EDACafe Industry Predictions for 2024 – Thalia

By Sowmyan Rajagopalan, CEO, Thalia

The economic outlook for the semiconductor industry in 2024

Sowmyan Rajagopalan

As 2024 unfolds, the semiconductor industry is entering a period of reinvigoration and transformation. The advancements on the horizon are not just iterative; they are foundational, signaling a new chapter of innovation and strategic market adaptation.

Process technologies down to 2nm

The industry’s march towards 2nm process technologies heralds an era that will challenge and evolve Moore’s Law. The significance of 3D stacking and monolithic 3D integration, as recently highlighted by Penn State research[1] and Intel’s roadmap to a 1-trillion transistor chip[2], indicates a shift towards more sophisticated and capable semiconductor devices. These are the very advancements that will define the next generation of electronic devices.

Automotive industry requirements move on

Amidst this backdrop of innovation, the automotive sector’s move to electric and green hydrogen solutions marks a change in demand for semiconductor technologies, particularly in the area of battery technology. With the projected increase in the semiconductor content of vehicles, there is an evident need for technologies and devices that can meet these emerging requirements, such as discrete compound semiconductors (silicon carbide and gallium nitride)[3], and offer superior performance and efficiency compared with traditional silicon.

Asia and US will lead economic growth in semiconductor

As the global economy hints at a resurgence, the semiconductor industry is expected to reflect this growth, with Asia and the United States leading the way. Projections from organizations like the Semiconductor Industry Association[4] suggest a robust expansion phase for the industry.

Second-sourcing, AI and design migration will be key

In 2024, geopolitical considerations are shaping the need for robust supply chain strategies. Second sourcing and design migration are becoming critical aspects of semiconductor business planning[5]. Thalia’s AMALIA software suite is designed to support these industry needs by enabling efficient IP design migration. AMALIA’s technology facilitates the seamless transition of semiconductor designs to different foundries, aligning with the industry’s need for agility and resilience.

Artificial Intelligence continues to grow in significance across industries, with its impact in the semiconductor sector becoming increasingly pronounced. AI and ML are not just enhancing existing products but are becoming embedded within the very fabric of semiconductor development to help reduce design costs and support engineers. In this context, Thalia’s AMALIA suite, with its AI-driven capabilities, supports the complex process of analog, mixed-signal and RF IP design migration, reflecting the growing interplay between AI technologies and semiconductor design[6].

Thalia’s AMALIA suite accelerates design migration

As 2024 evolves, Thalia remains committed to addressing the semiconductor industry’s changing landscape. With AMALIA, we are equipped to support the transition to advanced process technologies, contribute to the electrification of the automotive sector, and respond to the imperative of design agility driven by global market conditions. The AMALIA suite stands as a testament to Thalia’s role in enabling the semiconductor industry to not just anticipate, but actively shape the future.
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About Author:

Sowmyan founded Thalia in 2011. He is responsible for business strategy and leads the company’s development of disruptive EDA solutions, algorithms and methodologies targeting analog migration, design variants and “IP on-demand”. He has 20+ years of experience in the design and development of analog IP, IP strategy, analog EDA solutions and design methodologies. He has been awarded multiple patents in EDA design and applications.

In his previous role, he championed the development of analog power management integrated circuit (PMIC) IP libraries, and developed methodologies to improve the efficiency of the design process. He has developed several EDA solutions and has published a number of papers on EDA methodologies.

Sowmyan holds an MS in Electrical Engineering specializing in Digital VLSI Design, and a BE in Electronics Engineering.

About Thalia

Thalia is an IP migration specialist with expertise in targeted automation for analog, mixed signal and RF design and migration. Thalia’s AMALIA software suite analyzes, migrates and optimizes existing IP for new technologies and applications. IP houses, Tier 1 players and foundries can leverage the platform to reuse and diversify their product ranges quickly and cost effectively thanks to AMALIA’s AI and ML capabilities that deliver outstanding efficiencies in the analysis, design and verification stages of IP reuse. The result is a reduction in development time of at least 40%, enabling semiconductor businesses to react quickly to changing market demands and maximise business opportunities. The AMALIA platform has been validated on over 50 IPs, in domains ranging from RF and Baseband to PMIC and PLL/ADC, many of which are already in commercial use.

For more information visit www.thalia-da.com

For press enquiries, please contact:

Claire Marshall: claire.marshall@kavacommunications.com

Melanie Williams: melanie.williams@kavacommunications.com

[1] https://www.psu.edu/news/materials-research-institute/story/integrating-dimensions-get-more-out-moores-law-and-advance/

[2] https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-charts-course-to-trillion-transistor-chips-2d-transistor-materials-3d-packaging-research

[3] https://www.eetimes.eu/sic-and-gan-drive-vehicle-electrification/

[4] https://www.semiconductors.org/global-semiconductor-sales-increase-5-3-year-to-year-in-november/

[5] https://www.thalia-da.com/the-crucial-role-of-second-source-management-and-ip-reuse-in-the-semiconductor-landscape/

[6] https://www.thalia-da.com/ai-will-be-increasingly-important-in-eda-reducing-design-costs-and-supporting-engineers/

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