System Bits: Dec. 8


Path to quantum transistors An odd, iridescent material that's puzzled physicists for decades turns out to be an exotic state of matter that could open a new path to quantum computers and other next-generation electronics, according to University of Michigan physicists. The researchers have been able to confirm that several properties of the compound samarium hexaboride that raise hopes for... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 8


Light in lieu of wires In a development that could eventually lead to computers that use optics rather than electricity to carry data, Stanford engineers have designed and built a prism-like device they call an ‘optical link’ that can split a beam of light into different colors and bend the light at right angles. The optical link is a tiny slice of silicon etched with a pattern that res... » read more

The Week In Review: Design/IoT


Tools Calypto rolled out its third-generation high-level synthesis platform after three years of development, adding granular control over which regions are optimized and the ability to work top-down and bottom-up—basically allowing designers to zoom in and out as needed. In addition, the tool has a 10X increase in capacity and supports SystemC and C++. eSilicon unveiled its online conf... » read more

The Week In Review: Manufacturing


Intel announced plans to invest up to $1.6 billion in the next 15 years to upgrade its Chengdu, China factory for die prep, assembly and test operations, as well as to bring Intel’s latest Advanced Test Technology to China. Advanced Test Technology is Intel’s internal ATE capabilities. “It is also the single biggest investment by Intel in Chengdu,” said William Holt, executive vice pres... » read more

Blog Review: Dec. 3


Mentor's Robin Bornoff zeroes in on some of the biggest and most frustrating causes of energy loss—the ones that have nothing to do with the intended task. In electronics, it's a question of how much power is consumed pushing around electrons and photons. Cadence's Richard Goering follows a panel discussion about whether we're really making progress in low-power design, where the challeng... » read more

System Bits: Dec. 2


A graphene layer reads optical information from nanodiamonds electronically It is assumed that nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamonds could be used to construct vital components for quantum computers but reading optically-written information electronically from them has not been possible. Now, by using a graphene layer, a team of scientists headed by the Technische Universität München (TUM) ha... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Dec. 2


Storage ring EUV source Needless to say, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is delayed. Chipmakers hope to insert EUV at the 7nm node, but that’s not a given. As before, the big problem is the EUV light source. So far, the source can’t generate enough power to enable the required throughput for EUV in mass production. Researchers at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have one p... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 2


Harvesting more of the sun's energy As solar panels become less expensive and capable of generating more power, solar energy is becoming a more commercially viable alternative source of electricity and today’s photovoltaic cells can only absorb and use a small fraction of that light, which means a significant amount of solar energy goes untapped. However, a new technology created by research... » read more

Blog Review: Nov. 26


Mentor's Nazita Saye has stumbled on a defibrillating drone that can rescuscitate victims well before emergency services arrive. That's a new one. ARM's Brad Nemire has found an interesting new Kickstarter device, too. It measures everything from heart beat to body posture with earlobe sensors. Cadence's Brian Fuller follows a speech by economist Austan Goolsbee, who is optimistic about t... » read more

The Week In Review: Design


M&A NXP Semiconductors acquired the IP assets of Quintic for its wearable and Bluetooth Low Energy business. The deal is aimed at IoT applications. Numbers Mentor Graphics' numbers hit a record in fiscal Q3, which ended on Oct. 31. Revenue was $292.7 million, up from $275.6 million in the same period in 2013. Non-GAAP earnings were $39.92 million, up from $37.29 million in the same per... » read more

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