Tech Demos Served With Music and Food: An Overview of Silicon Players That Matter

Analog Bits designs customized transistor level IP components for integration into modern CMOS digital chips. Products include precision clocking macros such as PLLs, DLLs, programmable interconnect solutions such as multi-protocol SerDes, DDR/programmable I/Os and specialized memories such as high-speed SRAMs, T-CAMs.

Alvand Technologies specializes in high-speed, low-power and ultra small die area data converters (ADC/DAC) and Analog Front End (AFE) for a broad range of applications. The applications address wireless (Wi-Fi, WiMAX, LTE) and wireline (10GBASE-T) communication systems, ultrasound, mobile TV and advanced semiconductor inspection equipment. Alvand develops its own evaluation boards, like the one seen on the right.

Alvand's smartCAP is a collection of patented and proprietary Metal-Oxide-Metal (MOM) capacitor structures and design flow that is utilized in their IPs. The California company lays claim to being the first IP provider to deliver PLL products on the new 28nm low power Common Platform process. Only five years old, the company's first year and all those since have been profitable.

Toppan Printing is another legacy Japanese printing company that began in 1900 using cutting-edge printing technology of the day, the Erhört letterpress (galvanoglyph). They now provide photomasks to the semiconductor industry. They have worldwide service and support for every step of the production process, including the AMTC partnership between themselves and GlobalFoundries in Dresden for providing advanced photomasks. The company recently extended a joint development agreement with IBM for leading-edge photomask process, covering the 14nm technology node for logic devices.

Exhibiting in a back corner, we found the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) that we recently introduced. CNSE is the first college in the world dedicated to education, research, development and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience and nanoeconomics. Located in Albany New York, the complex with its cleanrooms is utilized by many global companies.