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Ann Mutschler

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Ann Mutschler is senior executive editor at Semiconductor Engineering.

Author's Latest Posts

System Bits: Feb. 10
By Ann Mutschler - 10 Feb, 2015 - Comments: 0

Mapping temperature Given that overheating is a major problem for chips today a team of UCLA and USC scientists have made a breakthrough that they believe should enable engineers to design microprocessors that minimize that problem with a thermal imaging technique that can see how the temperature changes from point to point inside the smallest electronic circuits. The technique is called pl... » read more

FD-SOI Meets The IoT
By Ann Mutschler - 05 Feb, 2015 - Comments: 1

Silicon-on-insulator manufacturing technology has been discussed for many years. IBM has used the partially depleted variation of SOI in its server products, but the fully depleted version has yet to find widespread adoption outside of mil/aero and automotive markets. That may change soon as applications in the Internet of Things ramp, given the requirements for ultra low power and low cost.... » read more

Use IoT Security Concerns To Your Benefit
By Ann Mutschler - 05 Feb, 2015 - Comments: 0

Did you know data scientists can now link Instagram posts and other meta-data to credit card purchases? Indeed, MIT researchers said recently that just four fairly vague pieces of information — the dates and locations of four purchases — are enough to identify 90 percent of the people in a data set recording three months of credit-card transactions by 1.1 million users. They stresse... » read more

Si2 Leadership Change
By Ann Mutschler - 03 Feb, 2015 - Comments: 0

Steve Schulz, who had been president and CEO of standards body Si2 for the past 12 years has resigned from the organization, Semiconductor Engineering learned today. He said he has thoroughly enjoyed the 12-1/2 years that he was with Si2 and is very, very proud of the successes from rebuilding it when he first joined and all of the growth the organization has had. “I still have a lot o... » read more

System Bits: Feb. 3
By Ann Mutschler - 03 Feb, 2015 - Comments: 0

A viable silicon substitute A new study by UC Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) moves graphene a step closer to knocking silicon off as the dominant workhorse of the electronics industry. They reminded that while silicon is ubiquitous in semiconductors and integrated circuits, researchers have been eyeing graphene, a one-atom... » read more

Automotive System Design Challenges
By Ann Mutschler - 29 Jan, 2015 - Comments: 0

The automotive semiconductor market did exceptionally well last year. IHS reported strong vehicle production growth and increased semiconductor content in 2014, and that trend is likely to continue with semiconductor revenue for the automotive segment to reach $31 billion this year, up from $29 billion last year. The market research company affirmed the fastest growing segments for automoti... » read more

System Bits: Jan. 27
By Ann Mutschler - 27 Jan, 2015 - Comments: 0

Optimizing algorithms Optimization algorithms try to find the minimum values of mathematical functions, and are everywhere in engineering for such things as evaluating design tradeoffs, assessing control systems, finding patterns in data, among other things. A way to solve a difficult optimization problem is to first reduce it to a related but much simpler problem, then gradually add complexit... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Jan. 27
By Ann Mutschler - 27 Jan, 2015 - Comments: 0

Improving batteries By digging into the complex science behind the formation of dendrites that cause lithium-ion batteries to fail, research by Purdue University engineers could bring safer, longer-lasting batteries capable of being charged within minutes instead of hours. According to the researchers, dendrites form on anode electrodes and may continue to grow until causing an internal sho... » read more

System Bits: Jan. 20
By Ann Mutschler - 20 Jan, 2015 - Comments: 0

Nanodiamonds are quantum’s best friend Purdue University researchers have demonstrated a new way to enhance the emission of single photons by using "hyperbolic metamaterials," in a step they say could be used in developing quantum computers and communications technologies. Optical metamaterials harness clouds of electrons called surface plasmons to manipulate and control light. The team p... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Jan. 20
By Ann Mutschler - 20 Jan, 2015 - Comments: 0

Boosting silicon solar cells According to Stanford researchers, stacking crystalline perovskites onto a conventional silicon solar cell dramatically improves the overall efficiency of the cell. The researchers reminded that silicon solar cells dominate the world market, but the power conversion efficiency of silicon photovoltaics has been stuck at 25 percent for 15 years. One inexpensive wa... » read more

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