Moore’s law limitations and gravitational collapse at lower process nodes

Moore’s law limitations and gravitational collapse at lower process nodes
by Vaibbhav Taraate on 10-05-2015 at 4:00 pm

As stated in my previous article, about the complexity of the SOC with billions of transistors. It is essential to consider the real practical scenario for the two dimensional verses three dimensional structure of the chip. Although the new technological changes and evolution for the shrinking process node can create ease for… Read More


Samsung Device Solutions Has a New Home

Samsung Device Solutions Has a New Home
by Paul McLellan on 09-30-2015 at 7:00 am

Last week it was the formal opening of Samsung’s new office building in North San Jose. They have brought together all of semiconductor device solutions in a huge new office building. The building can hold 2000 people. Samsung Device Solutions consists of:

  • memory
  • system LSI
  • LED
  • display

Dr OH Kwan, the CEO of Samsung Electronics,… Read More


All Models Are Wrong, Some Are Useful

All Models Are Wrong, Some Are Useful
by Paul McLellan on 09-15-2015 at 7:00 am

“All models are wrong, some are useful.” This remark is attributed to the statistician George Box who used it as the section heading in a paper published in 1976.

Just for fun I looked up a few semiconductor statistics from 1976. Total capital spending was $238M in Japan and $306M in US and…that’s it, there was nobody else back then … Read More


Semiconductor Usage Revolves Around Asia

Semiconductor Usage Revolves Around Asia
by Pawan Fangaria on 09-07-2015 at 7:00 am

I just read Daniel Nenni’s blog titled “Is Silicon Valley Gridlock a Good Sign for Semiconductors?” Dan, there is no definitive answer to this, I mean in terms of semiconductors. Let me call it Semiconductor Gridlock in Silicon Valley. Yes it’s good because Silicon Valley promotes research, brings up innovative technology and… Read More


TSMC is the Top Dog in Pure-Play Foundry Business

TSMC is the Top Dog in Pure-Play Foundry Business
by Pawan Fangaria on 09-01-2015 at 12:00 pm

We all have echoed the fact that the arrival of fabless business model in the semiconductor industry has transformed it completely. The book, “Fabless: The Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry” provides several stories around that. In the backdrop of that, one key point to ponder upon is the start of pure-play foundries;… Read More


Moore’s law observations and the analysis for year 2019.

Moore’s law observations and the analysis for year 2019.
by Vaibbhav Taraate on 08-27-2015 at 4:00 pm

As semiconductor professionals we all are familiar with Moore’s law. Respected Gordon Moore during year 1965-1975 observed and stated that, number of transistors in dense Integrated Circuit has doubled for approximately two years. In the present scenario, if we consider the complexity of Integrated Circuit and if we… Read More


Test Driving Analog/Mixed Signal Design for the Internet of Things

Test Driving Analog/Mixed Signal Design for the Internet of Things
by Beth Martin on 08-25-2015 at 12:00 pm

The Internet of Things (IoT) is creating urgent demand for a new generation of analog/mixed-signal (AMS) designs, some of which also contain MEMs. To efficiently create the myriad of AMS devices at the edge of the IoT requires a design environment that is affordable and easy to use, but powerful enough to create the widely diverse… Read More


My Tryst with Semiconductors and EDA

My Tryst with Semiconductors and EDA
by Pawan Fangaria on 08-19-2015 at 4:00 pm

Yes, today I realize it feels like a tryst with semiconductors. In actual meaning; it wasn’t a love affair with semiconductors, but I must say the greatest thing it taught me about how it approaches towards perfection. And that became the guiding principle in my life; how can I do something better. Of course nothing is perfect in life… Read More


My Top Ten Regrets if I were Dying?

My Top Ten Regrets if I were Dying?
by Daniel Nenni on 08-17-2015 at 4:00 pm

As birthday #55 rapidly approaches I say to myself: Self, if I were dying what would be my regrets? The first thing I did was ask The Google because I’m not coming up with anything really interesting myself. Also, it really isn’t a pressing problem for me as my life expectancy has increased quite a bit over the last 30 years, or so I’m told.… Read More


Intel: Their Week in the Spotlight

Intel: Their Week in the Spotlight
by Paul McLellan on 08-13-2015 at 3:00 pm

Next week is the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) here in San Francisco at the Moscone Center. I’ll be there at least some of the time. But it is also the time that people who haven’t a clue about semiconductors and the market that it serves get to lap up press releases and try and sound intelligent.

For example:
Intel is aboutRead More