Devices needing semicon on rise: Dr. Chi-foon Chan, Synopsys

According to Dr. Chi-Foon Chan, president and COO, Synopsys Inc., there are five reasons for the global semiconductor industry to be optimistic. These are:

* Devices that need semiconductors are on a rise. Eg: telecom -- Apple iPad, tablet PC. Everything requires semiconductors.
* Digital media, growing downloads.
* Microprocessors
* Data storage
* Networks.

Dr. Chan was delivering the keynote at last week's Synopsys User Group (SNUG) India conference.

Key design challenges today include developing high performance chips with low power, design complexity, and shrinking design cycle. Some other challenges are:
* SoC.
* Exploding cost of verification.
* Smart and fast verification.
* Challenges in advanced verification.
* IP and its re-use -- power/performance, complexity, schedule.
* Growth in IP business leading to high-quality IP.
* Toward physics – TCAD.
* Yield loss is a digital issue and is big money.