Editors' Blog

3D Spintronics

I stumbled across a work by a team from Cambridge that takes spintronics into 3D. The idea reflects the obvious fact that 3D storage should be far denser than 2D storage. However, doing 3D transistor storage is, they claim, too bulky to be efficient; instead, using atomic-level magnetic domains holds some promise – if you have a good way to get in there and read any arbitrary bit. It’s a long way from actually designing a functioning memory, but addresses a fundamental means of writing and reading.

The solution they found is actually quite interesting … Read More → "3D Spintronics"

The Scribe and the Princess and the Pea

by Jim Turley

OK, perhaps “scribe line” is more accurate, but I do love a double entendre (even if not salacious). I had a discussion with KLA-Tencor at SPIE Litho recently regarding two new machines they’ve just announced. The first allows detection of defects through spectral analysis. The issue it faces is that it relies on test structures in the scribe line, which are facing two challenges: more of them are needed and there’s less space.

More test features are required both because of new structures like the FinFET and new processing steps, double-patterning … Read More → "The Scribe and the Princess and the Pea"

3D-IC Planning

by Kevin Morris

During Cadence’s recent CDNlive event, I had a discussion with Kevin Rinebold to talk about 3D-IC planning and design. Actually, it’s more than that, covering all of the multi-die/package combinations like system-in-package (SiP), complex PC boards, and interposer-based solutions. The basic issue is that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to separate die design from board/package design; you may have to plan both together.

Said another way, what used to be board design duties have encroached on die design as packages have started to look more and more like micro-PCBs. The & … Read More → "3D-IC Planning"

What’s Virtual Is Real

by Bryon Moyer

Google is known for engaging broadly across a range of seemingly unrelated projects. Whether glasses or driverless cars or even same-day delivery, it’s as if they need to be everywhere so that, when something happens, they’re a part of it.

But some of these different projects appear to be coming together a bit more with yet another service that’s about to roll out: Google Stuff. Unlike their prior efforts, however, which tend to virtualize real things, this offering comes full circle, applying much of what they’ve learned in the … Read More → "What’s Virtual Is Real"

An AC-Biased Microphone

by Jim Turley

I’ll round out the last of the things that caught my attention at this year’s ISSCC with a proposal and implementation of an AC-biased microphone. This is done based on projections that the biasing resistor for a traditional DC approach will head into ridiculously high territory – teraohms and higher.

The team, from NXP and Delft University, lists a number of problems that this causes.

The connection between the MEMS die and the ASIC can easily pick up stray electrical noise due to its high impedance, meaning expensive packaging is … Read More → "An AC-Biased Microphone"

Close Enough?

by Amelia Dalton

Not long ago, in our coverage of 3D vision, we discussed time-of-flight as one of the approaches to gauging distance. Even though it and the other 3D vision technologies are gunning for low-cost applications, it’s easy, at this point, to view them as exotic works in progress.

Well, time of flight is now being put to use for the most prosaic of duties: making sure your cheek doesn’t accidentally hang up on you.

Of course, our phones … Read More → "Close Enough?"

Harvesting the Smart Meter

by Kevin Morris

Smart meters represent a major infrastructural change in our energy delivery industry. It’s gone smoothly in some places and has met with fierce resistance in others.

The promise is that we will receive more detailed information about how we use power, allowing us to make smarter decisions.
The gray zone is that the power companies can actually come in and adjust our energy usage once a full smart grid is in place.
And the dark zone is that the energy companies are making money selling the personal data so that … Read More → "Harvesting the Smart Meter"

The Worst Two Answers

by Bryon Moyer

You’re an upstanding product marketing guy, and you want to validate your company’s product ideas with customers and potential customers. So you go get in front of them (not always easy – that’s when you appreciate your best salesguys with their Rolodexes (Rolodices?) and relationships…).

You sit down in the meeting room, smiles and handshakes and coffee all around, and you pitch your wares.

The best answer you could ask for would be something like, “Awesome! I want one now! I’ll help fund the development … Read More → "The Worst Two Answers"

Gravity Leaking

by Bryon Moyer

I recently had a wide-ranging discussion with Kevin Shaw, CTO of Sensor Platforms. It originated out of this nagging thing I had going on in my head about what can be done exclusively with accelerometers. Early thoughts on the topic stimulated my whimsical figure skating article, but my curiosity hadn’t been satisfied.

The gist of my thinking was that, while, in general, you need an accelerometer and a gyroscope to establish both direction and orientation, if you were in a fixed … Read More → "Gravity Leaking"

Dry Etch Edges Wet

by Amelia Dalton

Two announcements have come out recently regarding dry etch systems. Now… dry etch is nothing new. Although it is newer than wet etch, which is still being used. And, as they say, therein lies the rub.

The first announcement came late January regarding a new system shipping from Memsstar. Their focus was on MEMS, and, in particular, on reducing yield failures due to stiction. There are two pieces to this move.

First, they note that wet etch processes must be followed by a wash to clean out all of the etchant and resulting groddy … Read More → "Dry Etch Edges Wet"