I just read the acquisition press release by Synopsys for the purchase of Optical Research Associates (ORA).  There is a lot of business activity in the area of computer displays and with LED lighting systems. You can see this in particular with the number of announcements coming out of Taiwan as its strong manufacturing operations there are trying to meet growing demand for newer, better and more efficient systems.

Is Synopsys really starting to move outside of its traditional electronic focus and embracing a new optics business model?  I think not.  ORA has a very strong consulting business and I believe that assisting customers with their electro-optical designs from IC and device through light emission and display provide the vertical alignment that will be attractive to many teams.

What are your thoughts about the requirements for electro-optical design and do you think other EDA players will also enter this part of the market?

+Graham