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Brian Bailey

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Brian Bailey is Technology Editor/EDA for Semiconductor Engineering.

Author's Latest Posts

True 3D-IC Problems
By Brian Bailey - 27 Apr, 2023 - Comments: 0

Placing logic on logic may sound like a small step, but several problems must be overcome to make it a reality. True 3D involves wafers stacked on top of each other in a highly integrated manner. This is very different from 2.5D integration, where logic is placed side-by-side, connected by an interposer. And there are some intermediate solutions today where significant memory is stacked on l... » read more

What Designers Need To Know About GAA
By Brian Bailey - 13 Apr, 2023 - Comments: 3

While only 12 years old, finFETs are reaching the end of the line. They are being supplanted by gate-all-around (GAA), starting at 3nm [1], which is expected to have a significant impact on how chips are designed. GAAs come in two main flavors today — nanosheets and nanowires. There is much confusion about nanosheets, and the difference between nanosheets and nanowires. The industry still ... » read more

RISC-V Driving New Verification Concepts
By Brian Bailey - 12 Apr, 2023 - Comments: 0

Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss gaps in tools and why new methodologies are needed for RISC-V processors, with Pete Hardee, group director for product management at Cadence; Mike Eftimakis, vice president for strategy and ecosystem at Codasip; Simon Davidmann, founder and CEO of Imperas Software; Sven Beyer, program manager for processor verification at Siemens EDA; Kiran Vittal, ... » read more

Do Necessary Tools Exist For RISC-V Verification?
By Brian Bailey - 30 Mar, 2023 - Comments: 0

Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the verification of RISC-V processors with Pete Hardee, group director for product management at Cadence; Mike Eftimakis, vice president for strategy and ecosystem at Codasip; Simon Davidmann, founder and CEO of Imperas Software; Sven Beyer, program manager for processor verification at Siemens EDA; Kiran Vittal, senior director of alliances partner... » read more

RISC-V Disrupting EDA
By Brian Bailey - 23 Mar, 2023 - Comments: 3

The electronic design automation (EDA) industry started in the 1980s and primarily was driven by the test and PCB industries. The test industry was focused on simulation so that test vector sets could be developed and optimized. The PCB industry needed help managing complexity as system sizes grew. That complexity soon was eclipsed by IC complexity and the costs associated with making a mist... » read more

True 3D Is Much Tougher Than 2.5D
By Brian Bailey - 23 Mar, 2023 - Comments: 0

Creating real 3D designs is proving to be much more complex and difficult than 2.5D, requiring significant innovation in both technology and tools. While there has been much discussion about 3D designs, there are multiple interpretations about what 3D entails. This is more than just semantics, however, because each packaging option requires different design approaches and technologies. And a... » read more

Managing EDA’s Rapid Growth Expectations
By Brian Bailey - 23 Mar, 2023 - Comments: 0

The EDA industry has been doing very well recently, but how long this run will continue is a matter of debate. EDA is an industry ripe for disruption due to rapid changes in chip architectures, end markets, and a long list of new technologies. In addition, recent geopolitical tensions are bringing a lot more attention to this small sector upon which the whole semiconductor industry rests. De... » read more

Self-Heating Issues Spread
By Brian Bailey - 13 Mar, 2023 - Comments: 1

With every new node there are additional physical effects that must be considered, but not all of them are of the same level of criticality. One that is being mentioned more frequently is self-heating. All devices consume power and when they do that, it becomes heat. "In essence, all active devices generate heat as carriers move, creating channels for current to pass through the gates," says... » read more

What Makes RISC-V Verification Unique?
By Brian Bailey - 09 Mar, 2023 - Comments: 0

Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the verification of RISC-V processors with Pete Hardee, group director for product management at Cadence; Mike Eftimakis, vice president for strategy and ecosystem at Codasip; Simon Davidmann, founder and CEO of Imperas Software; Sven Beyer, program manager for processor verification at Siemens EDA; Kiran Vittal, senior director of alliances partner... » read more

Will AI Take My Job?
By Brian Bailey - 23 Feb, 2023 - Comments: 0

Everyone is talking about ChatGPT these days, and I am sure we will be comparing it with Google's new offering before long. I thought it was time that I gave it a quick spin, and since I am preparing to moderate a webinar about chiplets as I write this, I decided it was a good example of a fairly new field and would be a good test. I started by asking, "What are semiconductor chiplets, what ... » read more

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