Successful Design Of Power Management Chips


With an industry as large as semiconductors, there are often surprises lurking in some of the more specialized product categories. Everyone knows that huge chips such as CPUs and GPUs command high prices and that memory chips are ubiquitous. However, the domain of power management integrated circuits (PMICs) is less well known to many observers. PMICs are impressive in terms of their technol... » read more

Top-Down Vs. Bottom-Up Chiplet Design


Chiplets are gaining widespread attention across the semiconductor industry, but for this approach to really take off commercially it will require more standards, better modeling technologies and methodologies, and a hefty amount of investment and experimentation. The case for chiplets is well understood. They can speed up time to market with consistent results, at whatever process node work... » read more

The Latest Wireless Industry Use Cases


The wireless industry evolves constantly; GSMA estimates that mobile technologies and services generated 5% of the global GDP in 2022, which equates to $5.2 trillion of economic value. In parallel, more than 5.4 billion people subscribed to a mobile service, with 4.4 billion connected to the mobile internet. These numbers are impressive, but there is much more to come. 5G networks promise exp... » read more

Slow Progress On Generative EDA


Progress is being made in generative EDA, but the lack of training data remains the biggest problem. Some areas are finding ways around this. Generative AI, driven by large language models (LLMs), stormed into the world just two years ago, and since then has worked its way into almost every aspect of our lives. Some people love it, others hate it, and some even give dire warnings about machi... » read more

How AI Is Transforming System Design


Experts At The Table: ChatGPT and other LLMs have attracted most of the attention in recent years, but other forms of AI have long been incorporated into design workflows. The technology has become so common that many designers may not even realize it’s a part of the tools they use every day. But its adoption is spreading deeper into tools and methodologies. Semiconductor Engineering sat down... » read more

Outlook 2025: Embracing Chiplets


The semiconductor industry is rapidly evolving, and as we look towards 2025, chiplets are at the forefront of this transformation. The shift from traditional monolithic system-on-chip (SoC) designs to chiplet-based architectures is gaining momentum, driven by the need to meet ever-increasing computing demands. This evolution is not just a trend; it represents a fundamental change in how we appr... » read more

The Xpedition Flow


Comprehensive approach to designing electronics The complexities of modern PCB design necessitate a comprehensive approach that integrates various aspects of the entire design through manufacturing flow. The ideal design flow requires seamless cooperation and synergy across various domains, including electrical, mechanical, software, systems, test, and manufacturing. Xpedition provides a gr... » read more

Why Silicon IP Has Become the Foundation of Modern SoC Design


Addressing challenges of using silicon IP, tracking IP cores, and taking advantage of the flexibility of modular design requires a proven process. It also requires a state-of-the-art IP management system and modular design roadmap that will lead to success in silicon. Keysight has identified 6 steps to effective IP management based on best practices and customer experiences. Read more here. » read more

Blog Review: Nov. 20


Siemens’ Jonathan Muirhead explains why matching and symmetry are so important for analog and RF circuits, especially in topological structures like differential pairs and current mirrors, and introduces checking techniques to ensure compliance. Cadence's Satish Kumar Padhi examines the significance of randomization in PCIe IDE verification, focusing on how it ensures data integrity and en... » read more

Using Formal For RISC-V Security


Finding and closing up security holes is becoming more important as chips are used in safety- and mission-critical applications, but it's increasingly important for chips designed for much less costly devices, where the selling price typically doesn't warrant a significant investment in security. The problem is these devices are connected to some of the same networks, and any access points for ... » read more

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