Semiconductor Latest News

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130nm Wafer & MPW Cost Explained: When This Node Makes Sense

wafer

130nm sits at an important intersection between mature analog processes and more integration-friendly digital nodes. It is often chosen when designers need more density than 180nm, without the complexity of advanced nodes. Cost at 130nm is often misunderstood — especially when comparing MPW and full mask options.
 
This article explains

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180nm Wafer & MPW Cost Explained: Pricing, Use Cases, and Trade-offs

wafer

180nm remains one of the most widely used semiconductor process nodes for analog, mixed-signal, power, and industrial ICs. Despite its age, it is still a first-choice node for many new designs.  Cost is often cited as the main reason — but understanding what actually drives 180nm wafer and MPW pricing

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ASIC Feasibility Explained: Is a Custom ASIC Realistic for Your Product?

Depositphotos

Many teams talk about doing an ASIC long before they know whether an ASIC is actually feasible.  In practice, ASIC feasibility is not a yes/no question.

It is a balance of economics, risk, schedule, and technical reality.
 
This article explains what really makes an ASIC project feasible —

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Is Your Design Ready for MPW Tapeout? A Practical Readiness Check

wafer

Booking an MPW shuttle is often seen as a safe first step toward silicon. In reality, MPW only reduces mask cost risk — it does not protect you from an unready design.
 
Many MPW failures happen not because MPW is the wrong choice, but because the design was not

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MPW Cost Explained: What You Actually Pay (and What You Don’t)

stacked wafers

Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) runs are often described as a low-cost way to get first silicon.  That’s true — but only if you understand what the MPW fee actually includes and, just as importantly, what it does not.
 
Many first-time teams underestimate MPW cost, not because MPW is expensive, but

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ASIC or Not Tool

mlm wafer calculator

ASIC or Not? — Decision Wizard

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Should You Build an ASIC? A Practical Decision Guide

Depositphotos

Deciding whether to build an ASIC is rarely a clear yes or no. Most teams arrive at the question gradually. FPGA costs rise. Power budgets tighten. Schedules slip. Supply risks appear. At some point, staying on the current platform feels increasingly uncomfortable — but committing to custom silicon feels risky.
 
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10-Year Product Lifetimes: Why Off-the-Shelf Silicon Breaks Down

Depositphotos

Designing a product is one thing. Supporting it for ten years is another.
 
Teams building industrial, medical, infrastructure, or regulated products often discover that the hardest problems do not appear in year one. They appear in year five, seven, or nine — long after the original design decisions were made.
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First ASIC for Startups: When Custom Silicon Actually Makes Sense

Depositphotos

For startups, ASIC often feels like a forbidden topic.
 
Too expensive. Too risky. Too slow. Something only big companies with massive budgets can afford.
 
That perception is outdated — but the opposite mistake is just as dangerous.
 
Some startups wait far too long to consider ASIC. Others

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When You Should NOT Build an ASIC (And What to Do Instead)

Depositphotos

ASIC is often framed as the “endgame” of hardware development.
 
Lower unit cost. Better power efficiency. Full control over silicon. It’s easy to assume that moving to ASIC is always a sign of maturity and success.
 
That assumption causes expensive mistakes.
 
In reality, some of the worst

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