fun facts

Say ‘Ahhhh’ – imagine your doctor monitoring a health condition from afar or emergency responders receiving real-time alerts that could save a life. A new smart sensor is taking the ouch out of wound monitoring. By using laser-induced graphene (LIG), a two-dimensional (2D) material, researchers are developing a sensor that could revolutionize the tracking of wound healing and recovery. Doctors could get a much clearer picture of the healing process, identifying issues like inflammation, physical strain or a spike in body temperature early on. "This unique sensor material we've developed has potentially important applications in health care monitoring,” said Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM) at Penn State. LIG sensors are self-powered which means they could be especially useful for continuous monitoring in clinical settings or helping detect fires in remote locations. Source: Materials Research Institute, Penn StateUnder the Sea – Mechanical engineers at Carnegie Mellon’s Soft Machines Lab have created a soft robot inspired by the quick and agile brittle starfish, the first mobile and untethered underwater crawling robot. Named after Sponge Bob Square Pants’ sidekick, PATRICK is an AI powered robot which operates without motors so as not to disturb delicate sea life. To make the robot move, the researchers hit it with electric current, causing the wires to heat up past its transition temperature and allowing the limbs to contract and move in different directions. “We want to put the power and the electronics on-board with the robots,” said Ph.D. candidate and PATRICK creator, Zach Patterson. The soft robotic systems which are ideal for tracking the health and quality of water, are biodegradable to eliminate waste and protect the natural environment.Source: Carnegie Mellon University, School of Engineering The sky is NOT the limit with engineering – While Blue Origin made the news recently for sending an all women crew to the edge of space, the first Mexican born woman to travel into space is Katya Echazarreta, an electrical engineer originally from Guadalajara, Mexico. Echazarreta was selected for the trip from a pool of 7,000 applicants from more than 100 countries based on her outstanding achievements in the space industry, including five NASA missions. She traveled to space in 2022 aboard Blue Origin’s NS-21 flight as one of Space for Humanity’s citizen astronauts. Echazarreta comes from a family of engineers and works to make space exploration accessible to young kids, teens, women, and other scientists and engineers through Fundación Espacial, a foundation started in Mexico. Source: Astronomy.comMargaret Kindling is Senior Program Manager at the SEMI Foundation. She promotes inclusive workplaces via initiatives including Women in Semiconductors, Semiconductor PRIDE and workforce and career development programming at SEMICON West and SEMIEXPO Heartland.

Superconducting Naturally – Miassite is a naturally occurring mineral which scientists at Ames National Laboratory have identified as the first unconventional superconductor found in nature. Unlike conventional superconductors that follow the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory, minerals such as miassite exhibit unique properties outside of this framework. Made of rhodium and sulfur, miassite was initially recognized as a regular superconductor in 2010. Recent tests confirm it joins a small, exclusive group of unconventional superconductors previously limited to lab-made materials.Lab tests on miassite involved measuring magnetic reactions, inducing defects, and analyzing energy gaps, all confirming its unconventional behavior. While naturally occurring, samples are unlikely to be superconductive due to their disordered state, miassite’s lab-verified properties open doors to new research and highlight its unique duality as both a conventional and unconventional superconductor.Source: A Superconductor Found in Nature Has Rocked the Scientific WorldPheromones + vision = mate selection – When choosing a mate, Heliconius butterflies, despite their tiny brains can outperform current AI in multi-sensory decision-making by processing visual and chemical cues simultaneously. This discovery inspired Penn State researchers to develop a low-energy, multi-sensory AI platform using 2D materials. The device combines molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) to mimic visual capabilities and graphene to detect chemical signals like pheromones.The device could integrate visual and chemical cues, offering adaptability like a butterfly’s mating behavior. This innovation addresses limitations in current AI, which relies heavily on energy-intensive, single-sensory processes. Researchers aim to expand the device to process three senses, like crayfish using visual, tactile, and chemical cues. The work, supported by the U.S. Army Research Office and the U.S. National Science Foundation, could revolutionize applications in robotics, smart sensors, and critical environments, by enabling AI systems to detect issues using multiple sensory inputs efficiently. Imaging of Heliconius Butterfly A Butterfly Effect – Proving once again that there is a lot to be learned from nature, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have developed innovative, colored solar facade elements inspired by morpho butterfly mimicry. These panels are aesthetically pleasing, integrate seamlessly into building exteriors, and retain high efficiency, achieving 95% of the power output of uncoated panels. Using vacuum-applied 3D photonic structures like those on butterfly wings, the panels produce vibrant, angularly stable colors with minimal energy loss. This MorphoColor® technology addresses architects’ and building owners’ concerns about design, offering an efficient, visually appealing solution for building-integrated photovoltaics while surpassing other technologies currently available.Close up of a morpho butterfly wingSustainable Flight – The world’s fastest supercomputer, Frontier, located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, enables unprecedented advancements in sustainable aviation technology. Capable of over a quintillion calculations per second, Frontier allows GE Aerospace to conduct full-scale simulations of its revolutionary Open Fan engine design, accelerating insights into aerodynamics and turbulence. This groundbreaking tool aids the CFM RISE program, which aims to cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by at least 20%. Frontier’s detailed simulations predict engine performance under real-world conditions, saving years of testing. The partnership between GE Aerospace and Oak Ridge is expanding, promising future collaborations in climate modeling and advanced simulation techniques.An Open Fan engine design developed as part of a new project led by GE AerospaceSource: https://www.geaerospace.com/news/articles/new-frontier-how-ge-aerospace-using-worlds-fastest-supercomputer-help-design-open-fanMargaret Kindling is Senior Program Manager at the SEMI Foundation. She promotes inclusive workplaces via initiatives like Women in Semiconductors, Semiconductor PRIDE and workforce development programming at SEMICON West and SEMIEXPO Heartland.

How Cool is That - Northrop Grumman’s “World’s Fastest Microchip” won the 2024 “Coolest Thing Made in California” contest, organized by the California Manufacturers Technology Association (CMTA). Public votes were cast for 138 California-made products in four rounds, culminating in this microchip—boasting speeds up to 1 terahertz—being crowned the winner. Manufactured in Redondo Beach, CA, the chip is 1,000 times faster than smartphone processors and represents California’s cutting-edge manufacturing sector. The contest and award ceremony were celebrated during CMTA’s MakingCA Conference, honoring manufacturing’s $310 billion contribution to the state’s economy. Doing the Green Wave - NIST scientists have successfully created a compact, full-spectrum laser covering the green-yellow-orange wavelengths, long considered challenging to produce. Traditional semiconductor lasers struggled with green wavelengths due to material limitations, so NIST turned to nonlinear optics, producing different wavelengths by adjusting silicon nitride device geometry and laser input. This breakthrough enables more precise, pure wavelengths ideal for quantum computing, medical devices, and underwater communications. Their method combines pump laser tuning and device adjustments, achieving 150+ wavelengths, demonstrating a significant advancement in accessible, high-quality lasers.Source: NIST’s Compact Green Semiconductor Laser - IEEE SpectrumEnergy Hero - At the 2024 ITF World conference, AMD CEO Lisa Su spotlighted a new goal: a 100x boost in computing efficiency by 2027. As shrinking transistor sizes yield diminishing returns, materials innovation has become essential for boosting performance and efficiency. Applied Materials has responded with advanced materials engineering solutions, harnessing exotic elements and 3D chip designs to improve efficiency. For instance, Applied’s Integrated Materials Solution™ combines six process technologies to reduce chip wiring resistance by 25%, a critical advance as semiconductor nodes shrink to the atomic scale. These methods promise breakthroughs in power efficiency across AI, personal electronics, and more. Building Automation of the Future - Imagine a future where every device in newly built structures— from HVAC systems and appliances to light switches and sensors—is equipped with a microprocessor and linked through a reliable communication network. This could transform how buildings operate, yielding substantial benefits across various sectors. Chip manufacturers would see new growth opportunities, while builders could offer smarter, more efficient homes. Consumers would gain convenience and comfort, as buildings could dynamically adjust to personal preferences and real-time needs. For instance, rooms would automatically adapt their temperature as people move through them, making manual thermostat adjustments obsolete. This automated approach wouldn’t just create a more comfortable environment but would also optimize energy use, potentially lowering costs and benefiting the environment.Source: Building Automation of the Future - EE TimesDo you have a fun fact to share? We invite SEMI members to share fun facts about the industry or their company. We’ll consider your tidbits for inclusion in future blog articles and or posting on social media. Complete our survey form or email [email protected]. Learn more about the SEMI Foundation and its initiatives to promote industry awareness and help provide a path for those interested in rewarding careers in microelectronics. Follow the SEMI Foundation on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Facebook. Margaret Kindling is Senior Program Manager for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the SEMI Foundation. She promotes inclusion and belonging via Women in Semiconductors, Semiconductor PRIDE and SEMICON West Workforce Development Pavilion programming.

Doping is a major problem in professional sports. But what about in chipmaking? Electron doping is fundamental to semiconductor manufacturing. The process involves adding impurities to a pure semiconductor, allowing engineers to modulate its electrical, optical, and structural properties.

What’s a sextillion? It’s the number one followed by 21 zeros — outnumbering the stars in the Milky Way. Industry analyst Jim Handy estimates that 13 sextillion transistors have been manufactured by the chip industry since the first one sprang to life in late 1947. 

Do you know how much gold is embedded in smartphones? Roughly 300 grams! Beyond gold, the value of raw materials in global e-waste was roughly US$57 billion in 2019. The good news is that advances in e-waste mining is making technology more eco-friendly and boosting materials supplies for chips.

How many chips are in a modern car? According to industry estimates, the average modern car sports between 1,400 and 1,500 semiconductor chips. Some cars boast as many as 3,000 chips. Staggering!

Did you know that a semiconductor manufacturing cleanroom is 10,000 times cleaner than a hospital operating room? Why? One speck of dust could ruin a microprocessor during production. 

Did you know that a single semiconductor chip has as many transistors as all stones in the Great Pyramid of Giza? We invite SEMI members to share fun facts about the industry or their company. We’ll consider your tidbits for inclusion in future blog articles and or posting on social media.