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Dalton Briggs

Dalton Briggs writes about IC design tools and chip architecture, tracing every spec claim back to its original datasheet rather than a press release.

ESD Protection in Chip Design Explained: A Guide (2026)

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs

ESD protection in chip design means building circuits on the die itself, at the I/O bond pads and supply rails, that shunt a sudden … Read more

Categories Chip Design IP Leave a comment

What Electromigration Is and Why It Kills Chips: A Guide 2026

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
what electromigration is and why it kills chips

Electromigration is the slow, permanent movement of metal atoms inside a conductor, driven by momentum transfer from electrons that are flowing through it. Inside … Read more

Categories Process Technology Leave a comment

Failure Analysis Methods for Chips Explained (October 2026)

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
failure analysis methods for chips explained

Semiconductor failure analysis is the systematic investigation of why an integrated circuit, its package, or the board around it stopped meeting specification. Failure analysis … Read more

Categories Process Technology Leave a comment

What Overlay Error Means in Lithography: Causes and Fixes 2026

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
what overlay error means in lithography

Overlay error is the unwanted positional difference between a lithographic layer and the layer it is supposed to sit on top of. It is … Read more

Categories Process Technology Leave a comment

Cleanroom Class Ratings Explained for Semiconductor 2026

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
cleanroom class ratings explained

Cleanroom class ratings are ISO 14644-1 designations, running from ISO 1 to ISO 9, that set the maximum concentration of airborne particles allowed in … Read more

Categories Process Technology Leave a comment

Immersion Lithography Explained: Tiny Features 2026

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
immersion lithography explained

Think of chip making as repeated printing. A machine shines light through a stencil onto a light-sensitive coating on a silicon wafer, and where … Read more

Categories Process Technology Leave a comment

What a Mask Set Is and Why It Costs So Much (October 2026)

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
what a mask set is and why it costs so much

A mask set is the complete, matched group of photomasks a single chip design needs, one for every lithography layer, written and shipped together … Read more

Categories Wafer Fabrication Leave a comment

Wet Etch vs Dry Etch in Semiconductor Manufacturing 2026

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
wet etch vs dry etch in semiconductor manufacturing

If you are specifying an etch step for a wafer process, the short version of wet etch vs dry etch in semiconductor manufacturing is … Read more

Categories Process Technology Leave a comment

Plasma Etching Process Explained: Fab Guide (2026)

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
plasma etching process explained

Plasma etching is a dry etching technique that removes material from a semiconductor wafer using an ionized gas, excited by radio-frequency power. Reactive neutral … Read more

Categories Process Technology Leave a comment

Thermal Oxidation in Wafer Processing (2026)

October 3, 2026 by Dalton Briggs
thermal oxidation in wafer processing explained

Thermal oxidation is the process of growing a silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer directly on a silicon wafer by heating it in an oxygen or … Read more

Categories Process Technology Leave a comment
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Recent Posts

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Latest

  • ESD Protection in Chip Design Explained: A Guide (2026)
  • Scanning Electron Microscope for Semiconductor Failure Analysis 2026
  • What Electromigration Is and Why It Kills Chips: A Guide 2026
  • Failure Analysis Methods for Chips Explained (October 2026)
  • Metrology and Inspection in Chip Fabs Explained (2026)
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