Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) News

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• May 2024: Researchers at MIT have unveiled a cost-effective detector capable of continuously monitoring specific gases. This innovative system merges two established technologies. The team utilized a metal-organic framework (MOF). However, MOFs face a challenge: their performance diminishes rapidly. To counter this, the team integrated the MOF with a polymer material. While the polymer boasts durability and ease of processing, it lacks the sensitivity of the MOF. The researchers dissolved the polymers in a liquid solution, mixed in the powdered MOF, and then applied this blend onto a substrate. Once dried, it formed a consistent, thin coating. When gas molecules get temporarily trapped within this material, they induce a change in electrical resistance. These resistance fluctuations can be monitored over time by simply connecting an ohmmeter. The team showcased the composite material's prowess in detecting nitrogen dioxide, noting its superior sensitivity to most current nitrogen dioxide detectors.
• January 2024: Researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science have unveiled a highly sensitive toxic gas sensor that competes with leading devices in the market. Operating at room temperature, this sensor boasts ultra-high sensitivity and minimal power consumption, allowing it to accurately detect nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a harmful atmospheric chemical. Its versatility spans various fields, from pinpointing residual gases in semiconductor manufacturing to analyzing electrolysis catalysts. NO2, primarily emitted from high-temperature fossil fuel combustion, automotive exhaust, and industrial smoke, significantly contributes to air pollution-related mortality. In South Korea, a presidential mandate caps the annual average NO2 concentration in the air at 30 ppb. This stringent limit underscores the need for advanced sensors capable of detecting gases at such minute concentrations. Furthermore, as high-tech sectors like semiconductor production expand, the associated rise in hazardous gas usage amplifies the potential risks to human health.

• January 2024: Coherent Corp., a supplier of industrial lasers for materials processing, announced its new HyperRapid NXT industrial picosecond green laser. This laser operates at 532 nm with an average power of 100 W, allowing for extremely precise manufacturing of thin-film solar cells. With the introduction of this new laser, manufacturers of second-generation solar panels can scale up production while still ensuring high quality and cost efficiency.
• September 2023: IPG Photonics introduced a new dual-beam laser with the most efficient single-mode core power. The IPG booth will include advanced fiber laser sources and automated laser systems designed for welding applications in the EV battery industry. AMB (Adjustable Mode Beam) dual-beam lasers use a secondary ring beam in conjunction with the single-mode core to help stabilize the weld pool, effectively reducing welding flaws such as spatter, cracking, and porosity. IPG AMB lasers can be set up with various beam characteristics to provide the required performance for different welding applications.

• May 2024: MediaTek announced its Dimensity 9300+ system-on-chip (SoC), representing the company's newest advancement in processors designed for premium mobile applications. This chipset is equipped with 18 MB of L3 cache and system-level cache (SLC), and it is compatible with the latest LPDDR5T memory, achieving speeds of up to 9,600 Mbps, as well as UFS 4.0 storage. These capabilities enable the device to execute high-speed operations and multitask efficiently without sacrificing performance.
• January 2024: Videocon d2h, a direct-to-home (DTH) service provider, partnered with MStar Semiconductor. Under this collaboration, MStar Semiconductor is expected to supply its high-efficiency video codec (HEVC) H.265 system-on-chip (SoC) for Videocon's high-definition set-top boxes (STBs). MStar Semiconductor effectively integrated HEVC technology into its HD solutions, significantly optimizing bandwidth usage while delivering superior picture quality. This partnership enables operators and STB original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to lower their development expenses and accelerate their time to market, thereby addressing the demands of the Indian market with the MStar HEVC-capable set-top box SoC solution.

• September 2024: The National Science Foundation granted approximately USD 600 thousand to Zhuo Feng, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology. The project aims to simplify the modeling, design, and verification of intricate computer chips. This endeavor is crucial, as simulating a sizable circuit block can span days or weeks. Moreover, optimizing and verifying the complete chip may necessitate hundreds or even thousands of such simulations.
• March 2024: Cerebras Systems, a leading force in the generative AI landscape, intensified its focus on its fastest AI chip by unveiling the Wafer-Scale Engine 3 (WSE-3). The WSE-3 is meticulously designed to train the industry's most expansive AI models with double the performance of its predecessor. Built on a 5nm architecture and housing 4 trillion transistors, the WSE-3 fuels the Cerebras CS-3 AI supercomputer, achieving a remarkable 125 petaflops of peak AI performance via its 900,000 AI-optimized compute cores.

• September 2024: ACM Research Inc. unveiled its Ultra C bev-p panel bevel etching tool, tailored for fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) applications. This innovative tool specializes in bevel etching and cleaning for copper-related processes. Notably, it can manage bevel etching on both the front and back sides of the panel, all within a single system. Such versatility boosts process efficiency and bolsters product reliability.
• August 2024: Veeco Instruments Inc. revealed that IBM had chosen its WaferStorm Wet Processing System for Advanced Packaging applications. Furthermore, the two companies have inked a joint development agreement. This collaboration aims to delve into advanced packaging applications, leveraging various wet processing technologies from Veeco. As part of this partnership, the WaferStorm Wet Processing System will find its home at the Albany NanoTech Complex in Albany, NY. This facility is a hub for IBM and its ecosystem partners, who are at the forefront of R&D in advanced packaging and chiplet technologies.

• December 2023: Toshiba Corporation announced the expansion of its new product lineup in CMOS Logic ICs. It has extended the CMOS Logic and One-gate Logic lineup with an extended operating temperature range up to Ta = 125°C. In addition, Toshiba plans to increase general-purpose CMOS logic products and high-temperature guaranteed One-gate Logic(L-MOS), bus switch, and Level shifter products.
• December 2023: Siemens AG, a prominent technology firm, and Intel Corporation, a global giant in the semiconductor industry, inked a Memorandum of Understanding. This collaboration aims to propel the digitalization and sustainability of microelectronics manufacturing. The partnership is expected to prioritize enhancing future manufacturing initiatives, refining factory operations and cybersecurity measures, and bolstering a resilient global industry ecosystem.

• June 2024: STMicroelectronics unveiled its plan to construct an advanced manufacturing facility in Catania, Italy, dedicated to producing power devices and modules using 200mm silicon carbide (SiC) technology. The facility is also claimed to include testing and packaging facilities. According to the company, the establishment is a significant achievement aimed at assisting customers in utilizing SiC devices in many sectors, such as industrial, communications, consumer, and cloud infrastructure.
• October 2023: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, a prominent advanced semiconductor technology company, unveiled its latest analog and logic semiconductor technology innovations and outlined its blueprint for technological advancements at the Samsung System LSI Tech Day event. With comprehensive logic solutions tailored for various industries, Samsung emphasized its vision to lead hyper-connected, hyper-intelligent, and hyper-data technologies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era.

• April 2024: STMicroelectronics announced a new process technology to design and build transistors for next-generation embedded processing devices. The advanced technology was based on an 18nm fully depleted silicon on insulator (FD-SOI) process with embedded phase change memory. This is claimed to have reduced the feature size to 18nm from 20nm. PCMtechnology uses changes in the material phase to store data. It also supports 3V operation for analog features and delivers the reliability required for demanding industrial applications like high-temperature operation, radiation hardening, and data retention capabilities.
• January 2024: Damon Motors Inc. announced a collaboration with NXP Semiconductors, a prominent company in automotive processing and a renowned provider of vehicle electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture and electrification solutions. Through this collaboration, NXP's advanced technology has been integrated into Damon's electronic control units (ECU) and other electronic systems.

• December 2023: Infineon Technologies AG launched the 4.5 kV XHP 3 IGBT modules in response to the global push for downsizing and integration. The 4.5 kV XHP will fundamentally change the landscape for medium voltage drives (MVD) and transportation applications operating at 2000 to 3300 V AC in 2- and 3-level topologies.
• December 2023: STMicroelectronics announced that it had signed a long-term silicon carbide (SiC) supply agreement with Li Auto. Under this agreement, STMicroelectronics would provide Li Auto with SiC MOSFET devices to support Li Auto’s strategy around high-voltage battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in various market segments.

• August 2024 - OKI Circuit Technology has launched an ultra-high-multilayer PCB line at its Joetsu Plant, Niigata Prefecture, started operations in July. The new line, enhancing production capacity by 1.4 times, supports semiconductor manufacturing and testing for AI, data centers, and next-gen communication networks. It features high-precision circuit formation with a via pitch of 0.23 mm and improved line width accuracy. The AOI automated inspection equipment has been relocated to optimize production flow and quality.
• April 2023 - Hitachi High-Tech Corporation announced that it would construct a new production facility in the Kasado Area of Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, with an aim to increase the production capacity of etching systems for its semiconductor manufacturing equipment business, with production scheduled to begin in FY2025.