Clearly the fabless semiconductor ecosystem is driving the semiconductor industry and is responsible for both the majority of the innovation and the sharp decline in consumer electronics costs we have experienced. By definition, a fabless semiconductor company does not have to spend the time and money on manufacturing related… Read More
Author: Daniel Nenni
Tanner EDA Tops 1,200 Active Customers!
It is always nice to see when an EDA company grows organically, versus inorganically by acquiring friends and foes. It is also nice to see when an EDA company invests in the fabless semiconductor ecosystem because, as we know, we are all in this together.
Tanner EDA celebrated its 25th anniversary this year by adding 149 new customers… Read More
Is The Fabless Semiconductor Ecosystem at Risk?
Ever since the failed Intel PR stunt where Mark Bohr suggested that the fabless semiconductor ecosystem was collapsing I have been researching and writing about it. The results will be a book co-authored by Paul McLellan. You may have noticed the “Brief History of” blogs on SemiWiki which basically outline the book. If not, start… Read More
Analog FastSPICE AMS — Simple, Fast, nm-Accurate Mixed-Signal Verification
Verification and AMS are top search terms on SemiWiki so clearly designers have a pressing need for fast and accurate verification of today’s mixed-signal SoCs that include massive digital blocks and precision analog/RF circuits. They need simulation performance to verify the mixed-signal functionality, and they need nanometer… Read More
TSMC Financial Update Q4 2012!
The weather in Taiwan last week was very nice, not too hot but certainly not cold. The same could be said for the TSM stock which broke $16 after the October financial report where TSMC reported a sales increase of 15% over September. Revenues for this year thus far increased 19% over last year so why isn’t TSM stock at $20 like I predicted… Read More
Solido and TSMC for 6-Sigma Memory Design
Solido Design Automation and TSMC recently published an article in EE Times describing how Solido’s High-Sigma Monte Carlo tool is used with TSMC PDK’s to achieve high-yield, high-performance memory design. This project has been a big part of my life for the past three years and it is time for a victory lap!
In TSMC 28nm, 20nm and … Read More
16nm FinFET versus 20nm Planar!
The common theme amongst semiconductor ecosystem conferences this year is FinFETS, probably the most exciting technology we will see this decade. A lot has been written on SemiWiki about FinFETS, it is one of the top trending search terms, but there is some confusion about the process naming so let me attempt to explain.
In planar… Read More
ARM TechCon 2012 Trip Report
I must say the ARM conference gets better every year, as do the attendance numbers. More than 4,000 people showed up including 5 SemiWiki bloggers, two of which I had not yet had the pleasure of meeting.
First I have to mention my favorite vendor booth. I don’t remember what company it was but the girls in fishnet stockings giving out… Read More
Apple v. Samsung: Mixed Phone Marriages End in Divorce?
A funny thing happened at dinner the other night. The SemiWiki blog “8 Things I Hate about My iPhone5” caused quite a discussion. Half the table had Samsung phones and the other half iPhones. It really was more of a religious or political debate versus a rational consumer electronic discussion. An interesting side note, it seems … Read More
A Brief History of Today’s Flexible ASIC Model
There’s been an interesting trend emerging the past couple of years; a gentrification, if you will, of the ASIC business. What was thought to be a dying supply chain model has re-emerged as a health and growing segment of the semiconductor industry. Recent figures from Gartner place 2012 ASIC revenue at around $24.4 billion… Read More
Selling the Forges of the Future: U.S. Report Exposes China’s Reliance on Western Chip Tools