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16 September 2007

News & Analysis | Technical Features | Opinion | Interview
News & Analysis
MEMS finds niche in space exploration
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has started a program to develop MEMS technologies that reduce the size, weight and power of its radio transceivers.

NHK bets on Super Hi-Vision as future TV
Japan Broadcasting Corp. has taken a step toward realizing that vision by demonstrating working prototypes of key component systems.

UWB to boost cellphone connectivity
UWB has been around for nearly half a decade as a demonstrable technology. It is appearing in the form of ICs that will be used to implement Certified Wireless USB in PCs and peripherals. How long will it be before UWB is deployed in mobile phones?

Let WiMAX, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi coexist in handsets
The coexistence of WiMAX, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in handsets and handheld devices poses an engineering challenge as their transmission over adjacent RF bands may conflict and severely degrade performance. But it's possible for these wireless technologies to exist in the handset.

Restructuring Bluetooth for mobile use
The trend of integrating Bluetooth in mobile phones continues to put phone manufacturers under increasing pressure. Users will not accept large handsets, compromised performance and shortened battery life due to power-hungry technologies. This article looks at the steps that Bluetooth chip vendors are taking to address these issues.


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What's next in cellphone design?
Cellular telephony has been—and will continue to be—a major contributor to the growth of Asian economies. This article discusses the future of cellphone design.

Optimal use of assertions in verification
Assertions provide an efficient way of improving overall design cycle productivity by cutting verification time. Here are some tips in the optimal use of assertions in verification.

Be wary of statistical figures' misuse
Statistical figures are great and important, but their misuse—either through ignorance, laziness or both—makes it hard for engineers. Engineers need to keep in mind that good design is a combination of data, analysis and intuition in the right balance.

Cellphone makers shuffle in green ranking
Greenpeace International has updated its ranking of cellphone makers according to their environmental policies, and the pressure seems to have worked.

Weigh power, heat factors in new resistors
Resistor manufacturers are now addressing demanding requirements by beefing up their power lines to offer more power and better heat dissipation in same-size or smaller packages.

Instruments combine RF, digital test
Changes in both RF communications and digital bus structures are creating the need for cross-cultural approaches to testing, and instrument developers are responding.

3G power amps to use revised CMOS
Acco Semiconductor believes it has found a way to create low-cost CMOS power amplifiers for 3G cellphones that can operate with the power efficiency and robustness of GaAs Pas.

High-k/metal-gate tools enhance 45nm designs
Applied Materials has rolled out a trio of tools for the high-k/metal-gate at 45nm: an atomic-layer deposition chamber for the company's single-wafer Centura platform and various configurations for the Endura platform.

Connectors cope with medical apps' requirements
Despite the lack of standardized testing today for electronic components used in medical products, manufacturers are delivering connectors that meet the most demanding requirements of the medical industry.

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Technical Features
Take accurate efficiency measurements
This article discusses PFM mode and how it helps maintain high efficiencies at light loads. It also provides guidelines to assist the engineer in acquiring accurate efficiency measurements. (PDF file)

Avoid design snags with silicon contour predictor
Designers can improve parametric yield and chip performance by accurately determining the impact of systematic variations during design. (PDF file)

Beat serial backplane interface design hurdles
Evolution of backplane system requirements in terms of rates and protocols is inevitable and engineers will face interface design challenges. (PDF file)

Examine DNA samples with MEMS
MEMS technology, in the form of a DNA lab-on-a-chip, is starting to assume a key role as part of a set of instruments for making quick analyses of microbiological samples. (PDF file)

Recognize high-power LED thermal problems
Designers attempting to create high-power LED systems are well served by understanding the thermal problems associated with LEDs. Smart thermal management will increase the operating temperature range, and thermal monitoring will maintain the accuracy of LED products. (PDF file)

Broadband illumination captures critical defects
This article demonstrates that a tunable broadband brightfield approach has several advantages over a single-wavelength approach for meeting new inspection challenges and generating higher capture rates of yield-impacting defects. (PDF file)

Simplify DDR validation with SI methods
As DDR memory technology evolves, DDR signal integrity becomes more challenging—hence, it is essential to use a proper probing method to obtain the best result.  (PDF file)

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Opinion
India: More than a low-wage destination
The opportunity in offshore product development is becoming more apparent with the success of design centers that have churned out high-end products from India.

Formal verification fetches better results
Complete formal verification is not a silver bullet for all functional verification tasks. But for a broad range of digital modules and IP, it delivers far superior results in terms of verification quality, effort and costs.


Interview
Asia's EDA moment is just around the corner
Mentor Graphics' Daniel Yang, managing director, Pacific Rim operations, discusses the Asian designer's future and how the region is shaping up to captivate the EDA industry.
Talkback

eeForum:
Demystifying Vietnam
What does Vietnam offer that a rising number of top-tier semiconductor companies are setting up and expanding operations there?

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