Electronics Supply Chain News & Analysis

Intel 64-bit Mobile Processors Hit Market

Intel is shipping its 'Bay Trail' Atom 64-bit mobile application processors, made on a 22-nm FinFET manufacturing process, giving Intel a technical lead in the mobile application processor market.

ST Joins Open-Source ARM Mbed Project

STMicroelectronics has joined NXP and Freescale in supporting the mbed open-source community organized by ARM around microcontroller development.

ARM Buys Lighting Software Firm to Improve Graphics

Processor IP licensor buys games software firm to help it bring improved graphics to mobile applications.

Intel to Acquire Mindspeed's Wireless Chip Unit

Intel has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Mindspeed Technologies' wireless infrastructure business unit for roughly $12 million.

Qualcomm Aims 64-bit Processor at Low-End

Qualcomm has made a surprising move by aiming its first 64-bit application processor at the entry to mid-level smartphone.

Panasonic Ships Chip Patents out to IP Licensor

Panasonic is assigning 900 patent families to a subsidiary of an Ottawa IP licensing house as it seeks to monetize its past R&D. The moves are thought to be part of a raft of measures as the company exits semiconductors.

Startup Seeks Funds to Realize 'Belt' Processor

A California startup is proposing the Mill, a novel form of processor architecture that dispenses with registers and, it is claimed, can bring DSP-like power efficiency to general-purpose computing.

Researchers Develop TFET for High Speed/Low Power CMOS Replacement

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University have developed a tunnel field effect transistor that uses the quantum mechanical tunneling of electrons through an ultrathin energy barrier to provide high current at low voltage.

Chip Plant Closure Demanded After Toxic Discharge

Taiwanese chip packager and tester ASE has been fined for polluting the Houjin River and may have to close a plant responsible for 10 percent of the company's revenue, according to local reports.

Micron, Rambus Sign Long-term Memory Deal

Under CEO Ron Black Rambus is reinventing itself as technology collaborator and licensor. Micron seven-year memory deal ends all litigation between the companies.

November Sales Dip Steeply at TSMC

Sales at TSMC dipped sequentially for the second month running in November seemingly fulfilling a previous prediction of a fourth quarter inventory correction. Smaller rival UMC fared better in November in terms of percentage growth.

Smartphone Slowdown Hurts Loss-making Imagination

The dilution of Imagination's focus through its acquisition of MIPS and a slowdown in the smartphone business conspired to hurt Imagination's position as it announced half-year financial results.

Manufacturing in 2014: Full Steam Ahead

The momentum gathered by the U.S. manufacturing sector in the second half of the year is expected to continue through early 2014.

Qualcomm to Evaluate Leti’s Non-TSV 3D Process

Qualcomm signs up to evaluate a sequential 3D integration process that does not require the use of through-silicon vias (TSVs) and offers synergies with FDSOI circuit integration.

Apple Spurs Massive Growth in Smartphone Fingerprint Sensor Market

As it has done so often before, Apple Inc. is triggering a new technology boom, with its integration of a fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5s inspiring a wave of imitators that will drive the...

Research Institute, Tool Vendor Team on 14-nm Process Technology

Electronics technology research institute CEA-Leti will work with plasma semiconductor processing equipment Nanoplas to extend Nanoplas's Atomic Layer Downstream Etching process tool to applications in 14-nm dry-etching, stripping and cleaning.

Shape-Memory Materials Breakthrough Opens Applications in Electronics

A research team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, using a chemical compound called bismuth ferrite, has reported a large shape-memory breakthrough that is larger than any shape-memory effect observed in metal.

Soitec, SunEdison Strike SOI Cross-License Deal

Two wafer suppliers trying to become solar energy providers have signed a cross-license agreement and resolved legal disputes related to silicon-on-insulator technology.