The web is a wonderful place to find information on almost any topic. While top-level information is easy to find, a deep dive often requires the services of a market research firm. These organizations specialize in “going deep” on many technology topics, offering insights not available with a Google search. And these services… Read More
KLAC- OK Quarter & flat guide- Hopefully 2025 recovery- Big China % & Backlog
– KLAC reported an OK QTR & flat guide-waiting for 2025 recovery?
– China exposure remains both risk & savior & big in backlog
– Wafer inspect strong- Patterning on long slide- PCB biz for sale
– Some bright spots but memory still weak- Foundry/Logic OK
Bumping along the bottom of the cycle
… Read More2024 Outlook with Steve Roddy of Quadric
Quadric Inc. is the leading licensor of general-purpose neural processor IP (GPNPU) that runs both machine learning inference workloads and classic DSP and control algorithms. Quadric’s unified hardware and software architecture is optimized for on-device ML inference. I have know Steve Roddy for many years, he is a high … Read More
LRCX- In line Q4 & flat guide- No recovery yet- China still 40%- Lags Litho
– Lam reported as expected and guided flat- No recovery yet
– Some mix shifts but China still 40% (8X US at 5%)-NVM still low
– HBM is promising but Lam needs a broad memory recovery
– Lam has not seen order surge ASML saw- Likely lagging by 3-4 QTRs
An in line quarter and uninspiring flat guide for Q1
As compared… Read More
Podcast EP205: A Multi-Decade View of Process and Device Innovation at Intel with Paul Fischer
Dan is joined by Paul Fischer. Paul is the director of Chip Mesoscale Processing in Intel’s Components Research. He and his team are currently working on Gallium Nitride for energy efficient power delivery and RF communications, and technologies for heterogeneous monolithic integration.
Paul discusses the innovations… Read More
ASML – Strong order start on long road to 2025 recovery – 24 flat vs 23 – EUV shines
– ASML orders more than triple sequentially- Utilization increases
– Management remains conservative with flat revenues 2024 vs 2023
– Recovery will be slow, targeting 2025- Long & weak cyclical bottom
– Litho orders are leading indicator of future wider recovery
Strong orders pave the way for
… Read MoreWhy Did Synopsys Really Acquire Ansys?
Mergers and acquisitions have been a big part of EDA since the beginning. We keep an EDA/IP Mergers and Acquisitions Wiki, it is 13 years old now and has more than one million views. Personally, I have been involved with dozens of acquisitions over my 40 year career, some good, some bad, all are interesting and are an important part … Read More
2023 Retrospective. Innovation in Verification
As usual in January we start with a look back at the papers we reviewed last year. Paul Cunningham (GM, Verification at Cadence), Raúl Camposano (Silicon Catalyst, entrepreneur, former Synopsys CTO and now Silvaco CTO) and I continue our series on research ideas. As always, feedback welcome. We’re planning on starting a live series… Read More
AI and SPICE Circuit Simulation Applications
Can you name the EDA vendor that first used AI starting 15 years ago for circuit designers using SPICE simulators? I can remember that vendor, it was Solido, now part of Siemens EDA, and I just read their 8 page paper on how they look at the various levels of AI being used in EDA to help IC designers work smarter and faster than using manual… Read More
2024 Semiconductor Cycle Outlook – The Shape of Things to Come – Where we Stand
- What kind of recovery do we expect, if any, after 2 down years?
- What impact will China have on the recovery of mature market chips?
- What will memory recovery look like? Will we return to stupid spend?
- Stock selection ever more critical in tepid recovery
More Headwinds – CHIPS Act Chop? – Chip Equip Re-Shore? Orders Canceled & Fab Delay