COVID-19 Chip Cycle – How deep, long and what shape?

COVID-19 Chip Cycle – How deep, long and what shape?
by Robert Maire on 03-26-2020 at 10:00 am

Covid 19 Semiconductors SemiWiki 1

It is a demand driven downturn – harder to predict
It may not be “business as usual” after this virus
What systemic changes could the industry face?

Trying to figure out another cycle-driven by inorganic catalyst

Investors and industry participants in the semiconductor industry who are used to normal cyclical… Read More


Low Energy Electrons Set the Limits for EUV Lithography

Low Energy Electrons Set the Limits for EUV Lithography
by Fred Chen on 03-25-2020 at 6:00 am

Low Energy Electrons Set the Limits for EUV Lithography

EUV lithography is widely perceived to be the obvious choice to replace DUV lithography due to the shorter wavelength(s) used. However, there’s a devil in the details, or a catch if you will.

Electrons have the last word
The resist exposure is completed by the release of electrons following the absorption of the EUV photon.… Read More


A Conversation with Wally Rhines: Predicting Semiconductor Business Trends After Moore’s Law

A Conversation with Wally Rhines: Predicting Semiconductor Business Trends After Moore’s Law
by Daniel Nenni on 03-22-2020 at 10:00 am

Cover Predicting Trends

Wally Rhines is one of the most prolific speakers the semiconductor industry has ever experienced. Wally is also one of the most read bloggers on SemiWiki.com, sharing his life’s story which is captured in his first book: From Wild West to Modern Life the Semiconductor Evolution.

On April 2nd at 10am PDT we will host Wally on a live… Read More


Semiconductor COVID-19 Update!

Semiconductor COVID-19 Update!
by Mark Dyson on 03-22-2020 at 10:00 am

COVID 19 Semiconductors SemiWiki

Last week whilst China started to recover from COVID-19 outbreak, the rest of the world was seriously impacted by the growing number of cases as the number of cases and deaths outside of China grew higher than in China. With the rise, many governments around the world belatedly put in measures to prevent the further spread of the … Read More


TSMC 32Mb Embedded STT-MRAM at ISSCC2020

TSMC 32Mb Embedded STT-MRAM at ISSCC2020
by Don Draper on 03-20-2020 at 6:00 am

Fig. 1. Cross section of the STT MRAM bit cell in BEOL metallization layers between M1 and M5.

32Mb Embedded STT-MRAM in ULL 22nm CMOS Achieves 10ns Read Speed, 1M Cycle Write Endurance, 10 Years Retention at 150C and High Immunity to Magnetic Field Interference presented at ISSCC2020

1.  Motivation for STT-MRAM in Ultra-Low-Leakage 22nm Process

TSMC’s embedded Spin-Torque Transfer Magnetic Random Access Memory (STT-MRAM)… Read More


COVID-19 and Semiconductors

COVID-19 and Semiconductors
by Bill Jewell on 03-18-2020 at 10:00 am

COVID 19 and semiconductors SemiWiki

The threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus) is continuing to spread. As of March 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 179,111 confirmed cases and 7,426 deaths. WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic as of March 11. Many countries have imposed severe restrictions to slow the spread of the disease, ranging from banning of large … Read More


TSMC’s 5nm 0.021um2 SRAM Cell Using EUV and High Mobility Channel with Write Assist at ISSCC2020

TSMC’s 5nm 0.021um2 SRAM Cell Using EUV and High Mobility Channel with Write Assist at ISSCC2020
by Don Draper on 03-06-2020 at 6:00 am

Fig. 1 Semiconductor Technology Application Evolution

Technological leadership has long been key to TSMC’s success and they are following up their leadership development of 5nm with the world’s smallest SRAM cell at 0.021um 2 with circuit design details of their write assist techniques necessary to achieve the full potential of this revolutionary technology. In addition to their… Read More


Talking Sense With Moortec – The Future Of Embedded Monitoring Part 2

Talking Sense With Moortec – The Future Of Embedded Monitoring Part 2
by Stephen Crosher on 02-28-2020 at 10:00 am

Stephen Crosher Moortec CEO Square High Res

The rate of product development is facing very real challenges as the pace of silicon technology evolution begins to slow. Today, we are squeezing the most out of transistor physics, which is essentially derived from 60-year-old CMOS technology. To maintain the pace of Moore’s law, it is predicted that in 2030 we will need transistors… Read More


Mentor Helps Mythic Implement Analog Approach to AI

Mentor Helps Mythic Implement Analog Approach to AI
by Tom Simon on 02-27-2020 at 6:00 am

Mythic AMS Verification Challenges

The entire field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has resulted from what is called “first principles thinking”, where problems are re-examined using a complete reassessment of the underlying issues and potential solutions. It is a testament to how effective this can be that AI is being used for a rapidly expanding number of applications… Read More


China Chip Equip Embargo just got real

China Chip Equip Embargo just got real
by Robert Maire on 02-24-2020 at 10:00 am

Chip Embargo Just Got Real

Worst Case Scenario now possible!

  • Embargo could extend beyond China to Taiwan (TSMC)
  • Likely backs up ASML pressure & Huawei indictment
  • “Maximum Pressure” campaign similar to Iran
  • Not likely to go away through trade negotiations

US to restrict chip equipment sales to Huawei producers
The Wall Street Journal… Read More