Intel NOT Inside Sematech?

Intel NOT Inside Sematech?
by Robert Maire on 03-05-2015 at 1:00 pm

Rumor that Intel has quit Sematech confirmed by website?
Potential industry impact-
Is this a consolidation by-product?
Do we need a trade group?
Does it benefit Intel?

We have heard from several sources over the last few days that Intel has quit Sematech, the semiconductor industry trade group focused on technology development… Read More


ASML ASyMptotic progress- When will we get to EUV?

ASML ASyMptotic progress- When will we get to EUV?
by Robert Maire on 02-24-2015 at 5:30 pm

  • ASML making progress – but is it fast enough?
  • ASML has missed 10nm , can it catch 7nm? An economic question
  • Day one at SPIE- Better tone than last year but still cautious

1000 simulated wafers versus 700 simulated
At the opening of the SPIE conference ASML announced that TSMC had reached 1000 wafers a day “exposed”
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Apple’s Implications for Semiconductor

Apple’s Implications for Semiconductor
by Robert Maire on 01-29-2015 at 11:00 am

Apple’s iPhone 6 alone represents at least 50K wafer starts/month plus the iPad (A8X). What could the Iphone 6S/7 & A9 mean? What about the iWatch? Apple is the technology and volume driver of the semiconductor industry so lets take a look at the broader implications.

If we do the math the A8 is 89mm2 and 8.47 X 10.5mm. Using… Read More


Will the Apple A9 Fall Flat?

Will the Apple A9 Fall Flat?
by Robert Maire on 01-23-2015 at 12:00 pm

Several months ago we had suggested that we were concerned that Apple’s A9 processor would wind up being 20nm planar (maybe 14nm planar) rather than the expected 14nm FinFET. As we are now under 9 months from a likely launch time for Apple’s next gen IPhone the timing for getting a 14nm FinFET processor on board the phoneRead More