Verific Design Automation today affirmed its position as the leading provider of front-end platforms powering an emerging electronic design automation (EDA) space by collaborating with a group of well-funded artificial intelligence (AI) EDA startups.

These new AI EDA companies use Verific’s unsurpassed language support for fast, accurate large language model (LLM) development, speeding time to market for products that range from functional verification, chip design to code development.

AI EDA providers PrimisAI and Silimate, founded by former chip designers, will be in the Verific booth (#1414) AI showcase at the 61st Design Automation Conference (DAC) June 24-26 at Moscone West in San Francisco.

“This new and exciting market segment is about to change the entire makeup of the EDA industry,” says Rick Carlson, vice president of Verific. “We are about to see a variety of tools, technologies and methodologies destined to change the way chip design and verification is done.”

Introducing the EDA Startups Ushering in the Era of AI EDA
PrimisAI and Silimate will be showcased in the Verific DAC booth and present their unique use of AI technology to eliminate error-prone repetitive tasks for efficient and more productive chip design.

PrimisAI offers a generative AI solution for chip design with advanced language-to-code and language-to-verification capabilities through its interactive AI assistant to address complex hardware challenges across the entire design stack from concept to bitstream/GDSII. RapidGPT, unveiled earlier this year, lets engineers interact with their design and the entire EDA ecosystem with a natural language interface, boosting productivity and accelerating time-to-market. Founded by serial entrepreneur Naveed Sherwani who serves as chairman and CEO, PrimisAI is backed by two early-stage investors.

“Verific’s front-end platform lived up to its well-earned status of industry standard as we implemented it in RapidGPT,” remarks Pierre-Emmanuel Gaillardon, CSO of PrimisAI. “The robustness and quality of the Verific front-end platform ensured we would deliver a tool that would give engineers a seamless and efficient workflow.”

Silimate, backed by Y Combinator, is building the co-pilot for chip designers to help build better chips faster. Silimate finds functional bugs, predicts power, performance and area (PPA) issues, and recommends real and accurate fixes in real time, and is already being used by chip teams building complex IP and SoCs. Co-founders Ann Wu and Akash Levy previously built chips and EDA tools at Apple, Stanford, NVIDIA, and Synopsys.

“Verific consistently produces quality products and offers exceptional quality support,” comments Wu. “Their parsers are fantastic and result in very quick tool bring-up times for our customers.”

Metalware co-founded by Ryan Chow and Andrew Nedea is another Verific front-end platform user. It was started with initial funding from Y Combinator with the mission to accelerate embedded development using AI technology after personally experiencing repeated bottlenecks in embedded software at SpaceX. The Metalware AI EDA tools help designers rapidly write HDL and embedded C/C++ by combining insights from manuals, datasheets and code, offering 10x faster development by automating low-level programming.

“Verific embodies our stated goals to reduce the time it takes to design chips and systems,” affirms Chow. “Verific and its team of experienced EDA engineers have shown repeatedly that its front-end platforms enable a project that would normally take days to be completed in hours.”

Another AI EDA startup in stealth mode is also a new Verific user. Details will be announced shortly.

DAC AI Showcase
Verific will demonstrate its SystemVerilog, Verilog, VHDL and UPF front-end platforms, while PrimisAI and Silimate will be in the Verific DAC Booth #1414 at various times of the day to give 10-minute presentations.

DAC will be held from Monday, June 24, through Wednesday, June 26, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Moscone West in San Francisco.

To arrange a demonstration or private meeting, send email to [email protected]

DAC registration is open.

About Verific Design Automation
Verific Design Automation is the leading provider of SystemVerilog, Verilog, VHDL and UPF Parser Platforms that enable project groups to develop advanced electronic design automation (EDA) products quickly and cost effective worldwide. With offices in Alameda, Calif., and Kolkata, India, Verific has shipped more than 60,000 copies of its software used worldwide by the EDA and semiconductor industry since it was founded in 1999.

Engage with Verific at:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.verific.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verific-design-automation-inc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Verific-Design-Automation-100448363329771/

• Read more about Verific’s Front-End Platforms Now Powering AI EDA Startups, Serving as Foundational Technology for a New and Emerging Market

Sunnyvale, USA - Meylan, FRANCE – May 29, 2024 Numem - a leader in high-performance Memory IP Cores and Memory Chip/Chiplet based on its patented NuRAM (MRAM) and SmartMem technologies, and IC’ALPS - a leader in ASIC/SoC design and supply chain management, have pooled their expertise to meet the challenge of developing an ambitious integrated circuit with RISC-V processors, 2MBytes of NuRAM and a DSP/AI Custom Datapath Accelerator. The Custom SoC was developed in an advanced technology node.

This SoC has been designed and implemented to highlight the Numem high-performance, low power Memory subsystem with a RISC V Processor and AI Accelerator for ultra-low power applications. It has been developed through a close collaboration between Numem and IC’ALPS.

The physical implementation of this integrated circuit was made in a secure space (isolated location, network, and servers, encrypted exchanges, etc.) to meet with the stringent protection of sensitive data required by this program.

“We were very pleased with the collaboration and quality of service provided by IC’ALPS which made this on-time tape out possible and first time functional silicon,” said Jack Guedj, CEO of Numem. NuRAM with SmartMem is a high-performance memory subsystem which is 2-3x smaller and boast significant power reduction over SRAM,” he added.
 
Lucille Engels, COO of IC’ALPS indicated: “The challenges were numerous including: architecture, power domains, protection of the sensitive data, run times pushing improvement of EDA flow and the pressure of the tape out deadline.”

Numem and IC’Alps intend to extend their partnership to serve new customers SoC projects – feel free to contact us.

NUMEM/IC'ALPS with ultra-low-power SoC for Sensor and AI

About NUMEM
Numem, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, is the leading provider of Memory Subsystem Chip/Chiplet and IP based on proven foundry MRAM process. Numem’s patented NuRAM technology enables best in class power/performance and reliability with 2.5x smaller area and 85x lower leakage power than traditional SRAM. Numem’s SmartMem subsystem technology significantly improves performance and endurance as well as ease-of-use and reliability for high-volume deployment and enables to reach ultra-high bandwidth.
Visit our website at https://www.numem.com or contact us at [email protected].

About IC’Alps
IC’Alps is your one-stop-shop ASIC partner. Based in France (HQ in Grenoble, two design centers in Grenoble and Toulouse), the company provides customers with a complete offering for Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) and Systems on Chip (SoC) development from circuit specification, mastering design in-house, up to the management of the entire production supply chain. Its areas of expertise include analogic, digital and mixed-signal circuits (sensor/MEMS interfaces, ultra-low power consumption, power management, high-resolution converters, high voltage, signal processing, ARM and RISC-V based multiprocessors architectures, hardware accelerators) on technologies from 0.18 µm down to 5 nm, and from multiple foundries (TSMC, Global Foundries, Tower Semiconductor, X-FAB, STMicroelectronics, etc.). The company is active worldwide in medical, industrial, automotive, IoT, IA, mil-aero and digital identity & security sectors. IC’Alps is ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485:2016, EN 9100:2018 certified, Common Criteria on-demand, IATF16949-ready, member of TSMC Design Center Alliance (DCA), ARM Approved Design Partner and X-FAB’s partner network. More information on www.icalps.com and follow us on https://www.linkedin.com/company/ic-alps

• Read more about NUMEM & IC'ALPS Collaborate to Develop an ultra-low-power SOC for Sensor and AI applications

HATFIELD, Pa. (USA), APRIL 18, 2024 — Brooks Instrument, a world leader in advanced flow measurement and control, has acquired Creative Machining Technology of Corona, California. The acquisition took place April 1, 2024, under Illinois Tool Works (ITW), Brooks Instrument’s parent company.

Creative Machining Technology (CMT) provides a variety of machining and manufacturing services, ranging from individual part production through end-item manufacturing, kitting and assembly.

The company has long been a key supplier to Brooks Instrument, with core competencies rooted in high-precision CNC machining. CMT has proven expertise manufacturing and polishing ultrahigh-purity components with extremely tight tolerances for demanding applications, including semiconductor manufacturing.

“By integrating Creative Machining Technology into Brooks Instrument, we are enhancing our in-house expertise for critical machined components and machining capabilities, which adds to our supply chain assurance for producing ultrahigh-purity instruments,” said Brent Best, Vice President and General Manager — Brooks Instrument Semiconductor Division, an ITW Company. “In addition, we’ve increased our capabilities for quick-turn customer R&D requests to create more innovative flow measurement and control solutions.”

CMT has extensive experience manufacturing to tolerances as tight as 0.0001". This proficiency and CMT’s manufacturing facilities will enable Brooks Instrument to more quickly and effectively design and produce complex wetted flow path components for the company’s industry-leading mass flow controllers (MFCs). MFCs are the most important element in the gas delivery systems used for semiconductor manufacturing. In addition, CMT has both Class 1,000 and Class 10,000 clean rooms for processing and handling extremely delicate electronic components that require a controlled environment.

“This acquisition is part of our strategic approach to grow our business and position us for long-term success in the semiconductor market as we ramp up to meet anticipated growth in this segment,” said Best. “Moving forward, we are excited to have CMT join Brooks Instrument as we focus on continuous improvement, growing our technology offerings and meeting our customers’ needs.”

The CMT acquisition is the latest in Brooks Instrument’s initiatives to serve the semiconductor industry. Earlier this year the company launched a new GF120xHT Series mass flow controller for high-temperature environments, while last year opened a new manufacturing site in Malaysia to expand production and partnership opportunities with key customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information about Brooks Instrument’s full range of capabilities for the semiconductor industry, visit www.brooksinstrument.com/en/markets/semiconductor-manufacturing.

About Brooks Instrument
Since 1946, Brooks Instrument has been a leader in precision fluid measurement and control technology. Providing instrumentation for flow, pressure and vapor delivery, the company serves customers in semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing, laboratories and other processes and industries. With manufacturing, sales and service locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, Brooks Instrument has the world’s largest installed base of mass flow controllers.

For more information, please visit www.BrooksInstrument.com. The company is also on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/Brooks-Instrument) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/Brooks407).

• Read more about Brooks Instrument Acquires Creative Machining Technology

PENANG, MALAYSIA - APRIL 2024 ViTrox, which aims to be the World’s Most Trusted Technology Company, is pleased to announce the expansion of its US-based support team with the appointment of Jeremy Woodworth as Technical Support Senior Engineer based in the United States, effective March 15, 2024. Jeremy plays a crucial role in supporting the growing business of our intelligent Advanced 3D Solder Paste Inspection (SPI) and Advanced 3D Optical Inspection (AOI). This strategic move strengthens ViTrox's commitment to providing exceptional service and support to its customers in the Americas and Canada.

Jeremy brings a wealth of experience and expertise to ViTrox Technologies, having honed his skills in the global SMT manufacturing industry over the past decade, specializing in SPI and AOI support for a diverse customer base. His educational background in Computer Networking Systems from ITT Technical Institute, San Diego, provides him with a solid foundation to excel in his new role.

With a proven track record of implementing a consultative sales approach and building strong customer relationships, Jeremy is poised to make significant contributions to ViTrox Technologies. His ability to identify and provide innovative solutions, coupled with his adeptness in managing SAP/CRM environments, positions him as a valuable asset in navigating the ever-evolving inspection industry landscape.

"We are delighted to welcome Jeremy Woodworth to our team," added Mr. Wee Kah Khim, CEO of Board Inspection and Embedded Solutions (BIE). " His extensive experience and dedication to customer satisfaction align perfectly with our company's values and vision for the future. We are confident that Jeremy will play a pivotal role in enhancing the overall customer experience."

"We are confident that Jeremy's expertise and dedication will further enhance our ability to meet the evolving needs of our customers in the Americas & Canada", said Richard Osborne, Sr. General Manager of U.S. and Canada. "His appointment reflects our ongoing commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions and exceptional support, reinforcing ViTrox's position as a leader in the industry."

ViTrox believes that Jeremy's appointment underscores ViTrox's commitment to exceeding customer expectations through top-notch service and support, aligning its commitment to being the World's Most Trusted Technology Company.

About ViTrox Technologies
ViTrox is committed to being the World’s Most Trusted Technology Company and the leading solutions provider through the most innovative, advanced, and cost-effective machine vision solutions of excellent quality to its customers by integrating ViTrox’s technologies, people, and strategic alliances.

ViTrox offers a full spectrum of solutions, ranging from Middle & Back-end Semiconductor Inspection Solutions, SMT PCB Assembly Vision Inspection Solutions, Integrated Industrial Embedded Solutions, and Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Intelligence Solutions. ViTrox is headquartered in Penang, Malaysia, with offices in Asia, Germany, and the United States and sales and support sites worldwide.

For more information about ViTrox’s products and services, please visit www.vitrox.com.

• Read more about ViTrox Technologies Elevates Service & Support Across US & Canada with Jeremy Woodworth's Appointment!

Kitchener, Ontario, April 2, 2024 – The SEMI North America Information and Control Committee (I&CC) has announced that Albert Fuchigami, a Senior Standards Specialist at PEER Group®, has been confirmed as a Technical Committee co-chair during its recently held spring meeting.

As an I&CC co-chair, Fuchigami will help coordinate the various SEMI task forces responsible for the development and maintenance of communication and control SEMI Standards used to automate the semiconductor manufacturing process. Fuchigami will also play an important role in facilitating collaboration between the regional technical committees while providing mentorship and guidance on navigating SEMI rules and regulations.

“I greatly appreciate the support from committee members to confirm me as co-chair,” says Fuchigami. “SEMI I&C Standards are essential to satisfy our industry’s ever growing demands for big data, smart manufacturing, and automation in an efficient and scalable manner. I look forward to helping move their development further in this role.”

Fuchigami is heavily involved in the SEMI Standards Program in North America, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China. He co-leads the SEMI North America Data Diagnostic Acquisition (DDA) Task Force, has authored various SEMI articles and tech briefs, and regularly shares his knowledge and expertise at industry conferences and events.

In recognition of his contributions to the international SEMI Standards program, Fuchigami was awarded the North American SEMI International Standards Leadership Award in 2022 and the Japan Information and Control Technical Committee Award in 2021.

About PEER Group
PEER Group® is the largest supplier of innovative factory automation software products for the semiconductor industry. Since 1992, our solutions have helped the world’s most advanced OEMs and factories reduce time to market and lower costs by solving their equipment automation, data management, and process control problems. An award-winning company, PEER Group’s commitment to quality has been recognized by Intel’s EPIC Supplier Program, naming PEER Group a Distinguished Supplier in 2024. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn.

• Read more about PEER Group’s Albert Fuchigami confirmed as SEMI North America Information and Control Technical Committee co-chair

Kitchener, Ontario, March 28, 2024 – PEER Group® is proud to announce that it has earned Intel’s EPIC Distinguished Supplier Award. Through its dedication to Excellence, Partnership, Inclusion, and Continuous (EPIC) quality improvement, PEER Group has achieved a level of performance that consistently exceeds Intel’s expectations.

“As one of the 27 Distinguished Supplier Award recipients in 2024, PEER Group stands out among suppliers in Intel’s trusted supply chain,” said Keyvan Esfarjani, chief global operations officer at Intel. “Through their relentless drive to improve, they have achieved a level of performance that consistently exceeds Intel’s expectations and serves as a benchmark across the ecosystem.”

The Intel EPIC Distinguished Supplier Award recognizes a consistent level of strong performance across all performance criteria. Of the thousands of Intel suppliers around the world, only a few hundred qualify to participate in the EPIC Supplier Program. The EPIC Distinguished Award is the second-highest honor a supplier can achieve. In 2024, only 27 suppliers in the Intel supply chain network earned this award.

To qualify for an Intel EPIC Distinguished Supplier Award, suppliers must exceed expectations, meet aggressive performance goals, and score 80 percent or higher in performance assessments throughout the year. Suppliers must also meet 80 percent or more of their improvement plan deliverables and demonstrate formidable quality and business systems.

About PEER Group
PEER Group® is the largest supplier of innovative factory automation software products for the semiconductor industry. Since 1992, our solutions have helped the world’s most advanced OEMs and factories reduce time to market and lower costs by solving their equipment automation, data management, and process control problems. An award-winning company, PEER Group’s commitment to quality has been recognized by Intel’s EPIC Supplier Program, naming PEER Group a Distinguished Supplier in 2024. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn.

• Read more about PEER Group Earns Intel’s 2024 EPIC Distinguished Supplier Award

Brooks Instrument, a world leader in advanced flow measurement and control, has released its new GF120xHT Series high-temperature thermal mass flow controller. This is the company’s first high-temperature mass flow controller in the GF family and is specifically designed to support solid and liquid precursors required in semiconductor manufacturing.

Mass flow controllers (MFCs) are the most important component in the gas delivery systems used to produce an integrated circuit. The GF120xHT Series MFC flow module can operate between 45°C and 150°C. In comparison, traditional thermal MFCs can only operate up to 50°C. By offering a greater operating range than conventional thermal MFCs, the GF120xHT Series can precisely deliver vapor to the process chamber, even when that material is a liquid or a solid at room temperature.

The GF120xHT is unique in its capability to support upgrades from Brooks Instrument’s legacy heated 9861 and VC4900 MFC series. With ultrafast EtherCAT® communication, programmable alarms and warnings developed specifically for advanced process control, and fault detection and classification (FDC) tracking, it’s also an optimum choice for next-generation platforms.

“Our high-temperature GF120xHT MFC will solve customer pain points by delivering precursors for critical processes, such as selective atomic layer deposition (ALD), in advanced logic and memory applications,” said Dr. Mohamed Saleem, chief technology officer, semiconductor platform, at ITW, the parent company of Brooks Instrument. “The GF120xHT will deliver these critical precursors reliably, accurately and without particle contamination.”

The new MFC features a variety of user-friendly qualities that support advancements in semiconductor manufacturing, including:

High-Temperature Capabilities: In a typical thermal MFC, the mechanical components can be heated to high temperatures, but the electronic components cannot. To support high-temperature applications, the electronics are remotely connected to the mechanical flow module of the GF120xHT Series. The flow module can operate at temperatures up to 150°C, while the remote electronics are mounted in a cooler location (About Brooks Instrument
Since 1946, Brooks Instrument has been a leader in precision fluid measurement and control technology. Providing instrumentation for flow, pressure and vapor delivery, the company serves customers in semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing, laboratories and other processes and industries. With manufacturing, sales and service locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, Brooks Instrument has the world’s largest installed base of mass flow controllers.

For more information, please visit www.BrooksInstrument.com. The company is also on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/Brooks-Instrument) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/Brooks407).

• Read more about Brooks Instrument Introduces New Mass Flow Controllers for High-Temperature Environments