IEDM targets next-gen memory technologies

Foundry fate

Since Intel released its Tri-Gate process for 22 nm, there has been widespread belief that planar technology is at an end. Samsung is looking for ways to keep things going. Take a look at its paper, "Comprehensive Extensibility of 20nm Low Power/ High Performance Technology Platform Featuring Scalable High-k/Metal Gate Planar Transistors with Reduced Design Corner.”

Speaking of extensibility, what would IEDM be without an Intel paper on advanced CMOS technology? Kelin Kuhn and collaborators will present the invited talk entitled, "The Ultimate CMOS Device and Beyond." Intel will provide its take on what remains in the CMOS roadmap and what lies beyond.

The final paper among my picks is an invited talk from Infineon titled, "The Role of Silicon, Silicon Carbide and Gallium Nitride in Power Electronics." It's only one angle, but power electronics is attracting increased attention with the push for solid-state lighting.

Finally, I’m very interested to hear the pro-fabless view from GlobalFoundries in the wake of some premature announcements of the death of the fabless/foundry business model. Ajit Manocha, CEO, GlobalFoundries, obviously isn't buying it, given the title of his luncheon address, "Is the Fabless/Foundry Model Dead? We Don’t Think So. Long Live Foundry 2.0!"

By the way, can we make that last use of "2.0" in the semiconductor industry? Web entrepreneurs have already sucked the life out of that meme.

--Don Scansen is a partner at the technology consulting firm IP Research Group.

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