Using Virtual Metal Fill To Solve Real Design Problems


People learning about semiconductor manufacturing might well be confused by the concept of metal fill. It seems perfectly intuitive that laying out a complex chip will result in some regions with fewer transistors and metal interconnect than others. It makes sense that there will be areas that are mostly empty. So why spend money on more complicated masks and on extra metal just to fill those e... » read more

How To Answer Five Common Questions About Power Module Current Density


Power module current density is an important factor in determining the efficiency and performance of power modules. This article answers five common questions about power module current density so you can make informed decisions when designing a power module for your application. 1. How many wire bonds are required? Generally, a higher current density requires an increased number of w... » read more

4 Ways To Design More Reliable Automotive Electronics


From engine management systems (fuel injection rate, emissions control, cooling systems) and autonomous controls (lane, speed, park assist, adaptive cruise control) to infotainment systems and comfort systems (climate control, electronic seat adjustment, automatic wipers, etc.), the modern-day gas-powered and electric vehicles have more electronic devices than ever. Indeed, the microprocessors ... » read more

How To Address The Top 5 Silicon Startup Challenges


From our 30 years of experience, Arm understands that designing silicon can be complex and expensive. Against the backdrop of global supply chain issues and wider economic challenges, today’s climate can be challenging for the tech industry, particularly those creating the next wave of silicon products. Startups are looking for every opportunity to maximize their success with their first t... » read more

An Ideal Always-Sensing Subsystem Architecture


Always-sensing cameras are a relatively new method for users to interact with their smartphones, home appliances, and other consumer devices. Like always-listening audio-based Siri and Alexa, always-sensing cameras enable a seamless, more natural user experience. Through continuous sampling and analyzing visual data, always-sensing enables use cases such as: “Find a face” detection for... » read more

GDDR6 Delivers The Performance For AI/ML Inference


AI/ML is evolving at a lightning pace. Not a week goes by right now without some new and exciting developments in the field, and applications like ChatGPT have brought generative AI capabilities firmly to the forefront of public attention. AI/ML is really two applications: training and inference. Each relies on memory performance, and each has a unique set of requirements that drive the choi... » read more

From Known Good Die To Known Good System With UCIe IP


Multi-die systems are made up of several specialized functional dies (or chiplets) that are assembled in the same package to create the complete system. Multi-die systems have recently emerged as a solution to overcome the slowing down of Moore’s law by providing a path to scaling functionality in the packaged chip in a way that is manufacturable with good yield. Additionally, multi-die sy... » read more

Circuit Design For Industry 4.0


By Björn Zeugmann and Olaf Enge-Rosenblatt The digitalization of industry is progressing in leaps and bounds, albeit not at the same speed everywhere. In many industries, processes can be digitalized well to very well — for example, because electronic control systems can be retrofitted from analog to digital relatively easily. In some cases, new industries emerge only because processes ha... » read more

Making It Easier To Build Platforms That Support Confidential Computing


With the rise of the cloud, computation has become highly distributed. Workloads can be running on many compute nodes and often span multiple data centers. A workload consists of a combination of code and data, and both are often valuable and sensitive. A data center is often managed by a third-party, such as Cloud Service Provider (CSP), and may reside in a different legal jurisdiction to the ... » read more

3D-IC Design: An Innovative Approach To Chip Integration


Advancements in technology have led to the development of increasingly complex and densely integrated circuits (ICs). To keep up with the ever-growing demand for high-performance and power-efficient devices, the industry has shifted toward 3D-IC design. 3D-ICs have many applications in a wide range of industries, including consumer electronics, telecommunications, computing, and automotive. Wh... » read more

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