Recently, SK Hynix outlined its memory roadmap which includes DRAM and FLASH. How does DRAM work, why is it a challenge to reduce in size, and what is SK Hynix planning for the future? How does DRAM work? Many memory technologies exist, and each one has its ow...
By Robin Mitchell | 02-04-2021
Recent extreme weather in Texas has left thousands without power, many being charged extortionate amounts on their electrical bill, and semiconductor plants out of operation. What events have caused production rates to drop, what caused the water shortage, and...
By Robin Mitchell | 08-03-2021
Recent storm weather in Texas has brought with it some of the coldest temperatures in decades. Why is power out in portions of the US state, how has it affected the semiconductor industry, and what does this teach about energy diversification? The Storm of the...
By Robin Mitchell | 06-03-2021
Recently, Renesas announced that it is to purchase Dialog Semiconductors for $5.9bn to continue financial growth and increase customer opportunities. Who are the two companies involved in the deal, what products do they manufacture, and what will the deal incl...
By Robin Mitchell | 01-03-2021
Recently, TSMC answered the Taiwanese government's call for silicon manufacturers to help out the automotive industry. What challenges has the automotive industry faced, what will TSMC be doing, and how will the automotive industry recover? What challenges doe...
By Robin Mitchell | 13-02-2021
Recently, STMicroelectronics acquired SOMOS Semiconductor who are a fab-less semiconductor company. Who is SOMOS? What do they develop, and why has STMicroelectronics acquired them? The Need for 5G Technologies For the past year, 5G has made the news many time...
By Robin Mitchell | 29-10-2020
Nordic Semiconductor has announced that they will soon be shipping their 1 billionth ARM-Cortex based wireless SoC. What are SoCs, what is the nRF51, and how has the development of SoCs changed the electronics industry? What is an SoC? The term SoC is an acron...
By Robin Mitchell | 20-10-2020
Recently, Intel has secured a contract with the US military to produce chips utilising chiplet technology. What are chiplets, why are they becoming popular, and why has Intel been chosen to supply the US military? What are chiplets? In the semiconductor indust...
By Robin Mitchell | 07-10-2020
Researchers are exploring the use of Diketopyrrolopyrrole dye, better known as the pigment used in Ferrari Red, to fabricate low-cost organic electronics. What are OFETs, what advantages do organic electronics have, and what applications may they find themselv...
By Sam Brown | 24-08-2020
Last week, the government of India asked for a production plant in India, but some say that this is close to impossible. Why is this the case, and what makes setting up semiconductor foundries a tricky business? India’s Desire for Semiconductors India is one o...
By Robin Mitchell | 02-08-2020
Researchers from ETH have revealed their development of a theory that explains how nanocrystal semiconductors work. Why is this work necessary, and how will it help engineers of the future work with nanocrystals? Traditional Semiconductor Theory While semicond...
By Robin Mitchell | 16-07-2020
In June, lawmakers in the US proposed a new bill that would help encourage the development of US chip development and production. What has pushed this bill, and why is it important for engineers to consider? The East and West Relations The importance of the se...
By Robin Mitchell | 03-07-2020
You've probably heard of graphene, the carbon-based material that is vital to the development of quantum computing. But did you know that it has other applications? Beyond the world of semiconductors, graphene, and its cylindrical guise of Carbon Nano-tubes (C...
By Christian Cawley | 18-02-2019
Faster flexible electronics and more efficient solar cells are the promise of gallium arsenide as researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) begin to work on photovoltaic devices using their cheaper graphene production process. Gallium arsenide...
By Rob Coppinger | 16-11-2018