SystemVerilog as an assertion language improved and simplified with the 2012 version compared to the 2005 version. I recently viewed a webinar on SystemVerilog 2012 by consultant Srinivasan Venkataramanan, who works at CVC Pvt. Ltd. There’s been a steep learning-curve for assertions in the past, and hopefully you’ll… Read More
Electronic Design Automation
Conquering errors in the hierarchy of FPGA IP
FPGA design today involves not only millions of gates on the target device, but thousands of source files with RTL and constraints, often generated by multiple designers or third party IP providers. With modules organized in some logical way describing the design, designers brace themselves for synthesis and a possible avalanche… Read More
Because X doesn’t always mark the exact spot
Digital hardware has a habit of deciding – based on the bias and behavior of transistors – to drive outputs to a 0, or a 1, or if commanded a high-impedance Z state. SystemVerilog recognizes a fourth state: X, the “unknown” state a simulator has trouble inferring.
Simulators have a choice. Under X-optimism, they can convert the unknown… Read More
Lithography: Future Technologies
The first part of Lars Liebmann’s ICCAD keynote about lithography was on the changes in lithography that have to us to where we are today. In some ways it was an explanation of why we have the odd design rules, double patterning etc that we have in 20nm and 16nm processes. The second part of his talk was a look forward to how we might… Read More
Semiconductor Process Development: A View from the Trenches at IEDM
There is always a lot of posturing and pontificating when semiconductor executives talk about the future of process development. They are fighting an air war of perception and investor expectations, so naturally want to make sure they have plenty to brag about. But, as we pointed out recently with Intel’s problems at 14nm, moving… Read More
Front-End Design Summit: Physically Aware Design
Save closure time and boost performance by incorporating knowledge of physically aware design early into your front-end design implementation flow
With the adoption of advanced process nodes, design closure is becoming increasingly difficult due to the lack of convergence between the front end and the back end of the register-transfer… Read More
Better License Usage vs More Licenses
When you see a new product announcement from an EDA company, it is always put in terms that make it seem as if the engineer is sitting at his or her desktop with a big server and is running the new tool to wondrous effect. But the reality in the real world is that most companies have a computing infrastructure of server farms, often several… Read More
Signoff Summit and Voltus
Yesterday Cadence had an all-day Signoff Summit where they talked about the tools that they have for signoff in advanced nodes. Well, of course, those tools work just fine in non-advanced nodes too, but at 20nm and 16nm there are FinFETs, double patterning, timing impacts from dummy metal fill, a gazillion corners to be analyzed… Read More
Thermal Analysis for 3D SoC Integration
The first time that I saw a DRAM in a ceramic package running on a tester I made the mistake of touching my finger to the metal lid, scorching my finger and teaching me a lesson that ICs can run extremely hot. I’ve read a lot the past few years about 3D IC design, and immediately my mind becomes curious about how an engineer would go… Read More
The Rosetta Stone of Lithography
At major EDA events, CEDA (the IEEE council on EDA, I guess you already know what that bit stands for) hosts a lunch and presentation for attendees and others. This week was ICCAD and the speaker was Lars Liebmann of IBM on The Escalating Design Impact of Resolution-Challenged Lithography. Lars decided to give us a whirlwind tour … Read More


An Insight into Building Quantum Computers