Aug 12, 2014 · By Andrew Walker · Blogs
Finally! After a year’s worth of guesswork, Samsung’s 3D V-NAND Flash cell has been revealed. Thanks to the expertise of Chipworks we can see how the memory array looks in the 86 Gbit 32-layer 2nd generation V-NAND. Figure 1 shows Chipworks’ beautiful cross section. My intention here is to explain the structure,...Aug 11, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · 3D Event Coverage
For the first time this year, 3D InCites is sponsoring a panel discussion at IWLPC on the topic of System-level Advantages of 3D Integration. For years the industry has discussed and debated 3D integration technologies, discussing the market drivers, technology challenges, supply chain issues, and above all, the cost. As...Aug 07, 2014 · By P. Markondeya Raj · Resource Library
A novel copper interconnection technology is being pioneered by Georgia Tech’s Packaging Research Center (GT-PRC) to achieve manufacturable solder-free assembly at low temperatures. By interfacing engineering and process design, the Cu interconnections are shown to meet both thermal cycling and ultra-high current-handling needs. This technology is now being applied to mobile...Aug 07, 2014 · By Seung Wook Yoon · Design
Moore’s law is approaching physical limitations of CMOS scaling, and three dimensional (3D) integration technologies have been proposed as solutions. Wide band transmission between logic and memory is becoming indispensable for not only mobile products, but also other products related to network systems such as servers and data centers. These...Aug 01, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · Blogs
Good news! At last week’s GSA 3D IC Packaging Working Group Meeting, July 23, 2014, Jan Vardaman uttered the words I’ve been waiting to hear her say for quite some time. “Memory stacks with TSVs are here!” Vardaman cited three companies actively involved in new memory architectures, all of which...Jul 30, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · Blogs
There’s nothing like a little industry gossip to get the juices flowing. I love it when the media churns out news articles based purely on speculation, quoting individuals who request anonymity, and publishing the names and titles of those who refuse to comment on speculation. No doubt you’ve all seen...Jul 23, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · Blogs
It was a much-talked-about topic this year at SEMICON West 2014 (SW2014) – this trend of semiconductor equipment manufacturer consolidation. Just in the past year, we’ve read the headlines about Applied Materials (AMAT) and Tokyo Electron ‘s (TEL) impending merger; LTX Credence’s acquisition of Multitest, Everett Charles, Technologies and atg...Jul 22, 2014 · By Herb Reiter · Resource Library
Herb Reiter, eda2asic, presented this poster presentation titled “The Internet of Things and Semiconductor Test” at the Test Vision 2020 Workshop during Semicon West 2014. Here is the printed transcript of the talk. The accompanying slides referenced in the text can be downloaded as well. In the 1990s cell phones...Jul 21, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · Blogs
SEMICON West 2014 brought its usual flurry of supplier announcements on new equipment and process improvements; but there weren’t as many focused on 3D technologies as there have been in past years. This is likely due to the fact that some players are holding off until 3D hits it big...Jul 17, 2014 · By Herb Reiter · 3D In Context
Tuesday’s (July 15) Nightly Business Report surprised me with an – in my view – very important announcement: Apple and IBM are going to cooperate to offer enterprise solutions. See more about this significant step here and in many other headline news coming out this week. The former rivals are...Jul 16, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · Blogs
Consider for a moment that the ultimate goal of 3D integration is not to achieve high volume manufacturing (HVM) in high bandwidth memory and logic applications for mobile devices, but rather to be an enabler for heterogeneous integration of disparate technologies for everything from medical and automotive applications to industrial...Jul 15, 2014 · By Amandine Pizzagalli · Resource Library
Permanent wafer bonding can be categorized based on bonding with or without an intermediate layer. Intermediate layers can be subcategorized into insulating layers including glass frit bonding, adhesive bonding, or metallic bonding including Cu-Cu/oxide “hybrid” bonding, solder bonding, and thermo-compression copper-copper bonding as shown in Figure 1. MEMS devices are...Jul 15, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · 3D Event Coverage
The winds of change are blowing in the semiconductor industry. And while some cling tightly to the way things have always been, it’s becoming more apparent that for those who can adapt, there are a multitude of opportunities, and for those who think it can stay the same, it will...Jul 11, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · 3D Event Coverage
For the second consecutive year, a sizable group of 3D integration enthusiasts gathered at the Impress Lounge to honor the innovators in 2.5D and 3D technologies at the 2014 3D InCites Awards Breakfast. The program included a thought-provoking keynote by Bryan Black, Senior Fellow at AMD, as well as brief...Jul 11, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · 3D In-Depth
With the continued innovations in packaging technologies and 2.5D interposers pushing 3D ICs further out from one end, and 16/14nm nodes already qualified without TSVs, making us wait until 10nm, are 3D ICs suddenly getting the squeeze from both sides? That’s one theory I took away from all the conversations...Jul 07, 2014 · By Andrew Walker · Blogs
Samsung’s introduction of its 3D NAND Flash SSD 850 Pro has led to the inevitable hullabaloo. Amid all the fuss, it hasn’t taken long for someone to publish the actual die size. This of course is the golden nugget of information that lays the foundation for any cost analysis. Figure 1 shows...Jul 04, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · Blogs
The judge’s votes are in and the online poll is closed, and I’m not telling you who won the 2014 3D InCites Reader’s Choice Award. We are saving that, and the announcements of the judges’ picks for this year’s official 3D InCites Awards until the breakfast ceremony on Thursday, July...Jul 01, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · Blogs
I don’t know why it still surprises me to read conflicting reports on the progress of 3D TSVs. But I think Ron Huemoeller, Amkor, finally hit on it in his closing remarks during today’s webcast, “TSV Packaging at the Tipping Point”, moderated by Pete Singer, Solid StateTechnology/Extension Media. Huemoeller’s presentation and...Jun 27, 2014 · By Bill Martin · Resource Library
Microelectronic products all have mechanical, thermal and electrical properties that degrade until the device is permanently damaged. Path finding adds value to an end-product by pre-determining where the breaking points are, and if or how they can be enlarged. For decades, product designers have used various methods of path finding...Jun 27, 2014 · By Francoise von Trapp · Resource Library