Infineon Technologies (Singapore)

Abstract 3D integration and miniaturization techniques get more widely used in conventional integrated circuits but also represent crucial ingredients for future quantum computing devices. This consolidates the need for efficiently detecting increasingly small defects on wafer size. Here we present a time-efficient and accurate way of measuring, localizing and statistically classifying defects down to the micrometer regime, utilizing a combination of scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM), You Only Look Once object detection, semantic segmentation and machine learning super-resolution (ML-SR) approaches. In particular, we test the capabilities of different ML-SR approaches to enable self-supervised quality enhancement of the measured image data. We reveal that the developed AI-powered workflow enhances time-efficiency by a factor of around 4x and 6x for the TSV and delamination analysis, respectively. Yet, the mentioned approach is not limited to SAM image data but presents a general way for speeding-up failure analysis in various fields.

TThe high hole mobility and layer-dependent properties of two-dimensional (2D) tin monoxide (SnO) makes it a promising candidate for use as a channel material in field effect transistors. However, the...

In this study, the degradation of copper wire under different temperatures and humidity levels is investigated. High temperature and high humidity accelerated stress tests with a cumulative duration of 960 h are conducted. The stress tests are carried out at temperatures of 85 °C, 110 °C, and 130 °C and relative humidity (RH) of 85%, 50%, and simulated dry conditions. The stress conditions are selected based on the energy level of water vapor based on enthalpy and their relevance to the industrial standards. Ceramic dual in-line packages are used as the test vehicle with and without molding compound encapsulation with bare copper wire bonded directly onto the gold-plated lead frame. In situ electrical testing and failure analysis are carried out to identify the degradation mechanisms. It is found that the oxidation of copper at the wire span contributes to the steady increase in the electrical resistance, while the oxidation of copper at the stitch bond interface leads to open contact failure. The stitch bond formation plays a critical role in the lifetime of the wire bond under accelerated stress test. We propose that the energy level of water vapor based on enthalpy can be used to evaluate the effect of humidity in the copper wire bond degradation during accelerated stress test.

As quantum computing capabilities accelerate, together with the discovery of Shor's Algorithm, existing encryption protocols, such as TLS (Transport Layer Security) and IPsec (Internet Protocol Security), face the risk of becoming obsolete. This vulnerability poses a significant challenge for 5G and 6G mobile networks, which rely on these protocols for data transmission. This survey explores the potential of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) algorithms as viable alternatives for securing mobile communications. Through a comprehensive review of NIST-shortlisted PQC algorithms, this paper examines their relevance, efficiency, and adaptability in 5G and 6G architectures. Case studies, including real-world implementations by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and IBM, illustrate the growing acceptance and practical applicability of these quantum-resistant algorithms.

Partial discharge (PD) is a symptom of a weak spot in an underground power cable. Additionally, environmental influences are an important factor in cable degradation. We show that PD in underground cable joints can be successfully forecasted using linear machine learning models leveraging historical PDs and weather data. This has potential applications in estimating the remaining life of cable joints, as we can extend the prediction horizon for predictive maintenance models, such as survival analysis models. Additionally, the model error can be monitored for anomaly detection. This study was conducted in collaboration with Alliander, an electricity and gas distribution system operator in the Netherlands.

A security function is an essential element in an autonomous vehicle system that is connected to the outside. Because security threats on autonomous vehicle systems are increasing day by day. An easy and effective way for a hacker to hack ECU(Electronic Control Unit) in vehicle is to physically connect it through the debug interface. The connection method through the debug interface is a threatening method that can cause malfunction of the system by hacking the entire system code. Therefore, in order to prevent unauthorized access from external tool to the ECU, many vehicle manufacturers apply a protection mechanism that locks the debug interface to protect the system operation and code.In general, the protection mechanism for the debug interface is implemented based on password. Because vehicle manufacturers need to connect external tool in order to analyze the ECU due to the occurrence of defects in the vehicle after mass production. A method of permanently blocking the debug interface can also be applied, but since it is difficult to analyze the system when an ECU fault occurs, the password-based method is preferred. However, since the password-based method has a limited length of password, it can be hacked in the same way as a password cracking even if it takes some time.In this paper, in order to strengthen the security of the password-based debug interface protection mechanism, we propose a method for preventing and responding to hacking attempts in the system by counting invalid password access and limiting the number of invalid password access attempts.

Summary form only given. The complete presentation was not made available for publication as part of the conference proceedings. The keynote will talk about the explosive growth opportunity of IoT and the corresponding importance of security. Security is as good as the weakest link and therefore anchoring with a dedicated hardware security component is essential.

Current tertiary education system has been criticized as being outmoded and inadequate to address modern day needs. Incorporating the concept of stackable credentials, I propose a framework of seminar series and apprenticeship within the 4-year tertiary education system for science. Seminar series can replace teaching while apprenticeship can address the needs of education. Given that a typical undergraduate degree amounts to 2,000 hours, I demonstrate that a combination of seminar and apprenticeship can amount to 1,860 seminar hours and 1,000 apprenticeship hours, which is equivalent to 6 months of full-time employment.

This paper presents a 10-bit 1-GS/s four-channel time-interleaved (TI) successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). To suppress the time skew, the full rate master clock-based sampling technique is adopted. The effect of sampling switch mismatches on time skew is addressed. The measured time skew spurs caused by the sampling switch mismatches are around −52 to −55 dB at Nyquist input. Then, a tap-interpolating fractional delay filters-based digital background time skew calibration technique is proposed. Also, a full analysis of the effects of the various parameters on the time skew generated spur levels is presented, which indicates that the time skew error level is related to the length of calibration filters, calibration range, and bandwidth penalty. The subchannel ADC exploits a 250-MS/s SAR ADC with a low-cost high-speed subradix-2 searching technique. The reference interference of nonbinary TI ADCs is discussed and tolerated by the subradix-2 searching scheme. The proposed adders-based encoding circuit is optimized with lower propagation delay to meet high-speed requirements. The prototype was fabricated in a 65-nm CMOS technology. The measurement results show that the ADC achieves a signal-to-noise-plus-distortion ratio of 49.6 dB with a power of 15.95 mW and a figure of merit of 63 fJ/conversion step when operating at 1-GS/s and 458.1-MHz Nyquist input. The ADC core achieves an area of 0.158 mm2.