Solid state

Article Abstract:

Solid state electronics technology is ahead of what was foreseen in 1997 by the Semiconductor Industry Assoc. The materials chips are made of are changing and high-end processes will find silicon-germanium (SiGe) devices for radios and insulators with low-dielectric constants out in 1999. Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) integrated circuit (IC) yields can now match those for bulk Si. Copper interconnects are getting into the mainstream. Copper, materials with low dielectric constants, SiGe technologies, and SOI will all show up on one chip. The microelectromechanical (MEM) systems are of great interest and on more and more commercial applications and MEM switches are of interest to satellite communications groups. IBM, CommQuest, Motorola, Hitachi, Sandia, Analog Devices, and Texas Instruments are discussed.

Product information, Microprocessor Chips, Forecasts, trends, outlooks, Industry Market Data, New Products/Services, CPUs (Central processing units), Solid state electronics

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The 100-million transistor IC

Article Abstract:

Semiconductor vendors are working on integrated circuit (IC) chips with as many as 100 million transistors, although densities on dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips have been even higher for some time. Key problems to solve will include problems with the transistor itself and with packaging and testing of finished chips. New 157-nanometer lithography processes are emerging that use light from a flourine laser with a much shorter wavelength than earlier processes. These systems will need to eliminate quartz lenses, which absorb light below about 180mm, and replace them with calcium flouride lenses. Future fabrication plants will be able to handle 300-mm wafers. Silicon CMOS technology is advancing alongside other chip materials such as gallium arsenide.

Product introduction, Transistors, Innovations

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