Intel/GF deal: Pros, Cons, Unknowns

By Mark LaPedus - 22 Jul, 2021 - Comments: 1

The industry is still buzzing over a Wall Street Journal report that Intel is in talks to acquire GlobalFoundries (GF) for $30 billion. It’s been a week since the report appeared. Intel is still mum. GF says there are no talks taking place. Regardless, it’s worth looking at all of the possible scenarios just in case, and the pros and cons involved. There are layers upon layers of iron... » read more

Timing Is Of The Essence

By Ansys - 14 Mar, 2019 - Comments: 0

Today's advanced 16/7nm system-on-chips (SoCs) are faced with increased variation as they push for lower power. While the sizes of the transistors continue to shrink following Moore's Law, the threshold voltages fail to scale. This causes wide timing variability leading to timing closure difficulties, design re-spins and poor functional yield. Learn how ANSYS Path FX with its unique variatio... » read more

How To Build An Automotive Chip

By Ann Mutschler - 07 Mar, 2019 - Comments: 0

The introduction of advanced electronics into automotive design is causing massive disruption in a supply chain that, until very recently, hummed along like a finely tuned sports car. The rapid push toward autonomous driving has changed everything. This year, Level 3 autonomy will begin hitting the streets, and behind the scenes, work is underway to design SoCs for Level 4. But how these chi... » read more

Realizing the Benefits of 14/16nm Technologies

By eSilicon - 31 Jan, 2019 - Comments: 0

The scaling benefits of Moore’s Law are challenging below 28nm. It is no longer a given that the cost per gate will go down at process nodes below 28nm, e.g., 20nm though 14nm and 7nm. Rising design and manufacturing costs are contributing factors to this trend. Meanwhile, the competing trend of fewer but more complex system-on-chip (SoC) designs is reducing the knowledge base of many chip... » read more

China’s Foundry Biz Takes Big Leap Forward

By Mark LaPedus - 28 Jan, 2019 - Comments: 1

China continues to advance its foundry industry with huge investments in new fabs and technology, despite trade tensions and a slowdown in the IC market. China has the most fab projects in the world, with 30 new facilities or lines in construction or on the drawing board, according to data from SEMI’s World Fab Forecast Report. Of those, 13 fabs are targeted for the foundry market, accordi... » read more

Changing The Design Flow

By Ed Sperling - 07 Aug, 2018 - Comments: 0

Synopsys’ Michael Jackson talks with Semiconductor Engineering about why it’s becoming necessary to fuse together various pieces of digital design. https://youtu.be/AOWh4wjw-ps » read more

Tech Talk: Applying Machine Learning

By Ed Sperling - 08 Feb, 2018 - Comments: 0

Norman Chang, chief technologist at ANSYS, talks about real applications of machine learning for mechanical, fluid dynamics and chip-package-system design. https://youtu.be/MqYX0wbwSfE » read more

Introduction To eFPGA Hardware

By Geoff Tate - 01 Feb, 2018 - Comments: 0

Intel builds processor chips and Arm provides processor cores to integrate into chips. Xilinx and Intel (nee Altera) build FPGAs and a range of new startups provide embedded FPGA (eFPGA) to integrate into chips: Achronix, Flex Logix, Menta and QuickLogic. As the diagram above shows, an FPGA chip is a core (the “fabric”) which is surrounded by various kinds of I/O including SERDES,... » read more

Expanding Ecosystem Drives Auto Chip Gold Rush

By Thomas Wong - 03 Jan, 2018 - Comments: 0

Semiconductor chips designed to support automotive applications have been around for more than 40 years, which is a very long time in the technology business. These chips have been developed by semiconductor integrated device manufacturers (IDMs), which control every step of the design, manufacturing, test, qualification, reliability and quality aspects of these automotive chips. Special se... » read more

On-Chip Clock And Process Monitoring Using STAR Hierarchical System’s Measurement Unit

By Synopsys - 07 Dec, 2017 - Comments: 0

Functional safety is one of the most critical priorities for system-on-chips (SoCs) that are involved in automotive, aerospace and industrial applications. These requirements are driven by standards such as ISO 26262 and are the backbone of the design and testing of automotive ICs. Synopsys’ STAR Hierarchical System’s Measurement Unit helps ensure the accuracy of on-chip clock frequency and... » read more

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Knowledge Centers
Entities, people and technologies explored

Shift Left Is The Tip Of The Iceberg

A transformative change is underway for semiconductor design and EDA. New languages, models, and abstractions will need to be created.

by Brian Bailey

Partitioning In The Chiplet Era

Understanding how chiplets interact under different workloads is critical to ensuring signal integrity and optimal performance in heterogeneous designs.

by Ann Mutschler

NAND Flash Targets 1,000 Layers

New techniques go beyond improved deposition and etching, but challenges stack up, too.

by Bryon Moyer

3.5D: The Great Compromise

Pros and cons of a middle-ground chiplet assembly that combines 2.5D and 3D-IC.

by Ed Sperling

AI’s Role In Chip Design Widens, Drawing In New Startups

Focus is on letting engineers do much more with the same or fewer resources — and less drudgery.

by Karen Heyman

What Comes After HBM For Chiplets

The standard for high-bandwidth memory limits design freedom at many levels, but that is required for interoperability. What freedoms can be taken from other functions to make chiplets possible?

by Brian Bailey

Memory Fundamentals For Engineers

eBook: Nearly everything you need to know about memory, including detailed explanations of the different types of memory; how and where these are used today; what's changing, which memories are successful and which ones might be in the future; and the limitations of each memory type.

by The SE Staff

Why Small Fab And Assembly Houses Are Thriving

Megafabs churning out the most advanced processors are not the only game in town.