Estimating the MTBF of an SoC should always include an analysis of synchronizer reliability. Contemporary process nodes are introducing new challenges to the reliability of clock domain crossings so it is prudent to revisit how your simulation tool calculates a synchronizer’s MTBF. Let’s list the ten most common pitfalls.… Read More
Electronic Design Automation
The TSMC OIP Technical Paper Abstracts are up!
The TSMC Open Innovation Platform® (OIP) Ecosystem Forum brings TSMC’s design ecosystem member companies together to share with our customers real-case solutions for customers’ design challenges and success stories of best practice in TSMC’s design ecosystem.
More than 90% of the attendees last year said “this… Read More
Low-Power Design Analysis and Optimization for Mobile and High-Performance Computing Applications
For several decades now consumers like me have enjoyed using mobile devices including:
- Transistor radios, my first one had just 6 discreet transistors in the 1960’s
- HP 21 Calculator, used in college with Reverse Polish Notation, circa 1976
- Zenith Data Systems laptop, with two floppy drives, 1980’s
- Palm Pilot V,
20nm IC production needs more than a ready Foundry
I think by now all of us know, or have heard about 20nm process node, its PPA (Power, Performance, Area) advantages and challenges (complexity of high design size and density, heterogeneity, variability, stress, lithography complexities, LDEs and so on). I’m not going to get into the details of these challenges, but will ponder… Read More
Jasper: Negronis on tap
Did you know that Jasper’s Corner Tap in San Francisco serves Negronis on tap? It’s true. They also have Hanky Panky on tap, which is a Negroni with the Campari replaced with Fernet (which everyone pronounces as Frenet despite it being…well…wrong). And here’s another thing you probably didn’t… Read More
Innovation + Thoughtful Management = Productive Expansion
After looking at various aspects of this company, to sum up, I couldn’t find any better statement than this; thoughtful management here is actually leadership with passion which achieves tangible results. This reflects in the methodology of doing things in this company which has given it a place among top EDA companies in a span… Read More
Web-based Circuit Design and Analysis
Last month I blogged about CircuitLaband received some two dozen comments, so clearly there is keen interest in using web-based tools for electronic circuit design and using the cloud to save designs plus run simulations. Today I’m reporting on TINACloud, provided by a company called DesignSoft. … Read More
Who is One Step Above Colgate and One Below P&G?
So who do you think is #31 on the list on Forbes list of the most innovative companies in the world? One place above Colgate and one place below Procter and Gamble. Your first thought is probably why am I asking this on a blog covering semiconductors and going on about toothpaste manufacturers. The answer is Dassault Systèmes. Perhaps… Read More
Test, The Forgotten Step-Child of Semiconductor Design
Somehow, when designing a chip it is synthesis and place & route that gets all the attention. But it is no good taping out perfect layout without also having away to test the silicon. Somehow, test just isn’t as glamorous.
On September 10-12th is the International Test Conference which, as usual, is at the Disneyland Hotel… Read More
More to the story than bigger FPGA-based prototyping
Still not convinced on the value of FPGA-based prototyping systems, or using older technology? I’ve been trying to find the story beyond just bigger, badder FPGAs in a box that you pour RTL into – and found some hints in a webinar on the Synopsys HAPS-70 from earlier this year.… Read More
Musk’s new job as Samsung Fab Manager – Can he disrupt chip making? Intel outside