2.5D Integration: Big Chip Or Small PCB?

By Brian Bailey - 29 Feb, 2024 - Comments: 1

Defining whether a 2.5D device is a printed circuit board shrunk down to fit into a package, or is a chip that extends beyond the limits of a single die, may seem like hair-splitting semantics, but it can have significant consequences for the overall success of a design. Planar chips always have been limited by size of the reticle, which is about 858mm2. Beyond that, yield issues make the si... » read more

Radar Transceivers: How To Connect The Antennas

By Marta Martinez Vazquez - 07 Sep, 2023 - Comments: 0

There are different antenna options for transmitting and receiving a radar signal. This blog will focus on how to connect a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) radar transceiver to the antennas in a way that guarantees an efficient transfer of the signals. mmWave MMIC to antenna interfaces At millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies, any transitions between two different transmission l... » read more

In-Design Thermal Analysis For MMIC And RF PCB Power Applications

By Cadence - 31 Aug, 2022 - Comments: 0

Next-generation wireless communication and radar systems often demand increased RF power within a smaller footprint to meet the performance and size requirements of their respective commercial and aerospace applications. As a result, RF front-end electronics are exposed to the risk of higher operating temperatures, which degrade RF performance and threaten device reliability. For many device ma... » read more

Radar For Automotive: How Far Can A Radar See?

By Marta Martinez Vazquez - 25 Aug, 2022 - Comments: 1

In the previous entries of this blog dedicated to automotive radar, the reason for using radar and the principle of operation of the frequency modulated continuous wave radar were presented. Now, we will focus on the performance of the system, starting with its maximum detection range: how far can we detect an obstacle ahead? We need to have as much foresight as possible, to be able to detect a... » read more

GaN 8Gbps High-Speed Relay MMIC For Automated Test Equipment

By Advantest - 09 Aug, 2022 - Comments: 0

An 8 Gbps high-speed relay MMIC for an Automated Test Equipment (ATE) using a gallium nitride is developed and evaluated. Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor structure with a tantalum oxynitride is employed to reduce a leakage current for ATE applications. The fabricated MMIC shows 0.3 nA of the leakage current, 12 GHz of a －3 dB bandwidth, and excellent eye-opening of 8 Gbps signals with a 18-lead... » read more

EDA Software Design Flow Considerations For The RF/Microwave Module Designer

By Cadence - 25 May, 2022 - Comments: 0

Miniaturization of consumer products, aerospace and defense systems, medical devices, and LED arrays has spawned the development of a technology known as the multi-chip module (MCM), which combines multiple integrated circuits (ICs), semiconductor die, and other discrete components within a unifying substrate for use as a single component. This white paper outlines the steps for implementing an... » read more

RF To mmWave Design For Systems

By Cadence - 23 Feb, 2022 - Comments: 0

RF-enabled next-generation communication systems and connected devices are differentiated by their performance, size, and cost. Traditionally, custom proprietary IC designs, leveraging the latest advanced-node technology, were developed to meet these product requirements. Increasingly these challenges are being met by moving beyond single IC solutions. Today’s electronic systems often integra... » read more

RF/Microwave EDA Software Design Flow Considerations For PA MMIC Design

By Cadence - 09 Feb, 2022 - Comments: 0

In this white paper, a gallium arsenide (GaAs) pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) power amplifier (PA) design approach is examined from a systems perspective. It highlights the design flow and its essential features for most PA design projects by illustrating a simple Class A GaAs pHEMT monolithic microwave IC (MMIC) PA design using Cadence AWR Microwave Office circuit desi... » read more

Revving Up SiC And GaN

By Ann Mutschler - 13 Dec, 2021 - Comments: 0

Silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are becoming more popular for power electronics, particularly in automotive applications, driving down costs as volumes scale up and increasing the demand for better tools to design, verify, and test these wide-bandgap devices. Both SiC and GaN are proving essential in areas such as battery management in electric vehicles. They can handle much ... » read more

Rising Fortunes For ICs In Health Care

By Susan Rambo - 13 Oct, 2021 - Comments: 0

Semiconductors are increasingly finding their way into a variety of medical devices, after years of slow growth and largely consumer electronics types of applications. Nearly every major chipmaker has a toehold in health care these days, and many are starting to look beyond wearable such as the Apple Watch to devices that can be relied on for accuracy and reliability. Unlike in the past, the... » 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.