SIA releases roadmap

The 2011 ITRS (International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors) addresses challenges facing the semiconductor industry through 2026.

-- Test & Measurement World, 2/21/2012 2:50:00 PM

The SIA (Semiconductor Industry Association) has publicly released its 2011 ITRS (International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors), which addresses challenges and innovations for the semiconductor design and manufacturing industry through 2026.

The SIA expects the development of DRAM technology to accelerate, which will in turn speed up the introduction of higher-performance servers and sophisticated graphics for game consoles. The SIA likewise predicts that the development of flash technology will accelerate, with the introduction of 3-D flash technology in 2016 allowing for greater memory capabilities for popular consumer electronics applications.

In addition to addressing scale and performance challenges, the ITRS presents models for enhancing the complex manufacturing and measurement processes required to achieve smaller, higher-performance, and more-energy-efficient semiconductors. The ITRS also focuses on cost-effective manufacturing and resource conservation to meet the changing needs of semiconductor design innovations.

The ITRS is sponsored by Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the US and is overseen by the SIA. Through the efforts of chip manufacturers, equipment suppliers, research communities, and consortia, the roadmap teams identify critical challenges, technical needs and potential solutions. One of the primary challenges that the industry has identified is the need to decrease the size of semiconductors while increasing performance standards to meet consumer demands. www.itrs.net.