Semiconductor And Beyond Newsletter - #195

Author

Chetan Arvind Patil
February 25, 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a cornerstone in the rapidly evolving computing technology landscape, driving innovation across various sectors. At the core of AI’s transformative power are specialized silicon chips, AI Systems on Chips (SoCs), designed to process AI algorithms efficiently. These chips are pivotal in enhancing the performance and capabilities of AI applications, from autonomous vehicles and smart devices to data centers and beyond.

THREAD

1. In an imaginative vision, OpenAI and India both ambitiously aim for a $7 trillion milestone related to semiconductors - OpenAI to secure its future needs and India to boost its economy by 2030 through tech advancements. Achieving these goals requires talent, research, partnerships, and significant investment. While the concept hints at a potential synergy between OpenAI's and India's aspirations, it's deemed a long shot. However, humorously, it's possible that when India reaches its economic goal, OpenAI's real challenge may just begin.
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2. Recently, I have received inquiries from students curious about the distinctions between process engineers and product engineers in the semiconductor industry. Here's a breakdown to clear up the confusion:

Process Engineer: Focuses on the manufacturing processes of semiconductor devices, ensuring these processes meet strict standards to produce defect/error-free products. Roles are not limited to fabrication but also include package assembly and equipment. Ideal for those interested in turning design files into manufacturable products through meticulous process optimization.

Product Engineer: Concentrates on launching new semiconductor products that are defect-free and have high yields. Roles vary significantly across companies, potentially involving board development/design or yield optimization. Responsible for the entire lifecycle of a product, from ideation to end-of-life, often working closely with process engineers.

Key Takeaways For Aspiring Engineers: Both roles are highly technical and require strong data analysis skills alongside fundamental semiconductor engineering knowledge. Whether you're drawn to the intricate details of manufacturing processes or the challenge of bringing new products to market, there's a path for you in the semiconductor field. For students with further questions or a deeper interest in semiconductor engineering careers, I encourage you to reach out for more information. Let's navigate this complex and fascinating field together!
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3. The rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies seems unstoppable, yet there is one significant hurdle that could slow its pace: the memory bottleneck. This challenge is central to the development of AI-specific System on Chips (SoCs), overshadowing even performance metrics in importance. For students and aspiring engineers interested in semiconductor SoC research, this represents a critical area of focus.

The quest to overcome the memory bottleneck involves innovative solutions, such as using processing elements and architectural organizations paired with high-bandwidth memory. However, these approaches often introduce new challenges, including increased interconnect and traffic bottlenecks. Despite the potential of photonics to address these issues, practical solutions remain on the horizon.

In-memory processing (PIM) emerges as a promising strategy to mitigate memory bottlenecks, offering a direct approach to processing data where it's stored. Yet, PIM is still in its infancy, with widespread adoption and effectiveness pending further development.

The conversation around memory bottlenecks in AI SoCs is open-ended, inviting diverse perspectives on overcoming this critical challenge and shaping the future of AI technology.
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4. In a recent article published online, I shared my insights on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications at the edge and the evolving role of embedded Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (eFPGAs) in Commercial Micro Manufacturing. eFPGAs, having been in the technology landscape for over a decade, are now gaining popularity due to their modularity and adaptiveness, offering significant benefits to System on Chips (SoCs) by enhancing their flexibility.

The shift towards edge-driven AI applications highlights the increasing relevance of eFPGAs. This trend is propelled by the spatial nature of AI's evolution, demanding more localized, adaptable computing solutions. eFPGAs stand out as they enable dynamic reconfiguration of hardware to meet specific application needs, bridging the gap between software versatility and hardware efficiency.

Despite their potential, eFPGAs face challenges such as intellectual property costs, area overhead, and programming complexities. However, as their adoption becomes more widespread, it's anticipated that these hurdles will be addressed, paving the way for more efficient and adaptable AI solutions at the edge.

The conversation around eFPGAs is just beginning. Their role in the future of AI and commercial micro manufacturing promises to be a topic of ongoing exploration and debate.
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5. In the semiconductor industry, career progression is fundamentally influenced by three crucial elements: talent, efforts, and opportunities. Among these, opportunities often play the most significant role in determining one's career trajectory. Despite hard work and talent, the reality is that only a select few will stumble upon those transformative opportunities that catapult careers forward.

Talent as the Foundation: Talent doesn't necessarily mean possessing extraordinary abilities from the get-go. It's more about having the innate capacity to learn, retain, and enhance skills over time. The semiconductor field doesn't expect you to be a prodigy but requires a solid foundation in relevant skills, acquired through education or training.

Efforts as the Multiplier: The quality and direction of your efforts can greatly amplify your career progress. It's crucial to work smartly and focus on tasks that truly matter—those aligned with impactful projects and products, while steering clear of work that merely adds to the noise without contributing to real outcomes.

Opportunities as the Catalyst: Opportunities can be unpredictable and beyond your control. The path may be fraught with rejections and missed chances, but the key is to persist, leveraging your talent and efforts. When a genuine opportunity does present itself, it's essential to seize it with both hands.

For those embarking on a semiconductor career, recognizing the importance of these three elements—talent, efforts, and opportunities—can offer valuable insights. By focusing on these aspects, you might find, in a year or two of starting a semiconductor career, just how accurate this perspective is in shaping a successful career in this dynamic and challenging field.

VLOG

My latest video focuses on the revolutionary integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into Automated Testing Equipment (ATE) systems within the semiconductor manufacturing industry. It outlines how AI-driven ATE systems are set to transform chip testing by making the process faster, more efficient, and significantly more accurate than traditional methods. Key highlights include:

  • Enhanced Testing Capabilities: By adopting AI, ATE systems can dynamically optimize test sequences, predict maintenance needs, and detect defects with unprecedented accuracy. This not only speeds up the testing phase but also ensures that only the highest quality chips proceed to the market.

  • Accelerated Production Cycles: AI's ability to rapidly analyze test data and automate complex tasks, such as test pattern creation and resource management, reduces the time and expertise required in the testing phase. This accelerates the overall manufacturing process, from design to market.

  • Continuous Improvement: AI-driven ATE systems benefit from machine learning, continuously increasing their efficiency and effectiveness with each test cycle. This is particularly advantageous for testing innovative chip designs and technologies.

  • Customization and Scalability: The flexibility of AI algorithms allows for customization to specific chip designs and technologies, ensuring that as semiconductor manufacturing evolves, AI-driven ATE systems can adapt and grow in tandem.

  • Challenges and Opportunities: The video also touches upon the challenges of integrating AI into ATE systems, such as the need for vast datasets, data security considerations, and the demand for specialized skills. Despite these challenges, the integration of AI heralds a significant leap forward, promising a new standard in chip quality, reliability, and faster time-to-market.

GOVERNMENT

U.S. announces preliminary terms with GlobalFoundries to strengthen domestic legacy chip supply for U.S. auto and defense industries. U.S. Department of Commerce and GlobalFoundries (GF) have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide approximately $1.5 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen U.S. domestic supply chain resilience, bolster U.S. competitiveness in current-generation and mature-node (C&M) semiconductor production, and support economic and national security capabilities. The proposed funding would support a new state-of-the-art facility, significant capacity expansion, and the modernization of GF’s U.S. manufacturing sites in New York and Vermont, which produce essential automotive, communications, and defense semiconductor technologies.

U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, awarded a $13.8 million cooperative agreement (CA) to Arizona State University (ASU) under the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, created by the CHIPS Act of 2022.  This new initiative will bolster the assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) capabilities in ITSI partner countries in the Americas and Indo-Pacific, enhancing a resilient supply chain for U.S. semiconductor manufacturers.

INDUSTRY

Peoria City Council approves Development Agreement, paving way for Amkor Technology’s advanced semiconductor packaging and test facility. Amkor to build country’s largest outsourced semiconductor packaging and test facility in Peoria. Through the agreement Amkor has committed to develop the largest outsourced semiconductor packaging and test facility in the United States, representing a $2 billion multi-phase investment in Peoria, adding 2,000 new local jobs.

Infineon sells manufacturing sites in Cavite, Philippines and Cheonan, South Korea to ASE, strengthening the strategic partnership of the two companies. The plants currently run under the entity names Infineon Technologies Manufacturing Ltd. – Philippine Branch (Cavite) and Infineon Technologies Power Semitech Co., Ltd. (Cheonan) and will be acquired by ASE Inc. and ASE Korea Inc. respectively. Post the transaction, ASE will assume operations with current employees, and further develop both sites to support multiple customers. As such, ASE and Infineon have also concluded long-term supply agreements under which Infineon will continue to receive previously established services as well as services for new products to support its customers and fulfill existing commitments. 

ACADEMIA

Eindhoven University of Technology, along with partners ASML, ASM, imec, and NXP, organized the first Eindhoven-South Korea Future Chips Academy for sixty top talents from three South Korean universities (KAIST, SKKU, UNIST) and TU/e. It took place from Monday February 19th to Friday February 23rd. The students were presented with a five-day world-class educational program in the field of semiconductors. This is a welcoming move from both the industry and academia.

RESEARCH

Taiwan’s ambitious GaN-on-QST innovation project poised to revolutionize high-power semiconductor industry. This project, led by Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS), is focused on gallium nitride epitaxial crystal growth on 200-mm QST substrate (GaN-on-QST) and intends to lead the development of state-of-the-art compound semiconductor technology. Furthermore, the project will focus on developing the process technology for high-efficiency 1,200-V GaN power components, with automotive and industrial applications being the main target market. VIS is the first semiconductor foundry service to provide this platform.

Northrop Grumman is utilizing a new patented transistor technology to improve the speed and efficiency of designing and manufacturing semiconductors for its military customers.Super-lattice castellated field effect transistors are a circuit technology that use gallium nitride to boost performance levels of semiconductors by implementing “filters, switches and components that are inside of a multi-function sensor” and have very low insertion loss and a smaller footprint, Vern Boyle, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s Microelectronics Center, Mission Systems, said during a recent media event.

TOOLS

OpenRAM is an award winning open-source Python framework to create the layout, netlists, timing and power models, placement and routing models, and other views necessary to use SRAMs in ASIC design. OpenRAM supports integration in both commercial and open-source flows with both predictive and fabricable technologies.

JOBS

International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society: Has a job board and list several industry specific roles. This platforms typically serve as a hub for job listings, career opportunities, professional development resources, and networking within a specific industry or professional field.

Synopsys: In India, Synopsys is looking for "Technical Writers". In the semiconductor companies, such a role is very critical as several of the key information is conveyed publicly via different types of technical documents. If you are a student or professional with writing experience, then definitely consider exploring such opportunity.  

Image Source: Synopsys

CONNECT

Whether you are a student with the goal to enter semiconductor industry (or even academia) or a semiconductor professional or someone looking to learn more about the ins and outs of the semiconductor industry, please do reach out to me.

Let us together explore the world of semiconductor and the endless opportunities:

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