Ensure Reliability In Automotive ICs By Reducing Thermal Effects


In the relentless pursuit of performance and miniaturization, the semiconductor industry has increasingly turned to 3D integrated circuits (3D-ICs) as a cutting-edge solution. Stacking dies in a 3D assembly offers numerous benefits, including enhanced performance, reduced power consumption, and more efficient use of space. However, this advanced technology also introduces significant thermal di... » read more

New Approaches Needed For Power Management


Power is becoming a bigger concern as the amount of data being processed continues to grow, forcing chipmakers and systems companies to rethink compute architectures from the end point all the way to the data center. There is no simple fix to this problem. More data is being collected, moved, and processed, requiring more power at every step, and more attention to physical effects such as he... » read more

Architecting Chips For High-Performance Computing


The world’s leading hyperscaler cloud data center companies — Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, and Akamai — are launching heterogeneous, multi-core architectures specifically for the cloud, and the impact is being felt in high-performance CPU development across the chip industry. It's unlikely that any these chips will ever be sold commercially. They are optimized for specific ... » read more

What’s At Stake In System Design?


When engineers refer to system analysis, they are referring to tool functions for improving an overall electronics design. What you will gain from this eBook: Power and Signal Integrity Insights into harmonic balancing and crosstalk analysis Learning about loop gain and transmission rates Examining the necessity of power-aware systems Electromagnetic Analysis Knowledge ... » read more

Using Real Workloads To Assess Thermal Impacts


Thermal analysis is being driven much further left in the design, fueled by demand for increased transistor density and more features on a chip or in a package, as well as the unique ways the various components may be exercised or stressed. However, getting a clear picture of the thermal activity in advanced-node chips and packages is extremely complex, and it can vary significantly by use c... » read more

Decoding GDS To Thermal Model Conversion


Driven by Moore’s Law and modern, ubiquitous computation power demand, the market will continue to demand higher chip performance. Therefore, modern chips with ever-higher power densities present critical thermal challenges. With the ever-shrinking design margins, designers must manage their thermal budget at every stage of the design, from chip to system. Now, let us shift left and start ... » read more

Design Considerations For Ultra-High Current Power Delivery Networks


This article is adapted from a presentation at TestConX, March 5-8, 2023, Mesa, AZ. A power-delivery network (PDN), also called a power-distribution network, is a localized network that delivers power from voltage-regulator modules (VRMs) throughout a load board to the package’s chip pads or wafer’s die pads. The PDN includes the VRM itself, all bulk and localized capacitance, board vi... » read more

3D-IC: Operator Learning Framework For Ultra-Fast 3D Chip Thermal Prediction Under Multiple Chip Design Configurations


A new technical paper titled "DeepOHeat: Operator Learning-based Ultra-fast Thermal Simulation in 3D-IC Design" was published (preprint) by researchers at UCSB and Cadence. Abstract "Thermal issue is a major concern in 3D integrated circuit (IC) design. Thermal optimization of 3D IC often requires massive expensive PDE simulations. Neural network-based thermal prediction models can perform ... » read more

Coming In Hot: Requirements For Successful Thermal Management In 3D-IC


As the speed, density, and capabilities of electronics have all increased, power has become a first order driver in almost all electronic systems. For instance, it’s well recognized that heat is often the number one limiting factor in 3D-IC design. High-speed chips stacked close together in a small housing cause things to heat up fast. One of the most common designer responses to overheating ... » read more

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


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

← Older posts