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

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

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

Chip Industry Week In Review


SK hynix started mass production of 1-terabit  321-high NAND, with availability scheduled for the first half of next year. Rapidus will receive an additional ¥200 billion yen ($1.28B) from the Japanese government beginning in fiscal year 2025, reports Nikkei. This is on top of ¥920 billion yen ($5.98B) Rapidus has already received from the government in support of its goal to reach commer... » 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

Asia Government Funding Surges


Billions of dollars have been pouring into Asian countries for the past few years in an effort to boost their production capacity, explore leading-edge technology, compete on the global stage, and shore up supply chains in the face of geopolitical turmoil. Each country has its own plan to maintain a foothold in the global market, from China’s Big Fund to Korea’s Yongin Cluster and Japan�... » read more

Managing The Huge Power Demands Of AI Everywhere


Before generative AI burst onto the scene, no one predicted how much energy would be needed to power AI systems. Those numbers are just starting to come into focus, and so is the urgency about how to sustain it all. AI power demand is expected to surge 550% by 2026, from 8 TWh in 2024 to 52 TWh, before rising another 1,150% to 652 TWh by 2030. Commensurately, U.S. power grid planners have do... » read more

Simulating Multiple DSPs As Multiple x86 Processes


An increasing number of embedded designs are multi-core systems. At the pre-silicon stage, customers use a simulation platform for architectural exploration and software development. Architects want to quantify the impact of the number of cores, local memory size, system memory latency, and interconnect bandwidth. Software teams wish to have a practical development platform that is not excrucia... » read more

Shift Left Is The Tip Of The Iceberg


Shift left is evolving from a buzzword into a much broader shift in design methodology and EDA tooling, and while it's still early innings there is widespread agreement that it will be transformative. The semiconductor industry has gone through many changes over the past few decades. Some are obvious, but others happen because of a convergence of multiple factors that require systemic change... » read more

New AI Data Types Emerge


AI is all about data, and the representation of the data matters strongly. But after focusing primarily on 8-bit integers and 32‑bit floating-point numbers, the industry is now looking at new formats. There is no single best type for every situation, because the choice depends on the type of AI model, whether accuracy, performance, or power is prioritized, and where the computing happens, ... » read more

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