Watch your step IC technology and tools face economic hurdles

• Published in: EDN Vol. 49; no. 24; p. 50
• Main Authors: Moretti, Gabe, Stoner, Jon
• Format: Magazine Article Trade Publication Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge AspenCore 25.11.2004
• Subjects: Alternatives; Collaboration; Cosmic rays; Design; Design engineering; Designers; Engineering; Engineers; Foundries; Integrated circuits; Manufacturers; Manufacturing; Power; Semiconductors; Transistors; United States > US
• ISSN: 0012-7515; 2163-4084

Moore's Law is a powerful industry motivator that continues to justify new inventions. The challenge to stay on the development path that the law predicts has become so formidable that the semiconductor industry is more and more conducting its research efforts in a precompetitive environment. As semiconductor technology has progressed from 2 microns, to today's 90-nm processes, and on to 65 nm, the number of design elements that have gone from being fixed or given to being variable has been increasing. Engineers need circuit-design expertise to make correct decisions when dealing with such multidimensional problems. Although the engineering challenges are severe, managers also face a serious increase in job complexity. The principal reason many managers hesitate to move to the next process node is the increased uncertainty in arriving at a definitive development-cost value. The ASIC design market will continue at a reasonable volume if both designers and manufacturers find a viable alternative to the current methods.