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May 13
- Questa One software uses AI to verify complex chip design
➀ Siemens Digital Industries Software launches Questa One suite to address declining first-time silicon success rates (14% for ASIC, 13% for FPGA) through AI-powered verification;
➀ The suite includes four tools accelerating simulation, fault analysis, and stimulus-free verification, claiming 50x faster test generation and 48x fault simulation improvements;
➂ Integrated with Tessent technologies and Veloce systems, it supports 3D-IC, chiplets, and software-defined architectures, with early adopters reporting significant productivity gains.
- Rule By Decree
➀ President Trump issued over two executive orders/memorandums daily in his second term, totaling 187 in the first 87 days;
➁ Biden signed 235 executive actions in his first two years, while Trump issued 211 during the same period in 2017-2018;
➂ Key focuses of Trump’s orders included defense, immigration, and energy/environmental policies, with 64 directives targeting energy and climate issues.
- CHIIPS Podcast #7 – Insights from Dr Andy Sellars and Rupert Baines
➀ The latest CHIIPS podcast episode discusses the UK's semiconductor strategy with Dr. Andy Sellars (Compound Semiconductor Catapult) and Rupert Baines (Cambridge Tech Week 2025 chair);
➁ Both experts share insights on semiconductor innovation, UKTIN's role, and silicon photonics developments at the University of Southampton;
➂ The series highlights key electronics industry trends and future challenges through interviews with global leaders.
- Lockheed Martin completes Orion development for Moon mission
➀ Lockheed Martin completed assembly and testing of NASA's Orion Artemis II spacecraft, transferring it to NASA's Exploration Ground Systems team for launch preparation;
➁ The Orion spacecraft features advanced life support, communication systems, and safety measures, marking a milestone in establishing a human lunar presence and Mars missions;
➂ Artemis II will carry four astronauts, with future missions (Artemis III and IV) targeting lunar landings and integration with the Lunar Gateway station for Mars exploration.
May 12
- Heat Wave
➀ A heat wave has led to record-breaking temperatures globally, including 44°C in Jaipur (India), 50°C in Shaheed Benazirabad (Pakistan), and 18°C in Antarctica, with NASA confirming unprecedented global warming.
➀ Historical temperature milestones include 56.7°C in Death Valley (1913), 48.8°C in Sicily (Europe's highest, 2021), and 50.7°C in Australia (2022).
➂ Rising temperatures are occurring earlier in the year, with April 2024 heatwaves setting national records in Cambodia and Myanmar.
- 2024 semi revenue grew 25% to $683bn
➀ Global semiconductor revenue grew 25% YoY to $683 billion in 2024, driven by strong demand for AI-related chips, particularly HBM, which fueled a 74% surge in memory segment revenue;
➁ Memory market recovery, led by improved supply-demand balance and higher ASPs, lifted Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron into the top seven semiconductor companies by revenue;
➂ Despite overall growth, automotive and industrial semiconductor revenues declined, highlighting market imbalances, while NVIDIA surpassed Samsung as the top semiconductor company due to GPU dominance.
- Foxconn and Mitsubishi hook up on EVs
➀ Mitsubishi Motors and Foxconn signed an MoU to supply EVs for Australia and New Zealand markets starting in 2026;
➁ The compact SUV, based on Foxtron Model B, will be developed by Foxconn subsidiary Foxtron and manufactured by Yulon Motor under the Mitsubishi brand;
➂ The partnership validates Foxtron's contract EV design and manufacturing model, emphasizing platform optimization and modular components to accelerate development.
- Raspberry Pi OS updated, sees last Debian Bookworm update
➀ Raspberry Pi OS introduces screen lock enhancements, a standalone Printers app, and improved touchscreen functionality;
➁ This marks the final Debian Bookworm-based release, with a transition to Debian Trixie expected this summer;
➂ Updates are available via apt commands or Raspberry Pi Imager, while Wayland remains the default windowing system.
- Siemens and IFS certify tools
➀ Siemens and Intel Foundry certify Calibre nmPlatform and Solido tools for Intel 18A PDK, enabling early design work and IP development;
➁ A reference workflow for EMIB-T and EMIB technologies using Siemens' 3D IC tools is established, supporting design exploration;
➂ Siemens joins the Intel Foundry Accelerator Chiplet Alliance to advance multi-die interconnect solutions.
- Ed Spots The 2D Chip Wheeze
➀ Ed proposes molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) as a potential silicon replacement for 2D ICs, citing its high current density, tunable bandgap, and compatibility with silicon;
➀ He devises a government-backed scheme offering 50% R&D tax credits, 75% income tax relief for investors, and public funding for imec licenses to attract MoS2 startups and global research talent;
➂ While the initiative aims to position the UK as a tech leader in 2D ICs, Ed personally profits by vetting applications based on undisclosed inducements, making MoS2 a lucrative venture for him.
May 9
- No-volt release with few new holes?
➀ The article discusses the need to implement a no-volt release and emergency stop system for a CNC lathe project while minimizing new holes in the front panel;
➀ Existing front panel buttons use a 12V power supply to control relays for spindle and stepper motors, with the current emergency stop lacking a key;
➁ Options for alternative switches (e.g., LA38 series) are considered, balancing safety requirements and panel modifications, including separate controls for spindle and stepper motors.
- Maggie Philbin – CHIIPS podcast interview with TeenTech founder
➀ Maggie Philbin, co-founder of TeenTech, discusses STEM opportunities for youth and her charity work in the CHIIPS podcast;
➁ TeenTech alumni share experiences and skills gained through conferences and events;
➂ Highlights Maggie's anticipation of hosting the Women Leaders in Electronics Awards in London.
- Customer Service
➀ A former executive recounts a 1980s incident where a semiconductor CEO angrily dismissed customer feedback during a dinner intended to improve client relations;
➁ The CEO erupted with profanity, claiming he 'invented the industry,' abruptly ending the meeting and leaving attendees shocked;
➂ The event highlighted systemic issues in customer engagement, with no subsequent improvements in the company’s support or communication.
- USSF selects organisations for Space Test Experiments Platform
➀ Terran Orbital and 11 other companies were selected by the U.S. Space Force (USSF) for the $237 million STEP 2.0 contract, a 10-year program to develop advanced space technologies;
➁ The initiative focuses on creating modular small satellite buses to host experimental payloads, including sensors and communication systems;
➂ The program aims to validate technologies for future military space architectures, with Space Systems Command overseeing the collaboration between defense and industry partners.
- 4.3inch IPS display replaces Innolux
➀ Inelco Hunter introduces a 4.3-inch IPS touchscreen display as a drop-in replacement for discontinued Innolux models;
➁ The display features 480x272 resolution, 450cd/m² brightness, resistive touch, and 24-bit RGB interface via SC7283-G4 driver IC, with 20,000-hour lifespan;
➂ Operating at -20–70°C and 3–3.6V, it targets industrial applications with compact dimensions (105.5x67.2x4.85mm) and low power consumption (30–45mA).
- Most Read – CoolSiC MOSFET, Chinese cars, Digital Twin Centre
➀ Infineon launched CoolSiC MOSFET 750V G2 technology for automotive and industrial applications, enhancing power efficiency and density;
➁ Chinese car companies are expanding overseas manufacturing to bypass tariffs, with BYD building a $1 billion plant in Turkey for EU market access;
➂ Q1 global semiconductor sales grew 18.8% YoY, and NIST unveiled a high-precision atomic clock to refine timekeeping standards.
- TSMC April revenue up 48% y-o-y
➀ TSMC's April 2025 revenue reached $11.6 billion, marking a 48% year-on-year and 22.2% month-on-month increase;
➁ Cumulative revenue from January to April 2025 totaled $62 billion, up 43.5% compared to the same period in 2024;
➂ The growth reflects TSMC's continued strong performance in semiconductor manufacturing amid global chip demand.
- Alice & Bob set up $50m quantum lab
➀ Alice & Bob is building a $50 million quantum computing laboratory in Paris, partnering with Quantum Machines and Bluefors;
➁ The lab will develop next-gen quantum chips (Lithium, Beryllium, Graphene) and aims to launch a 100-logical-qubit quantum computer by 2030;
➂ Funded by $103 million Series B, the facility includes a cleanroom and cryogenic systems, leveraging cat qubit technology to reduce errors and resource demands.
- Panmesia gets $30m to redefine AI infrastructure architecture
➀ Panmesia secures $30 million to develop modular AI accelerators using chiplet technology, targeting LLMs and large-scale AI workloads with optimized resource utilization;
➁ Its flexible chiplet architecture integrates in-memory processing and CXL to reduce data movement, power consumption, and infrastructure costs while enabling scalability;
➂ The accelerator combines manycore and vector processor chiplets, leveraging advanced nodes to deliver high parallelism and tailored performance for diverse AI tasks.
- Novaspace reports Space Exploration Investment to reach $31bn by 2034
➀ Global government investment in space exploration is projected to grow from $27 billion (2024) to $31 billion by 2034, driven by lunar and Mars missions;
➁ Lunar exploration funding is expected to rise from $12 billion to $15 billion, while Mars exploration grows at 11% annually with sample-return missions;
➂ The U.S. will dominate spending (63%), followed by China (22%) and ESA (6%), with 330 lunar missions planned between 2025-2034.
May 8
- The self-docking Alvik robot finds its way home
➀ Introduction of a modified self-docking Arduino Alvik robot (nicknamed Guacho) with autonomous charging capabilities;
➁ Demonstration of the robot navigating indoor environments independently and returning to base for self-sustaining operation;
➂ Highlights the advancement in overcoming power dependency challenges in robotics.
- Infineon expects FY revenue decline
➀ Infineon reported fiscal Q2 2025 revenue of €3.591 billion with a 16.7% margin, projecting Q3 revenue of €3.7 billion and mid-teens margins;
➁ The company revised its FY 2025 outlook to a slight revenue decline due to a 10% cut in Q4 expectations, driven by tariff disputes, despite stable order intake;
➂ Capex reduced to €2.3 billion, with adjusted free cash flow at €1.6 billion and reported free cash flow unchanged at €900 million.
- 1W current sensing resistors
➀ Rhopoint Components is distributing 1W surface-mount current sensing resistors (RBF series) from VPG Foil Resistors, with resistances ranging from 0.01Ω to 1Ω and tolerances as low as 0.5%;
➁ The resistors feature temperature coefficients of ±25ppm/°C (expandable to ±10ppm/°C for 0.1-1Ω variants) and can operate at full power up to +70°C, with cooling solutions like metal PCBs enabling higher performance;
➂ Designed for applications in solar inverters, wind power monitoring, power supplies, and over-current detection circuits.
- PCIM: 40V 0.8mΩ GaN power transistor for synchronous rectification
➀ EPC launched a 40V GaN power transistor (EPC2366) targeting 48V-12V LLC DC-DC converters, aiming to replace silicon MOSFETs in secondary-side synchronous rectification;
➁ The device features ultra-low Rds(on) of 0.8mΩ, 68A continuous current, and thermal management with both top (0.6°C/W) and bottom (1.8°C/W) cooling capabilities;
➂ Supported by evaluation boards like EPC90167, it also targets 24V battery-powered motor drives, though samples require qualification for access.
- Record quarter for Arm
➀ Arm reported record fiscal Q4 (calendar Q1) revenue of $1.24 billion, surpassing $1 billion for the first time, with royalties exceeding $600 million;
➁ Full-year revenue exceeded $4 billion, with over $2 billion from royalties, driven by higher per-chip royalties in smartphones and AI adoption in data centers and edge computing;
➂ Arm forecasts $1–1.1 billion in fiscal Q1 sales and projects Arm-based chips to comprise nearly 50% of new server chips for hyperscalers in 2024, fueled by AI workloads migrating to the edge.
- China solar panel industry takes a bath
➀ China's top solar panel producers, including Jinko Solar, incurred significant losses in 2024 due to overproduction and falling prices, with seven firms combined losing $3.7 billion;
➁ Global solar installations grew from 242GW (2022) to 602GW (2024), but aggressive expansion led to a 70% price drop and severe oversupply (1,446GW capacity vs. 993GW projected demand in 2035);
➂ Exports surged 50% to $30.6 billion (2020-2024), but EU protectionist measures and persistent supply-demand imbalances signal ongoing industry challenges.
- Danisense offers on-line current transducer calibration
➀ Danisense launches an 'Online Calibration Portal' for brand-agnostic current transducer calibration, available via their website from mid-May 2025.
➁ The ISO 17025-accredited service, based in Denmark, provides real-time updates, detailed reports, order tracking, and online payment.
➂ Customers gain 24/7 access to calibration documents, streamlining workflows and improving transparency.
May 6
- Cable assemblies keep a low profile under cooling hardware
➀ Samtec introduces Si-Fly LP cable assemblies with a 4.35mm mated height for data centers, HPC, and AI applications, addressing space constraints near IC packages;
➁ Supports 112Gbps PAM4 rates (up to 1.79Tbps) and PCIe 6.0/CXL 3.2, using proprietary 34 AWG twinax cables to optimize signal integrity and thermal management;
➂ Enables flexible PCB mounting (including belly-to-belly configurations) to reduce board space and ensure compatibility with cooling solutions like heat sinks.
- PCIM: Five automotive uses for a 1,700V flyback dc-dc converter
➀ Power Integrations unveiled five 800V automotive reference designs using 1,700V InnoSwitch3-AQ flyback converters, targeting traction inverter gate drivers, emergency power, and auxiliary systems;
➁ Designs feature planar/wound transformers and InSOP-28G packaging with 5.1mm creepage to eliminate conformal coating;
➂ InnoSwitch3-AQ integrates a 1.7kV SiC switch, supports 30-1,000V input, and delivers up to 120W with <15mW no-load consumption.
- Landlordville
➀ The author reflects on meeting a resident of Margaritaville, a U.S. resort town promoting a "laid-back lifestyle," and considers whether similar towns could exist in the UK;
➀ He humorously suggests naming UK towns after iconic British beers like "Landlordville" or "Tributeville";
➂ The article highlights the appeal of leisure-focused communities and the cultural contrast in beverage preferences, including a nod to Margarita variations like the "Ultimate Rita."