INTERVIEW JOHAN KNOL (NXP)
TRAINING IS KEY TO SUPERIOR CHIP KNOWLEDGE AT NXP As the electronics and semiconductor domain continues to explode with complexity, engineers are having to step outside of their comfort zones and take on new roles to keep up with the increasing demands of chip performance. For semiconductor giant NXP’s failure analysis department, training employees and broadening its knowledge base is instrumental in holding the leading edge. Collin Arocho
F
or nearly 25 years, Johan Knol has known exactly where he wanted to be. In 1996, fresh off finishing his master’s degree in electronics with a focus on analog design and semiconductor processing at the University of Twente, he had his eyes set on joining the semiconductor arm of Philips – which was later spun out as NXP. “I saw what Philips was achieving in the semiconductor industry at that time and it was quite impressive. But even then, it was extremely evident to me that the industry needed a major catchup, particularly in the analog-chip world,” recalls Knol, Manager of Failure Analysis for Security and Connectivity at NXP. “I came to Nijmegen to tour their cutting-edge MOS-4 fab, and it really piqued my interest. I knew this was a place where real innovation could be realized, and I wanted to be part of it.” In his 25 years with the company, Knol has held several positions. First as a device physics engineer, then a process integration engineer – working to improve the overall process from development to manufacturing – before opting for a move to NXP’s failure analysis (FA) department. “I chose failure analysis because it combines all corners of NXP. Essentially, we work in a state-of-the-art silicon debug lab, where my group is responsible for identifying electrical
32
5
failures within all the new products NXP launches and ensuring all of our products meet the highest quality standards,” describes Knol. “We help the design teams identify issues in the design and manufacturing chains. To do that, NXP provides us with top-of-the-line equipment to handle all the analysis requests, from mixed-signal processing technologies down to 16nm, and using techniques like laser voltage probing, laser frequency mapping and nanoprobing – we do it all.”
Evolving
One aspect of the silicon domain that Knol has encountered in his 2.5 decades in service is just how quickly the industry seems to be evolving. According to him, engineers, at least in his department, are having to go well beyond their areas of focus and broaden their understanding of NXP’s entire production chain, especially as chip complexity continues to explode. One essential tool he relies on to keep his team sharp: training and personal development. “Almost no one comes out of university, or even from another department, having a solid grasp of the entire field at NXP. When someone joins our team, they’ve got to learn at least 4-5 different areas of the production chain,” depicts Knol. “It’s only with that knowledge that you can solve
the kinds of problems that we get sent to us – ie a chip isn’t working, but with no clue as to why. Typically, new hires have a background in physics or chemistry or electronics, and maybe they’ll even have experience in analog or digital design but hiring someone with expert knowledge on mixed-signal design and these other disciplines doesn’t really happen.” For Knol, however, it’s precisely this understanding of multiple aspects and disciplines that’s so crucial to the success of NXP’s FA lab, and why he’s a big believer in training. Knol: “Our competence program is primarily focused on broadening the knowledge of our engineers. They need to have a broad view of everything involved in creating a chip.”
Digital transition
One driving force that Knol and NXP have experienced in the semiconductor sphere is the transition from analog to digital chips, or at the very least a combination of the two. “At NXP, we’ve had a shift from truly analog design to embedding digital more and more – so mixed-signal designs – and it’s happening ridiculously fast,” says Knol. “But even products that were 100 percent analog in the past, for good reasons, are now embedding more digital cores.” Knol uses the example of NXP’s smart antenna solutions product
