Semiconductor International's Top 100 for 2007
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 1/22/2008 11:52:00 AM
Here are Semiconductor International’s very best of 2007 — the features, news, blogs and webcasts most viewed throughout the year. Key topics for the year were, and continue to be, 32 nm development, high-k/metal gates, nanotechnology, solar cells and 3-D integration, among others. If you happened to miss any, they’re all just a click away.
- 3-D Through-Silicon Vias Become a Reality
Jan Vardaman, TechSearch International, Austin, Texas, 6/1/2007
3-D TSVs will be introduced in production devices with some applications, such as flash or image sensors, near the end of 2007 or early 2008. Cost/performance trade-offs will determine timing for various applications, form factor for others. - 45 to 32 nm: Another Evolutionary Transition
Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 1/1/2007
Those expecting more revolutionary changes at the 32 nm node may be disappointed by the evolutionary changes in process technology that still allow performance specifications of the latest devices to be met. Still, there are a few notable exceptions. - NBTI: A Growing Threat to Device Reliability
Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 3/1/2004
Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) is a very real issue for sub-130 nm CMOS devices because of its deleterious effect on threshold voltage and drive current. Through better modeling of actual device behavior and better understanding of the NBTI threat with continued device scaling, engineers can minimize the impact of NBTI on future devices. - The Potential of Thin-Film Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells
Koen Snoeckx, Guy Beaucarne, Filip Duerinckx, Ivan Gordon and Jef Poortmans, IMEC, Leuven, Belgium, 6/1/2007
If the efficiency and cost targets can be met, thin-film crystalline silicon solar cells have the potential to become a solid alternative to the bulk multicrystalline silicon solar cells that currently dominate the photovoltaics market. - Intel and IBM Commit to High-k, Metal Gates
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief, 1/29/2007
In a surprise announcement described as the “biggest change to computer chips in 40 years,” Intel said it has committed to putting hafnium-based high-k gate dielectrics and metal gate electrodes into production for the 45 nm generation. Intel’s announcement was quickly followed by a similar one from IBM. - High-k/Metal Gates Prepare for High-Volume Manufacturing
Reza Arghavani, Gary Miner and Melody Agustin, Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., 11/1/2007
At the 45 nm node, high-k dielectrics and metal gates will be used in logic devices. Flash memory can also benefit from this new technology, taking advantage of high metal workfunctions and bandgap-engineered charge-trap memories. - Who Is Building and Will Build 300 mm Fabs?
George Burns, President, Strategic Marketing Associates, Santa Cruz, Calif., 12/1/2006
The first 300 mm pilot line (Semiconductor 300) began production as a joint venture between Siemens and Motorola in 1999 in Dresden, Germany. What started as one single fab <10 years ago has now become an avalanche. By the end of this year, there will be as many as 70 300 mm fabs online. The total capacity of these fabs when fully equipped will be ~1.6 million wafers a month. - Bulk or SOI? AMD Considering Its Options
David Lammers, News Editor, 7/31/2007
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD, Sunnyvale, Calif.) is still mulling whether to use silicon on insulator (SOI) or bulk silicon technology for its future high-end and mobile products. - Enabling 3-D Design
Arthur Keigler, Kathy O'Donnell, Zhenqiu Liu and Bill Wu, NEXX Systems, Billerica, Mass.; John Trezza, Cubic Wafer, Austin, Texas, 8/1/2007
An IC with stacked memory shows a 1000-fold increase in speed with a 100-fold decrease in power consumption. - Nanotechnology: Turning Nanoscience Into Nanomanufacturing
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief, 1/1/2007
Despite nanotechnology’s incredible promise, it will likely be 5-10 years before nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes and nanowires, become a staple of mainstream manufacturing. - Applied’s Solar Strategy Goes Very Large
David Lammers, News Editor, 11/20/2007 - Strained Silicon: Essential for 45 nm
Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 3/1/2007 - Webcast: Strained Silicon Update
Moderated by Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 3/13/2007 - Si and Ge Solar Cell Efficiency Records Set
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief, 10/11/2007 - AMD Building Advanced Development Center in Push for Shorter Cycle Times
David Lammers, News Editor, and Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief, 10/24/2007 - Blog: Semi-Conscious
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief - Webcast: 3-D Integration: What Direction Will It Take?
Moderated by Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 9/5/2007 - Double Patterning Wrings More From Immersion Lithography
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media, 2/1/2007 - Wafer Cleaning and Surface Prep: Evolution to Revolution
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief, 4/1/2007 - Intel Takes 45 nm High-k/Metal Gate Process to IEDM
David Lammers, News Editor, 12/14/2007 - IBM Alliance Develops 32 nm High-k/Metal Gate SRAM
David Lammers, News Editor, 12/9/2007 - Hans Stork Leaves TI, Joins Applied Materials
David Lammers, News Editor, 10/25/2007 - 'Big Four' Talking 450 With Tool Vendors
David Lammers, News Editor, 10/30/2007 - Blog: Perspectives From the Leading Edge
Philip Garrou, Consultant - Webcast: New Advances in Wafer-Level Packaging
Moderated by Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief, 8/14/2007 - Camera Module Assembly and Test Challenges
Asif Chowdhury, Amkor Technology Inc., Chandler, Ariz., 2/1/2006 - Webcast: Key Challenges in Surface Preparation at 45 nm
Moderated by Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief, 4/30/2007 - Etch Faces New Challenges at 45 and 32 nm
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 2/1/2007 - IBM and TDK Partner on Spin Torque MRAM
David Lammers, News Editor, 8/19/2007 - Kovio Inkjet Prints Fast Silicon Transistor
David Lammers, News Editor, 11/14/2007 - Wafer Cleaning and Surface Prep: Evolution to Revolution
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 4/1/2007 - Equipment Vendors Need to Rethink 450 mm Future
David Lammers, News Editor, 10/19/2007 - Toshiba Validates Imprint Lithography for <32 nm
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media, 10/16/2007 - Group of 10 to Tackle Killer Particles
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 8/31/2007 - 450 mm: A Promise Postponed
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, 6/1/2007 - High-k, Metal Gates a 'Go' for 45 nm
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 3/1/2007 - Webcast: SIA Annual Semiconductor Industry Global Sales Forecast
George Scalise, President, Semiconductor Industry Association, 11/14/2007 - NXP Taking Phase Change to Embedded
David Lammers, News Editor, 12/17/2007 - Webcast: 2008 Semiconductor Industry Forecast
Moderated by Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief, 12/19/2007 - 2007 Editors' Choice Best Product Awards
Jennifer Yario, Managing Editor, 7/1/2007 - Grose Considers High-k, SOI, 300mmPrime
David Lammers, News Editor, 11/6/2007 - Chipworks Begins Teardown of Intel 45 nm Penryn MPUs
Staff, 10/26/2007 - New Materials in Semiconductor Fabrication: An Evolutionary Process
Ravi Kanjolia, SAFC Hitech, Haverhill, Mass., 12/1/2007 - Executive Roundup: How Fabulous Will 2007 Be?
Staff, 1/1/2007 - Gartner: 2008 Semi Outlook Is Softening
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, 12/6/2007 - Webcast: Metrology for Advanced Interconnects
Moderated by Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, 10/18/2007 - Congress Failing on H1-B; Europe Proposes Blue Card
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 11/15/2007 - Double Patterning Leads Race for 32 nm
Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 10/18/2007 - 3-D Goes Beyond Simplifying Interconnect
Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 10/18/2007 - Applied Materials to Acquire Italy's Baccini SpA
Staff, 11/19/2007 - Intel Takes 45 nm Process to IEDM, Shows Variability Data
David Lammers, News Editor, 12/7/2007 - EMC-3D Consortium Targets Cost-Effective TSV Interconnects
Bioh Kim, Semitool, Kalispell, Mont., 2/1/2007 - Lam to Acquire SEZ to Help Grow Clean Business
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media, 12/11/2007 - Memories of the Future
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 11/1/2007 - IITC Preview: New Materials Reduce RC Delays
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 4/1/2007 - Interconnect Metrology Confidently Looks at 32 nm
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, 10/1/2007 - SIA Forecasts Solid Growth for 2007-2010
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 11/14/2007 - Memory Technology: Where Is It Going?
Jan Van Houdt and Dirk Wouters, IMEC, Leuven, Belgium, 12/1/2006 - Solar Energy – Growth Opportunity for the Semiconductor Industry
Lubab Sheet, SEMI, San Jose, 5/4/2007 - Redistributed Chip Packaging
Beth Keser, Freescale Semiconductor, Tempe, Ariz., 4/1/2007 - Technology Is No Longer King
Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 6/20/2007 - Blog: SI's Take on Semicon West
Staff - Metrology Meets Next-Generation Challenges – Barely
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, 1/1/2007 - China vs. India IC Production Trends
Bill McClean, IC Insights, Scottsdale, Ariz., 3/1/2007 - Addressing Gate Leakage With Reengineered Silicon
Robert J. Mears, MEARS Technologies, Waltham, Mass., 3/1/2007 - Ultralow-k Technology Moves Forward
Ruth DeJule, Contributing Editor, 10/1/2007 - Applied's Litho Scheme: Patterning vs. Printing
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media, 4/1/2007 - Symposium Sees Future for Phase Change
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, 9/21/2007 - SIA Panel Contemplates Future of Semiconductor Industry
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 9/14/2007 - MEMS: Beyond 'Borrowed' Packaging
Sally Cole Johnson, Contributing Editor, 1/1/2007 - Blog: Views on News
David Lammers, News Editor - Nanowires Hold Promise for Future CMOS
David Lammers, News Editor, 10/8/2007 - Analysts Expect Modest 2007
Staff, 1/1/2007 - 2005 Top Fab: IBM
Jennifer Yario, Managing Editor, 12/1/2005 - EUVL Results Show Promise, But Still Many Challenges
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media, 11/9/2007 - Achieving 45 nm HP Without a Wavelength Change
Mark Slezak, Ramakrishnan Ayothi and Zhi Liu, JSR Micro Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., 2/1/2007 - Silicides Support Advanced Gate Stacks
Ruth DeJule, Contributing Editor, 5/1/2007 - Webcast: Ultra Thin Wafer Processing Solutions
Brewer Science Inc., EV Group, 6/20/2007 - Analysts Cautiously Optimistic for 2008
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 12/19/2007 - ALD Aimed at NAND Flash Capacitors
Kenji Tsuda, Asia Contributing Editor, 9/24/2007 - Applied Signs Deals for Equipment Services, PV Production Line
Staff, 11/14/2007 - SEMICON West 2007 Executive Outlook
Staff, 6/15/2007 - Webcast: Advanced Substrates
Moderated by Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 11/29/2007 - Finding Solutions to Continued Scaling Efforts
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media, 2/6/2007 - Copper Barriers Hold Up Under Stress
Laura Peters, Lead Technical Editor, 10/1/2007 - Electrografting Proposed for Cu Seed Layers
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief , 11/1/2007 - SMIC Plans 65 nm Production by Year End
Yao Gang, Editor-in-Chief, SI China, 8/27/2007 - Defect Detection Faces Smaller, Deadlier Hurdles
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, 4/1/2007 - Renewable Energy and Politics: A Tale of Two Technologies
Lubab Sheet, SEMI, San Jose, 7/13/2007 - Breakthrough Claimed for Ge Insulators
David Lammers, News Editor, 10/4/2007 - ISMI Updates Goals, Challenges of 450 mm Wafers
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media, 1/1/2007 - Pellerin Peers Down AMD Process Options
David Lammers, News Editor, 12/18/2007 - World's First 40 GHz Silicon Laser Debuts
Staff, 8/22/2007 - Advanced Masks Help Keep Photolithography Alive
Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media, 9/1/2007 - IEDM Late Papers Push pFETs in 110 Silicon, Germanium, SOI
David Lammers, News Editor, 11/21/2007 - Gordon Moore Talks Past, Future
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, 9/19/2007 - Got Tin Whiskers?
Sally Cole Johnson, Contributing Editor, 11/1/2007 - ISI Describes Gen2 Z-RAM Memory
David Lammers, News Editor, 12/13/2007 - EU's REACH to Impact European Fab Costs
David Lammers, News Editor, 10/23/2007 - Dataquest Predicts 2008 Foundry Capex Decline
David Lammers, News Editor, 11/5/2007
