Brain electrodes are so flexible they cannot enter water
Lund University has developed brain electrodes that are so flexible they are pushed aside by the surface tension of water. 3D flexibility comes from them being thin – they are 10µm wide, laser cut from 4µm thick gold sheet, and a Z-bend that allows them to spring in the third dimension. Insulation comes from a 4µm ...
Novel thulium fibre laser loop emits 2µm radiation
2µm wavelength laser beams for medical and analytical use can be generated by a straightforward fibre laser, according to researchers at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Photonics Systems Laboratory (PHOSL) Techniques for generating 2µm light are nothing like as well developed as those for the telecoms wavelength of 1.55µm. According to PHOSL, to create a 2µ beam, ...
Mobile small cells create new backhaul challenge
Joining the dots – the backhaul challenge behind next-generation mobile networks, writes Steve Greaves, CEO of CCS. Faced with unprecedented levels of network congestion in the not-too-distant future, mobile operators will be looking at ways of improving spectral efficiency through the deployment of multi-layered radio access networks. These new-look networks are comprised of macrocells to ...
Foundry to grow 6%, says IC Insights
Although the overall semiconductor market is expected to be flat or slightly down this year, the foundry market is forecast to grow 6.1% to $44.9 billion in 2015, according to IC Insights. The entire increase in pure-play foundry sales is forecast to be due to sales of devices built using leading edge (<40nm) feature sizes. ...
How to assess real-world MCU energy efficiency
How do you assess the true energy efficiency of your microcontroller based design in a real application? Øivind Loe has a few pointers. Battery-powered or self-powered smart sensor devices require a design which cuts power consumption to the bone. These types of devices must appear to be “always on,” but in practice must be designed ...
Imec and Cadence tape out first 5nm IC
Imec and Cadence have taped out the first 5nm test chip using EUV and 193nm immersion lithography. A set of designs using EUV lithography as well as Self-Aligned Quadruple Patterning (SAQP) for immersion lithography scaled metal pitches from the nominal 32nm pitch down to 24nm to push the limit of patterning. Cadence’s Innovus Implementation System ...
2015 IC market getting worse – Gartner
Semiconductor sales will fall to $337.8 billion in 2015, says Gartner, a decline of 0.8% from 2014 – the first decline since the 2.6% decline of 2012. “Once again the outlook for the major applications that drive the semiconductor market, including PCs, smartphones and tablets, has been revised downward,” says Gartner vp Andrew Norwood. “Not ...
Semiconductor sales will fall to $337.8 billion in 2015, says Gartner, a decline of 0.8% from 2014 – the first decline since the 2.6% decline of 2012. “Once again the outlook for the major applications that drive the semiconductor market, including PCs, smartphones and tablets, has been revised downward,” says Gartner vp Andrew Norwood, “not only ...
Qualcomm reveals 24 core 64bit ARMv8-A server, and a deal with Xilinx
Qualcomm has demonstrated pre-production versions of its finfet 24 core 64bit ARMv8-A processor chip, inside what it calls the ‘Server Development Platform’ (SDP), which it has begun shipping for evaluation. “Customers are eager to evaluate our Server Development Platform and begin porting their software,” said Qualcomm v-p Anand Chandrasekher. “We are incorporating their feedback into ...
Qualcomm reveals 24 core 64bit ARMv8-A server, and a deal with Xilinx
Qualcomm has demonstrated pre-production versions of its finfet 24 core 64bit ARMv8-A processor chip, inside what it calls the ‘Server Development Platform’ (SDP), which it has begun shipping for evaluation. “Customers are eager to evaluate our Server Development Platform and begin porting their software,” said Qualcomm v-p Anand Chandrasekher. “We are incorporating their feedback into ...
