Ann Mutschler

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Ann Mutschler is senior executive editor at Semiconductor Engineering.

Author's Latest Posts

Why Semiconductor Packaging Matters

By Ann Mutschler - 27 May, 2009 - Comments: 0

By Ann Steffora Mutschler After decades of being considered almost an afterthought, semiconductor packaging is emerging as an integral part of the Moore’s Law road map. Power, heat, manufacturing and impurities like soft errors have become so pronounced at 45nm and 32nm that they are actually beginning affect the package. And while these problems are not new, continual shrinking has made th... » read more

Low-Power Standards War

By Ann Mutschler - 13 Mar, 2009 - Comments: 0

To the uninitiated, establishing a technology standard may seem straightforward. In reality, the process is mired with technical and political issues as evidenced by the ongoing battle for a de facto low-power design standard between the Unified Power Format (UPF) and the Common Power Format (CPF). Currently, UPF is with the IEEE for final ratification as P1801, set for vote this month, ... » read more

Next Steps In Verification IP

By Ann Mutschler - 19 Feb, 2009 - Comments: 0

By Ann Steffora Mutschler With the cost of failure at an astronomical high, the last thing chip designers want to worry about is the physical IP they will use to build their SoC. In addition to less willingness on the customer’s behalf to take risks, complexity and economics have driven the need for more off-the-shelf IP and a corresponding rise in interest in verification IP. Compoundi... » read more

IP Consolidation Improves Reliability

By Ann Mutschler - 22 Jan, 2009 - Comments: 0

By Ann Steffora Mutschler As individual blocks of IP in an IC design grow to more than 1 million gates, making sure each block functions reliably and interfaces with the system properly is a make-or-break scenario for many companies. For one thing, getting it right is absolutely critical as the semiconductor industry reaches its maturity point with margins harder to reach. Coupled with an ind... » read more

The ESL Conundrum

By Ann Mutschler - 17 Dec, 2008 - Comments: 0

As Moore’s Law continues its relentless march, the “electronic system level” (ESL), which is the next higher level of abstraction above the register transfer level (RTL), continues to be adopted as an answer to the ever-increasing complexity of designing semiconductors. Although ESL emerged about five years ago, the term itself still can confound the very community that seeks to embrac... » read more

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