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TSMC 28nm Design Advisory

TSMC 28nm Design Advisory
by Daniel Nenni on 01-31-2010 at 11:49 pm

Transistors may be shrinking but atoms are not. Transistors are now just a handful of atoms so it matters even more when a couple of those atoms are out of place. Process variations, whether they are statistical, proximity, or otherwise, have got to be thoughtfully accounted for if we are to achieve the low-power, high-performance,… Read More


Moore’s Law and 28nm Yield

Moore’s Law and 28nm Yield
by Daniel Nenni on 01-24-2010 at 10:44 pm

This blog is a follow-up to my second most viewed page Moore’s Law and 40nm Yield, with a strong recommendation of how to design for yield at the advanced nodes (32/28/22nm) with Verify High-Sigma design technology.

Case in point: Circuit blocks such as complex standard cells or memory bit cells are repeated thousands or even millions… Read More


TSMC versus Global Foundries Part II

TSMC versus Global Foundries Part II
by Daniel Nenni on 01-17-2010 at 11:52 am

The foundry business is a tough one. The golden age of semiconductors is clearly over and what remains is a highly competitive marketplace. This blog follows up my original TSMC vs Global Foundries which is the single most viewed page on my site.

Case in point #1: Founded in 2000, SMIC Semiconductor Manufacturing International … Read More


2010 Semiconductor Recovery

2010 Semiconductor Recovery
by Daniel Nenni on 12-31-2009 at 8:00 pm


Any questions? Christmas was good for electronics and the start of a prosperous semiconductor New Year. Semiconductor inventories are low and demand is increasing around the world. Remember, there are 1,338,612,968 people in China that will need mobile internet devices and the stimulus money is gushing over there. There are… Read More


TSMC Yields @ 28nm!

TSMC Yields @ 28nm!
by Daniel Nenni on 12-31-2009 at 8:00 pm


It was an interesting week in Taiwan for sure. Typhoon Fanapi, lightning storms, the first 28nm production silicon, foundry re-orgs, and most importantly Moon Cake pastries! Wednesday was the Chinese Moon (Zhongqiu)Festival, in Taiwan it is a National holiday commonly celebrated by people barbecuing various meats outdoors.… Read More


Semiconductor IP Innovation

Semiconductor IP Innovation
by Daniel Nenni on 12-14-2009 at 11:23 pm

By definition:
Invention is a new composition, device, or process.
Innovation is a new way of doing something or “new stuff that is made useful”.

Even better:

Invention is the conversion of cash into ideas.

Innovation is the conversion of ideas into cash.

In an industry bound by technical standards and the law of physics, innovation… Read More


Google versus Synopsys (EDA)

Google versus Synopsys (EDA)
by Daniel Nenni on 12-07-2009 at 11:04 pm

This Blog is a follow-up to my ever popular declaration that EDA is DEAD. I know comparing Google to Synopsys is apples and oranges, or more appropriately comparing apples and prunes, but the business model contrast is relevant. Googled: The End of the World As We Know It is absolutely the best book on Google to date. I also read PlanetRead More


UMC vs GLOBALFOUNDRIES

UMC vs GLOBALFOUNDRIES
by Daniel Nenni on 11-11-2009 at 11:31 pm

TSMC Versus Global Foundries and TSMC versus SMIC clearly indicate that TSMC is the number one foundry in the world and it will be that way for the foreseeable future. The question now is who will be number two? Who will seriously challenge TSMC?

UMC has 10 fabs, 8 in Taiwan, 1 in Japan, and 1 in Singapore. Global Foundries will have Chartered’s… Read More


TSMC UMC Lead Semiconductor Recovery – Record Year in 2010

TSMC UMC Lead Semiconductor Recovery – Record Year in 2010
by Daniel Nenni on 11-09-2009 at 11:37 pm

TSMC posted its best net profit in a year for Q309, saying demand for chips across all applications improved. Third-quarter sales fell a modest 3.3% year over year to $2.76 billion, but increased 21% from the previous quarter. Earnings per American Depositary Share (ADS) were flat when compared to 2008, but 25% above the second … Read More


TSMC Open Innovation Platform Explained

TSMC Open Innovation Platform Explained
by Daniel Nenni on 11-09-2009 at 10:56 pm

Launched in April 2008, the TSMC Open Innovation Platform initiative is a collaborative strategy aimed at breaking the bottlenecks of semiconductor design enablement in order to promote growth for the industry as a whole. The TSMC iPDK Debate: Lets Play Monopoly! blog I did provides more technical detail.

While Wafer count is… Read More