Semiconductors, Data Centers & AI

Since the introduction of Artificial Intelligence to the data center, AI has been loath to leave it. With large tracts of floorspace dedicated to servers comprising leading-edge chips that can handle the computational demands for training the latest in AI models, as well as inference via end-user connections to the cloud, data centers are the ideal environment for facilitating much of what AI has to offer.

Spatial computing promises to transform the way people interact with their devices as computing goes truly 3D, with early signs of change already underway. While Apple's upcoming Vision Pro is bringing new excitement to this space, gaming-focused VR (Virtual Reality) headsets from companies including Meta, Sony, and Pico have sold in the millions.

The increasing power density of data center racks, driven by technologies like cloud computing, generative AI, and crypto mining, has led to the exploration of liquid cooling as a thermal management solution.

Running in the background to the more visible, very real wars occurring around the world at present, there is another, economic and industrial in nature. This is a trade war between two principals: the USA and China.

Thursday 24 August 2023 - What is the status and outlook for the quantum technology industry as a whole? How do different hardware platforms for quantum sensing compare? Which new applications are unlocked by quantum sensors? How does the scale and type of opportunity differ between quantum sensing and quantum computing?

Quantum computers have the potential to tackle problems it would take classical computers trillions of years to solve. Most quantum computer designs depend on cooling the hardware to extreme temperatures well below -200 degrees Celsius.

Quantum sensors promise to unlock new applications through dramatically increased sensitivity. Characterizing the quantum sensor market, quantum sensing technologies, and quantum sensor players, with report covers 17 quantum sensing technology areas along with applications in electric vehicles, GPS denied navigation, medical imaging, and quantum computing with market forecasts from 2024 to 2044.

Thursday 3 August 2023 - Materials and Processing Trends for 2.5D and 3D Semiconductor Packaging; An overview of advanced semiconductor packaging technology: landscape and development; Manufacturing methods and dielectric materials choice for 2.5D packaging; A review of 3D Cu-Cu bonding packaging technology: materials and manufacturing processes barriers and future trend

How far is printed/flexible electronics along the road to widespread adoption? The emerging manufacturing methodology, which replaces etched copper laminate with printed conductive inks on flexible substrates, offers multiple benefits, including flexibility/stretchability, the potential for low-cost roll-to-roll production, digital manufacturing/rapid prototyping, and improved sustainability.

With the continuous increase in the thermal design power (TDP) of chips, traditional air-cooling methods are struggling to meet the cooling requirements of modern hyperscale data centers. As a result, liquid cooling has emerged as a promising solution due to the high specific heat capacity of liquids.