Research Bits: May 11

rss · SemiEngineering 2026-05-11T07:01:44Z en
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Non-destructive terahertz inspection Researchers from Adelaide University, Virginia Diodes, the Hasso Plattner Institute, and the University of Potsdam used terahertz waves to observe electrical activity inside fully packaged semiconductor devices as they are operating. The technique relies on an ultra-sensitive detection system using a specialized homodyne quadrature receiver, which can pick up very small changes in terahertz signals. This allowed them to detect changes occurring in regions much smaller than the terahertz wavelength itself. “This approach allows the system to cancel out background noise and isolate the faint signal produced by electrical activity inside the device. The result is a real-time view of electronics at work, even when the active region is buried deep inside sealed packaging,” said Withawat Withayachumnankul, a professor and group leader of the Terahertz Engineering Laboratory at Adelaide University, in a press release. “Because terahertz radiation is non-ionizing and safe, the technique also offers a safer alternative to inspection methods that rely on X-rays or invasive probing. This makes it particularly attractive for safety-critical applications, such as high-power electronics, where devices cannot easily be taken offline.” The observed signals were caused by genuine electrical motion, not heat or electronic interference, the researchers asserted. The technique worked across a range of commonly used semiconductor components. [1] Piezoelectric step-down converter Researchers at the University of California San Diego developed an improved DC-DC step-down converter that combines a piezoelectric resonator with small, commercially available capacitors. The researchers said the hybrid circuit design it creates multiple pathways for power to flow, reduces wasted energy, and eases the workload on the resonator. In tests, it converted 48 volts down to 4.8 volts, a voltage commonly required in data centers, with a peak efficiency of 96.2%. Compared to traditional inductive converters, which are approaching their physical performance limits, the team said the piezoelectric-based converters could potentially be smaller, more energy dense, more efficient, and easier to manufacture at scale. “Piezoelectric-based converters aren’t quite ready to replace existing power converter technologies yet,” said Patrick Mercier, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, in a press release. “But they offer a trajectory for improvement. We need to continue to improve on multiple areas — materials, circuits and packaging — to make this technology ready for data center applications.” [2] Silicon oscillatory Ising machine Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) implemented an oscillatory Ising machine capable of solving combinatorial optimization problems using only conventional silicon CMOS processes. In the device, multiple oscillators repeat electrical signals periodically. As they exchange signals and synchronize their rhythms, the system naturally reaches the most stable state, resulting in the optimal solution. However, in conventional oscillatory Ising machines, it can be difficult to precisely control slight frequency differences among oscillators, and connectivity is limited “This research presents an oscillatory Ising machine hardware that secures both scalability and precision by implementing both oscillators and couplers with silicon devices,” said Yang-Kyu Choi, a professor in the School of Electrical Engineering at KAIST, in a statement. The approach reduced frequency deviations among oscillators, enabling stable synchronization. The team also implemented multi-level coupling, allowing more precise reflection of problem weights. “It is expected to be applied to various industrial fields requiring large-scale combinatorial optimization, such as semiconductor design automation, communication network optimization, and resource allocation,” Choi added. [3] References [1] B. Chung, H. Lees, J. L. Hesler, C. Chuengsatiansup, and W. Withayachumnankul. “Non-Contact Probing of Active Semiconductor Devices Using Terahertz Waves,” in IEEE Journal of Microwaves, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 324-333, March 2026 https://doi.org/10.1109/JMW.2026.3653411 [2] JY. Ko, WC. B. Liu, and P. P. Mercier. A hybrid piezoelectric resonator-based DC-DC converter. Nat Commun 17, 4054 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70494-0 [3] S-Y. Yun, J. P. Kim, J. Jeong, et al. Scalable Ising machine composed entirely of Si transistors. Sci. Adv. 12, eadz2384 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adz2384 The post Research Bits: May 11 appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering.
Non-destructive terahertz inspection Researchers from Adelaide University, Virginia Diodes, the Hasso Plattner Institute, and the University of Potsdam used terahertz waves to observe electrical activity inside fully packaged semiconductor devices as they are operating. The technique relies on an ultra-sensitive detection system using a specialized homodyne quadrature receiver, which can pick up very small changes in terahertz signals. This allowed them to detect changes occurring in regions much smaller than the terahertz wavelength itself. “This approach allows the system to cancel out background noise and isolate the faint signal produced by electrical activity inside the device. The result is a real-time view of electronics at work, even when the active region is buried deep inside sealed packaging,” said Withawat Withayachumnankul, a professor and group leader of the Terahertz Engineering Laboratory at Adelaide University, in a press release. “Because terahertz radiation is non-ionizing and safe, the technique also offers a safer alternative to inspection methods that rely on X-rays or invasive probing. This makes it particularly attractive for safety-critical applications, such as high-power electronics, where devices cannot easily be taken offline.” The observed signals were caused by genuine electrical motion, not heat or electronic interference, the researchers asserted. The technique worked across a range of commonly used semiconductor components. [1] Piezoelectric step-down converter Researchers at the University of California San Diego developed an improved DC-DC step-down converter that combines a piezoelectric resonator with small, commercially available capacitors. The researchers said the hybrid circuit design it creates multiple pathways for power to flow, reduces wasted energy, and eases the workload on the resonator. In tests, it converted 48 volts down to 4.8 volts, a voltage commonly required in data centers, with a peak efficiency of 96.2%. Compared to traditional inductive converters, which are approaching their physical performance limits, the team said the piezoelectric-based converters could potentially be smaller, more energy dense, more efficient, and easier to manufacture at scale. “Piezoelectric-based converters aren’t quite ready to replace existing power converter technologies yet,” said Patrick Mercier, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, in a press release. “But they offer a trajectory for improvement. We need to continue to improve on multiple areas — materials, circuits and packaging — to make this technology ready for data center applications.” [2] Silicon oscillatory Ising machine Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) implemented an oscillatory Ising machine capable of solving combinatorial optimization problems using only conventional silicon CMOS processes. In the device, multiple oscillators repeat electrical signals periodically. As they exchange signals and synchronize their rhythms, the system naturally reaches the most stable state, resulting in the optimal solution. However, in conventional oscillatory Ising machines, it can be difficult to precisely control slight frequency differences among oscillators, and connectivity is limited “This research presents an oscillatory Ising machine hardware that secures both scalability and precision by implementing both oscillators and couplers with silicon devices,” said Yang-Kyu Choi, a professor in the School of Electrical Engineering at KAIST, in a statement. The approach reduced frequency deviations among oscillators, enabling stable synchronization. The team also implemented multi-level coupling, allowing more precise reflection of problem weights. “It is expected to be applied to various industrial fields requiring large-scale combinatorial optimization, such as semiconductor design automation, communication network optimization, and resource allocation,” Choi added. [3] References [1] B. Chung, H. Lees, J. L. Hesler, C. Chuengsatiansup, and W. Withayachumnankul. “Non-Contact Probing of Active Semiconductor Devices Using Terahertz Waves,” in IEEE Journal of Microwaves, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 324-333, March 2026 https://doi.org/10.1109/JMW.2026.3653411 [2] JY. Ko, WC. B. Liu, and P. P. Mercier. A hybrid piezoelectric resonator-based DC-DC converter. Nat Commun 17, 4054 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70494-0 [3] S-Y. Yun, J. P. Kim, J. Jeong, et al. Scalable Ising machine composed entirely of Si transistors. Sci. Adv. 12, eadz2384 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adz2384 Jesse Allen   (all posts) Jesse Allen is the Knowledge Center administrator and a senior editor at Semiconductor Engineering.
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