adopted by the automotive industry, and it has only grown in importance as the sector transitions to electric vehicles. Given the role semiconductors play in today’s vehicles, and will play in the future, it is no surprise ... » read more

Challenges And Outlook Of ATE Testing For 2nm SoCs


The transition to the 2nm technology node introduces unprecedented challenges in Automated Test Equipment (ATE) bring-up and manufacturability. As semiconductor devices scale down, the complexity of testing and ensuring manufacturability increases exponentially. 3nm silicon is a mastered art now, with yields hitting pretty high for even complex packaged silicon, while the transition from 3nm to... » read more

Achieving Zero Defect Manufacturing Part 2: Finding Defect Sources


Semiconductor manufacturing creates a wealth of data – from materials, products, factory subsystems and equipment. But how do we best utilize that information to optimize processes and reach the goal of zero defect manufacturing? This is a topic we first explored in our previous blog, “Achieving Zero Defect Manufacturing Part 1: Detect & Classify.” In it, we examined real-time defe... » read more

Using Predictive Data Analytics In Manufacturing


Data is said to be the gold of the 21st century, but is that true? Even with trillions of lines of data in your database, you won’t be mining any gold – unless you understand what the data means. Here’s what’s happening all around the semiconductor industry: we have far too much data. The problem is that the value you need is hidden in the data, and to mine the gold from it, you need to... » read more

Memory On Logic: The Good And Bad


The chip industry is progressing rapidly toward 3D-ICs, but a simpler step has been shown to provide gains equivalent to a whole node advancement — extracting distributed memories and placing them on top of logic. Memory on logic significantly reduces the distance between logic and directly associated memory. This can increase performance by 22% and reduce power by 36%, according to one re... » read more

DTCO/STCO Create Path For Faster Yield Ramps


Higher density in planar SoCs and advanced packages, coupled with more complex interactions and dependencies between various components, are permitting systematic defects to escape traditional detection methods. These issues increasingly are not detected until the chips reach high-volume manufacturing, slowing the yield ramp and bumping up costs. To combat these problems, IDMs and systems co... » read more

Partnership To Improve Semiconductor Quality And Yield


By Eran Rousseau (NI) and Eli Roth (Teradyne) The semiconductor industry is notorious for its high production costs and the critical importance of maintaining impeccable product quality. As technology advances and consumer expectations rise, semiconductor companies face constant pressure to meet these cost and quality goals while also delivering cutting-edge products. Traditionally, the s... » read more

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