RISC-V is a general-purpose license-free open Instruction Set Architecture [ISA] with multiple extensions. It is an ISA separated into a small base integer ISA, usable as a base for customized accelerators and optional standard extensions to support general-purpose software development. RISC-V supports both 32-bit and … Read More




Keysight Expands EDA Software Portfolio with Cliosoft Acquisition
During the day I do M&A work inside the semiconductor ecosystem and I have been part of more than a dozen acquisitions during my career so I know a good one when I see it and I see a great one with Keysight and Cliosoft, absolutely.
Cliosoft came to SemiWiki 12 years ago when we first went online so I know them quite well. With more than… Read More
Physically Aware NoC Design Arrives With a Big Claim
I wrote last month about physically aware NoC design, so you shouldn’t be surprised that Arteris is now offering exactly that capability 😊. First, a quick recap on why physical awareness is important, especially below 16nm. Today, between the top level and subsystems a state-of-art SoC may contain anywhere from five to twenty … Read More
Safe Driving: FSD vs. V2X
When it comes to competing with Elon Musk’s Tesla the automotive industry is, in many ways, its own worst enemy. For more than two decades the auto industry – in the U.S. and E.U. – has struggled to bring vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology to market – first as dedicated short range communications… Read More
Bleak Year for Semiconductors
The global semiconductor market in 2022 was $573.5 billion, according to WSTS. 2022 was up 3.2% from 2021, a significant slowdown from 26.2% growth in 2021. We at Semiconductor Intelligence track semiconductor market forecasts and award a virtual prize for the most accurate forecast for the year. The criteria are a forecast publicly… Read More
Exponential Innovation: HFSS
The old adage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” is as offensive to innovators as it is to grammarians. Just because something works well, doesn’t mean it cannot work better. As times change and technology advances, you either move forward or get left behind.
If you haven’t upgraded to the latest Ansys HFSS electromagnetic simulation… Read More
Hardware Security in Medical Devices has not been a Priority — But it Should Be
Rapid advances in medical technology prolong patients’ lives and provide them with a higher standard of living than years past. But the increased interconnectivity of those devices and their dependence on wired and wireless networks leave them susceptible to cyberattacks that could have severe consequences.
Whether… Read More
AMAT- Flat is better than down-Trailing tool strength offsets memory- backlog up
-Strength in trailing tools offsets weak memory resulting in flat
-Order book very volatile but backlog surprisingly still grew
-Trailing edge VS Leading edge = 50/50 – Foundry/logic over 2/3
-Not nearly as bad as Lam but not as good as ASML
AMAT posts good quarter & guide – Flat for three quarters
Applied Materials… Read More
IEDM 2023 – 2D Materials – Intel and TSMC
Intel and TSMC make up two of the three leading edge logic companies. At IEDM held in December 2022, Intel presented a paper on 2D Materials and TSMC presented 6 papers. Clearly 2D materials are of great interest at least to two of the three leading edge logic companies. Before diving into the papers, some background context is needed.… Read More
Podcast EP144: How Andes Supplies RISC-V Cores to the World with Frankwell Lin
Dan is joined by Frankwell Lin. Frank co-founded Andes Technology in 2005 and served as President from 2006. He became Chairman and CEO in 2021. Under his leadership, Andes is recognized as a top supplier of embedded CPU IP in the semiconductor industry.
Dan explores how Andes became such a strong supplier of RISC-V cores with Frank.… Read More
Musk’s new job as Samsung Fab Manager – Can he disrupt chip making? Intel outside