224Gbps PHY For The Next Generation Of High Performance Computing


Large language models (LLMs) are experiencing an explosive growth in parameter count. Training these ever-larger models requires multiple accelerators to work together, and the bandwidth between these accelerators directly limits the size of trainable LLMs in High Performance Computing (HPC) environments. The correlation between the LLM size and data rates of interconnect technology herald a... » read more

IC Power Optimization Required, But More Difficult To Achieve


Power optimization is playing an increasingly vital role in chip and chip and system designs, but it's also becoming much harder to achieve as transistor density and system complexity continue to grow. This is especially evident with advanced packages, chiplets, and high-performance chips, all of which are becoming more common in complex designs. Inside data centers, racks of servers are str... » read more

Data Center Thermal Management Improves


Thermal issues are plaguing semiconductor design at every level, from chips developed with single-digit nanometer processes to 100,000-square-foot data centers. The underlying cause is too many devices or services that require increasing amounts of power, and too few opportunities for the resulting heat to dissipate. “Everybody wants to try to do more in a small volume of space,” said St... » read more

Blog Review: July 17


Cadence's Xin Mu explains the PCIe ECN Unordered IO (UIO) feature in the PCIe 6.1 specification, which defines a new wire semantic and related capabilities to enable multiple-path fabric support and helps avoid unnecessary traffic for better bandwidth and latency. Synopsys' Dana Neustadter, Gary Ruggles, and Richard Solomon highlight the latest updates in the CXL 3.1 standard, including new ... » read more

Blog Review: July 10


Cadence's Paul Graykowski suggests using real number modeling to streamline digital mixed-signal verification using logic simulators and hardware emulators. Siemens' John McMillan and Microsoft's Amit Kumar introduce the basics of 3D-IC, describe the flow and data management challenges, look at the evolution of TSMC 3DBlox 1.0 and 2.0, and detail a physical verification and reliability analy... » read more

Reducing Design Margins With Silicon Model Calibration


By Guy Cortez and Mark Laird It’s no secret to anyone that chip design gets harder every year. There are two major trends driving these ever-increasing challenges. The first is the continual scaling down to smaller design nodes. Although the pace of new node introduction has slowed somewhat in recent years, the impact of each new geometry and process is more dramatic than ever before. Acce... » read more

Effective Monitoring, Test, and Repair of Multi-Die Designs


Despite clear advantages, there are numerous new challenges that need to be addressed for successful multi-die realization. The multi-die test challenges include: Bare chiplet level (pre-bond) Probe, dedicated/functional pads for test Test, diagnosis, and repair Interconnects (mid/post-bond) Die-to-die test access Lane test, diagnosis, and repair Multi-die ... » read more

Digital Twins Find Their Footing In IC Manufacturing


Momentum is building for digital twins in semiconductor manufacturing, tying together the various processes and steps to improve efficiency and quality, and to enable more flexibility in the fab and assembly house. The movement toward digital twins opens up a slew of opportunities, from building and equipping new fabs faster to speeding yield ramps by reducing the number of silicon-based tes... » read more

Holistic Verification and Validation of Automotive IP for Functional Safety SoCs


Automotive functional safety systems have strict requirements to help avoid damages to life and property in case of a failure. As technology becomes more complex, there are increasing safety-related risks from systematic failures and random hardware failures that must be considered during product development. Standards like ISO 26262 provide guidance to mitigate such safety-related risks, by de... » read more

Security Focus Widens To HW, SW, Ecosystems


Hardware security strategies are pushing much further left in the chip design flow as the number of vulnerabilities in complex designs and connected devices continues to grow, taking into account potential vulnerabilities in both hardware and software, as well as the integrity of an extended global supply chain. These approaches leverage the speed of fixing problems in software, and the effe... » read more

← Older posts Newer posts →