Clik here to view.
Why EUV Is So Difficult
For years, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography has been a promising technology that was supposed to help enable advanced chip scaling. But after years of R&D, EUV is still not in production...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Human Factors In Automation Software
The semiconductor industry offers some of the most advanced manufacturing environments featuring sophisticated automation and cutting-edge process controls. A typical day in a fab revolves around the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
More EUV Mask Gaps
Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is at a critical juncture. After several delays and glitches, EUV is now targeted for 7nm and/or 5nm. But there are still a number of technologies that must come...
View ArticleThe Week In Review: Manufacturing
Chipmakers Next month, GlobalFoundries will host a job fair in Portland, Ore., according to reports. The company hopes to hire former Intel workers. These are workers who lost their jobs as part of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Can We Measure Next-Gen FinFETs?
After ramping up their respective 16nm/14nm finFET processes, chipmakers are moving towards 10nm and/or 7nm, with 5nm in R&D. But as they move down the process roadmap, they will face a new set of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fab Tool Biz Faces Challenges In 2017
After experiencing a gradual recovery and positive growth in 2016, the semiconductor equipment industry sees a mixed picture as well as some uncertainty in 2017. In the near term, though, business is...
View ArticleInside Advanced Patterning
Prabu Raja, group vice president and general manager for the Patterning and Packaging Group at Applied Materials, sat down with Semiconductor Engineering to discuss the trends in patterning, selective...
View ArticleEtching Technology Advances
Let’s get really, really small. That directive from leading semiconductor companies and their customers is forcing the whole semiconductor supply chain to come up with new ways to design and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Uncertainty Grows For 5nm, 3nm
As several chipmakers ramp up their 10nm finFET processes, with 7nm just around the corner, R&D has begun for 5nm and beyond. In fact, some are already moving full speed ahead in the arena. TSMC...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Foundries See Mixed Future
Amid a tumultuous business environment, the silicon foundry industry is projected to see steady growth in a number of process segments in 2017. As in past years, the foundry market is expected to grow...
View ArticleBlog Review: Dec. 21
Mentor’s Jeff Miller and ARM’s Nandan Nayampally contend that it’s easier than ever to design custom SoCs. Cadence’s Paul McLellan provides a basic primer on silicon photonics, from a presentation by...
View ArticleClik here to view.
More Than Just Carbon Dioxide
As discussed in Part Two of this series, lifecycle analyses of greenhouse gas emissions consider both direct and indirect sources. Indirect CO2 emissions, attributed to electricity and other forms of...
View ArticleBlog Review: Jan. 4
Mentor’s Harry Foster wraps up his functional verification study series with a look the impact of verification maturity and safety critical designs on first silicon success. Synopsys’ David Benas...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Smart Manufacturing Gains Momentum
Smart manufacturing is gaining traction as a way of addressing increased market fragmentation while still leveraging economies of scale. The goal is to add a level of flexibility into manufacturing...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Week In Review: Manufacturing
Chipmakers and OEMs Samsung NEXT, formerly called the Samsung Global Innovation Center, has announced the creation of the Samsung NEXT Fund, a $150 million venture capital investment fund. The idea is...
View ArticleBlog Review: Jan. 18
Mentor’s Michael White warns that while skipping a node can be appealing, be prepared for the increase in computation requirements. Synopsys’ Hezi Saar checks out the benefits of moving to the MIPI I3C...
View ArticleClik here to view.
China Unveils Memory Plans
Backed by billions of dollars in government funding, China in 2014 launched a major initiative to advance its domestic semiconductor, IC-packaging and other electronic sectors. So far, though, the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What’s Up MEMS?
Strong segment growth. A whole slew of new devices on the horizon. A healthy pipeline of enabling critical problems to be solved. Has somebody been peeking at my Christmas list? Possibly yes, and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Transferring Skills Getting Harder
Rising complexity in developing chips at advanced nodes, and an almost perpetual barrage of new engineering challenges at each new node, are making it more difficult for everyone involved to maintain...
View ArticleThe Week In Review: Manufacturing
Chipmakers 2017 is just getting underway and there appears to be more restructuring in the IC industry. Toshiba is looking to spin off its semiconductor division and Western Digital (WD) plans to take...
View Article