GSA FORUM

Contributed Articles

Contributing an article to GSA Forum allows companies to share knowledge and information with more than 11,000 professionals in the semiconductor industry. Complete the form below to submit your article abstract. Once the abstract is reviewed and evaluated, you will be contacted about the upcoming issue for which your article topic is best suited.

Abstract Submission Form

2009 Editorial Calendar

All article deadlines are firm and are non-negotiable. The article may not be published if an article is sent after the deadline. Authors needing internal approval before sending an article should build this into their timeline.

Topics of Interest for Each Issue

March

• Creating a more efficient analog/mixed-signal ecosystem
• The absence of a “off-the-shelf” solution for analog and mixed-signal IP
• How radio frequency (RF) interconnection strategies can enhance standard CMOS
• Creating a solid mixed-signal technology foundation and methodology that supports rapidly changing requirements, geometries and processes, while being predictable and reliable
• Developing diverse mixed-signal technology and solutions that support multiple application areas (e.g., power and battery management, audio, video, TV, connectivity and RF)
• Developing state-of-the-art mixed-signal technology to support challenges of new specifications, optimized for performance, cost and power
• High levels of integration requiring analog and RF functions to be included on a system-on-chip (SOC) (e.g., phase locked loops (PLLs), power management circuits, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs), SerDes and radios)
• A foundry’s challenge of developing cost-effective process technologies suitable for analog and mixed-signal integration
• Addressing the challenges of analog intellectual property (IP) vendors (these do not all need to be addressed): Designing for the latest process technologies at many different foundries; accommodating customer-specific IP requirements; reacting quickly to last minute IP spec changes; enabling customers to modify the delivered IP; providing high-quality IP easy to integrate in SOCs; capturing exact and complete customer requirements; providing clear and exhaustive documentation; and delivering drivers and software if/where required
• Addressing the challenges of analog electronic design automation (EDA) vendors (these do not all need to be addressed): providing user-friendly design solutions to address the rapid increase in complexity of mixed-signal blocks; interface functionality between analog and digital circuits; lower supply voltages and relatively more (digital) noise; primarily digital processes with limited analog capabilities; local variations and wafer-to-wafer mismatches impacting yield; process, voltage, temperature impact leakage and specs; IP validation in silicon being mandatory in many companies; most analog design experts being reluctant to replace proven methodologies with radically new flows

June

• China 3G wireless market offering growth opportunities for infrastructure IC vendors
• Challenges and opportunities for semiconductor companies in the automotive industry (e.g., attaining automotive quality ISO/TS16949 certification)
• Efficient silicon integration within wireless devices (e.g., iPhone)
• IC designers finding new business opportunities in the consumer electronics industry, but also trying to manage the demands of a demanding marketplace
• Emerging mobile TV standards
• Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology revolutionizing several aspects of next-generation systems
• The booming WiMAX chip market and the emerging femtocell chip market

September

• Taiwan vs. China: IC distributors from Taiwan penetrating the China market
• The disconnection of foundry, back-end, IP and EDA in the supply chain
• EDA vendors focusing exclusively on the needs of their largest customers, which is slowing the growth of the EDA market
• The merging of design, mask making technologies
• The need for collaboration among chipmakers at the C node
• Outsourcing services now being a key part of the manufacturing chain
• Chipmakers outsourcing more of their R&D requirements to consortia, silicon foundries and third-party vendors as costs rise

December

• Supporting the growth of emerging semiconductor companies through cooperation and by influencing vendors to better align their business models to support innovation in the semiconductor industry
• Improving IP usage by applying metrics that align users and sellers on key success indicators
• Challenges in taking a new design from first samples through high-volume production test: high tester costs, challenges in developing adequate test coverage due to product complexity and competing test platforms
• How tools can support the growing trend of off-shoring and outsourcing – efficiency and effectiveness of tools for multi-site development projects
• Creativity vital to semiconductor design innovation

Article Guidelines

Authors must follow the guidelines listed below to be published in GSA Forum:

• Articles should be 1,800-2,100 words.
• Up to three figures/tables/charts/graphs/photos will be published.
  • Send all photos and screenshots as separate high-resolution images (.jpg, .tif., gif).
  • Embed images in the article in the correct locations, and attach a separate file (.ppt, .xls, .tif, .jpg, .gif, etc.) of the image (if possible).
  • Include a title for every figure.
• When using acronyms, spell out and include the acronym in parentheses immediately following the first usage.
  • Ex: The company’s intellectual property (IP) for the field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) was recognized as the industry’s best. The fabless company’s FPGA team developed the IP design in two weeks.
• Use third-person voice (Do not use "I", "we", "you", "our", etc.)
• Include a brief biography of the author(s) with phone number and/or e-mail address to be published with article.
• Articles should not be self-promotional (do not include company name or products).
• All materials should be sent to Chelsea Boone at cboone@gsaglobal.org in a Word document.
• If guidelines are not met, the article may be returned to author with comments before the article can be published.