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Throughout the years, we’ve been witness to a plethora of advancements in semiconductor design services. In 2018, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) proudly announced that the global semiconductor industry achieved unprecedented sales of $468.8 billion, representing a staggering 13.7 percent increase from the previous year.

The demand for semiconductor services has been on a steady rise, coinciding with the introduction of a wide range of new technological breakthroughs. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that there is a shift towards lower geometries such as 7nm, 12nm, and 16nm. The driving force behind this trend lies in the multitude of benefits that stem from lower geometries, including enhanced power, smaller area requirements, and a host of other features that become achievable.

The proliferation of lower geometries has spurred business growth across various sectors, particularly in mobility, communication, IoT, cloud computing, and AI for hardware platforms such as ASIC, FPGA, and boards.

Today’s dynamic and highly competitive market necessitates the timely delivery of lower technology design projects. However, there are numerous uncertainties associated with lower geometries that can impact project/product scheduled delivery. To ensure on-time delivery at lower geometry nodes, the following elements need to be considered:

1. Cost modeling for lower technology nodes

   Engineers need to establish a clear roadmap for activities from spec-to-silicon, determine their order of execution, estimate the necessary resources, and assess the time required to complete each task. Additionally, a primary objective is to minimize the overall system cost while meeting specified service requirements. The following actions can be taken to optimize costs:

   • Implement multiple patterning techniques
   • Use suitable design-for-test (DFT) strategies
   • Leverage mask making, interconnects, and process control
   • Explore alternative layout methods, as node scaling down becomes less economically viable. For instance, some companies are pursuing monolithic 3D ICs instead of conventional planar implementations, resulting in significant power savings, performance boosts, and a reduction in costs without transitioning to a new node.
2. Advanced data analytics for smart chip manufacturing

   During the chip manufacturing process, a vast amount of data is generated on the fab floor. With each new technology node dimension, the volume of data has been increasing exponentially. Engineers play a pivotal role in generating and analyzing this data, with the aim of enhancing predictive maintenance, optimizing yield, boosting R&D efforts, improving product efficiency, and more. The application of advanced analytics in chip manufacturing can lead to better component quality/performance, reduced test time for quality assurance, increased throughput, improved equipment availability, and lower operating costs.

3. Efficient supply chain management

   Given the rapid release of new technologies, the chip-making industry is facing challenges in IC supply chain management. The key to improving efficiency and profitability lies in accelerated decision-making and seamless integration of various suppliers, client requirements, distribution centers, warehouses, and stores. This enables the production of merchandise with end-to-end supply chain visibility, ensuring the right quantities are delivered to the right location at the right time, thereby minimizing total system costs.

4. Process for timely delivery

   Timely delivery to customers is a vital aspect of semiconductor design services. It encompasses setting up order capturing for real-time order management, cloud computing optimization, logistics, and timely product delivery. By keeping customers informed at each stage and meeting critical deadlines, delays can be overcome. To achieve this, semiconductor design companies can:

   • Minimize the use of custom flows and transition towards place & route flows for improved physical data-path capabilities.
   • Adhere to quick response times for client requirements and change requests.
   • Obtain real-time information regarding spec-to-silicon availability, encompassing design flow, location, reservation, and quantity.
   • Promote collaborative communication among teams working on the project.
   • Focus on criticality analysis to mitigate the risk of functional failures that could impede business operations.
   • Develop proficiency in multiple project management tools to enhance utilization.
   • Adopt leading technologies (such as TSMC, GF, UMC, Samsung), advanced methodologies (with a focus on low power consumption and high-speed performance), and cutting-edge tools (including Innovus, Synopsys, ICC2, Primetime, ICV).

So, how is eInfochips positioned to serve the ever-evolving market? eInfochips, an Arrow Company, is the ideal design partner for those seeking to accelerate product innovation, optimize R&D costs, accelerate time to market, enhance operational efficiency, and maximize return on investment (ROI). With over 500 product designs and more than 40 million deployments worldwide, eInfochips has collaborated with renowned global companies. The extensive pool of engineers at eInfochips specializes in Product Engineering Services (PES), prioritizing in-depth R&D and new product development.

To deliver products within short time-to-market windows, eInfochips offers ASIC, FPGA, and SoC design services based on standard interface protocols. These services encompass:

1. Sign-off services in the front end (RTL design, Verification) and backend (Physical design and DFT)
2. Turnkey design services covering RTL to GDSII and design layout
3. Utilization of reusable IPs and frameworks, enabling rapid product development while minimizing costs and ensuring timely delivery

Original blog published at eInfochips.com.

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Ihab Salloum