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Ann Mutschler

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Ann Mutschler is senior executive editor at Semiconductor Engineering.

Author's Latest Posts

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 31
By Ann Mutschler - 31 Dec, 2013 - Comments: 0

Approximate computing With the potential to double efficiency and reduce energy consumption, Purdue University and NEC Laboratories America researchers are developing computers capable of "approximate computing" to perform calculations good enough for certain tasks that don't require perfect accuracy. The need for approximate computing is driven by a fundamental shift in the nature of compu... » read more

System Bits: Dec. 31
By Ann Mutschler - 31 Dec, 2013 - Comments: 0

Low signal loss waveguides With the potential to enable a leap ahead in size reduction and performance, DARPA-funded researchers at UCSB and CalTech have developed new methods to integrate long coils of waveguides with low signal loss onto microchips—potentially enabling a leap ahead in size reduction and performance. Long coils of optical waveguides—any structure that can guide light, ... » read more

Mentor Buys Oasys Assets For Digital Implementation
By Ann Mutschler - 17 Dec, 2013 - Comments: 0

Bolstering its bid in the digital implementation flow as well as positioning itself squarely against EDA leaders Cadence and Synopsys in the RTL synthesis arena, Mentor Graphics this afternoon announced it has acquired ‘certain assets’ of Oasys Design Systems for its RealTime RTL physical synthesis technology. This acquisition aligns with Mentor’s goal to deliver a best-in-class digita... » read more

System Bits: Dec. 17
By Ann Mutschler - 17 Dec, 2013 - Comments: 0

Simple, Inexpensive Graphene Treatment Could Unleash New Uses To help realize the promise of graphene in electronics, solar power, and sensors, researchers from MIT and UC Berkeley have created what they said is a simple, inexpensive treatment that they believe may help realize the potential of the material. While pure graphene lacks some key properties needed for electronic devices, modify... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 17
By Ann Mutschler - 17 Dec, 2013 - Comments: 0

Low-power tunneling transistor to enable high-performance devices To make fast and low-power computing devices possible for energy-constrained applications such as smart sensor networks, implantable medical electronics and ultra-mobile computing, a new type of transistor is needed. To this end, researchers at Penn State, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and specialty wafer fo... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Oct. 29
By Ann Mutschler - 29 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

Supercapacitor for electricity storage With the potential for solar cells that produce electricity 24/7 and mobile phones with built-in power cells that recharge in seconds and work for weeks between charges, researchers at Vanderbilt University have created a novel supercapacitor design with these and other applications in mind. They believe it is the first supercapacitor made out of silic... » read more

System Bits: Oct. 29
By Ann Mutschler - 29 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

Coupling photons with electrons With the potential to lead to the creation of materials whose electronic properties could be “tuned” in real time simply by shining precise laser beams at them, researchers at MIT have produced and measured a coupling of photons and electrons on the surface of an unusual type of material called a topological insulator. This type of coupling had been predicte... » read more

Start Verification Early To Avoid Pitfalls Later
By Ann Mutschler - 24 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 1

It is well understood – at least from a theoretical point of view – that design verification should start as early as possible. The reality is that that doesn’t always happen for a variety of reasons such as enormous time to market pressure, too many new features to add, lack of foresight and discipline among other things. But progress is being made. Harry Foster, chief scientist for v... » read more

Trending Back To ASICs
By Ann Mutschler - 24 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

True to its cyclical nature, the semiconductor industry is swinging back toward ASICs from more diversified approaches such as FPGAs. This dynamic is evident at companies such as Apple. “At one point we thought Apple was being a contrarian,” said Drew Wingard, CTO at Sonics. “Everybody else on the systems side was shedding their silicon people. The easiest counterpoint to what Apple wa... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Oct. 22
By Ann Mutschler - 22 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

Thermal emitter improves solar cell efficiency Stanford University scientists have created a heat-resistant thermal emitter -- an element used in specialized solar cells -- that could significantly improve the efficiency of the cells. The heat-resistant thermal emitter is designed to convert heat from the sun into infrared light that can be absorbed by solar cells to make electricity – a tec... » read more

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