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Double Patterning and Then The End of Lithography

Double Patterning and Then The End of Lithography
by Paul McLellan on 03-15-2012 at 8:00 am

I went to a couple more sessions at the Common Platform Technology Forum today, on 20nm double patterning and whatever will we do at 14nm. Basically, this is the end of planar transistors and the end of optical lithography. One session was by IBM scientists about process and one by Michael White of Mentor about double patterning. … Read More


No Semiconductor Design Cloud Strategy? Really?

No Semiconductor Design Cloud Strategy? Really?
by Andrea Casotto on 03-14-2012 at 6:00 pm


I ask my customers about their cloud strategy and they all tell me “none”. The main reason is a red herring: “The legal department will never allow our IP outside our walls”.

Security issues on the cloud are largely solved, as proven by the fact that banks have no problem using external clouds. Behind the curtain, the real reason for… Read More


Common Platform: Onward to the Future

Common Platform: Onward to the Future
by Paul McLellan on 03-14-2012 at 3:03 pm

There were keynotes from all three semiconductor partners in the Common Platform Alliance and, as if to show how common they are, they all talked about the problems that need to be addressed in the next decade and a half and they all said pretty much the same thing. Gary Patton of IBM went first and so he got to say everything first. Plus,… Read More


Timing Closure for ECOs in your SOC Design

Timing Closure for ECOs in your SOC Design
by Daniel Payne on 03-14-2012 at 1:07 pm

I decided to attend a webinar today hosted by Synopsys, “Streamline Your PrimeTime ECO Flow For Fastest Setup, Hold and Timing DRC Closure.” The format was to present slides first then hold for questions until the end. Enough time was spent on questions which made this webinar different than most other webinars I’ve… Read More


SICAS is dead (and WSTS isn’t feeling too good)

SICAS is dead (and WSTS isn’t feeling too good)
by Bill Jewell on 03-13-2012 at 8:16 pm

The SICAS (Semiconductor Industry Capacity Statistics) program has been discontinued after the release of the 4Q 2011 data, available through the SIA at http://www.sia-online.org/industry-statistics/semiconductor-capacity-utilization-sicas-reports/

The latest report stated: “Due to significant changes in the… Read More


CDNLive: the Keynotes

CDNLive: the Keynotes
by Paul McLellan on 03-13-2012 at 2:24 pm

There were three keynotes at CDNLive this morning, and one theme ran through them: collaboration. In fact there was one specific instance of collaboration that all three people mentioned. Taping out an ARM Cortex-A15 in TSMC 20nm technology using a Cadence tool flow.

Lip-Bu, Cadence’s CEO, went first. He had some numbers… Read More


The Coming Gamer Tablet from…… Apple!

The Coming Gamer Tablet from…… Apple!
by Ed McKernan on 03-13-2012 at 11:25 am

After the introduction of the NEWiPAD, Apple has placed itself just two short steps away from dominating the computer market – including PCs. One step, which is widely reported, is a smaller iPAD with an 8” screen that aims for a $299 price point. Amazon will take the rest of the market under $299. The second step is purely speculation… Read More


More Growth in EDA

More Growth in EDA
by Daniel Payne on 03-12-2012 at 6:53 pm

I love to read good news about growth in EDA especially when our industry has seen single-digit growth for several years now. What I read on March 8th from ClioSoft stated a 53% increase in bookings for 2011, now that’s what I call growth.

ClioSoft provides Hardware Configuration Management (HCM) software to EDA users typically… Read More


Virtual Prototype your SoC including FlexNoC

Virtual Prototype your SoC including FlexNoC
by Eric Esteve on 03-12-2012 at 1:10 pm

Designing larger than ever SoC, integrating multiple ARM’s Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A9 microprocessor cores as well as complexes IP functions like HDMI controller, DDR3 Memory controller, Ethernet, SATA or PCI Express controller are pushing designers to search for better price, performance and area tradeoffs and the SoC interconnect… Read More


Book Review – iWoz

Book Review – iWoz
by Daniel Payne on 03-12-2012 at 11:01 am

I bought my first personal computer in 1979, it was a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I with just 16KB of RAM, a BW monitor and casette tape for storage. The reason that I chose the Radio Shack over the Apple II was that it cost less, so I was always interested in Apple products and the engineers behind them since the early days. It was pure delight… Read More