Study reveals engineers use 0.18um in ASIC design

A research study now available from Global Sources shows that 73% of mainland China and Taiwan engineers are using 0.18um or finer process technology in ASIC design.

Global Sources' annual joint study 'Design Trends and Electronic Design Automation (EDA) Tools: Mainland China and Taiwan', shows that 73% of mainland China and Taiwan engineers are using 0.18um or finer process technology in application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design - up 21 percentage points from 2004.

For standard IC projects, 52% of mainland China and Taiwan engineers are using 0.18um or finer line widths - up 10 percentage points from 2004.

'Design Trends and EDA Tools: Mainland China and Taiwan' surveyed 378 mainland China engineers and 226 Taiwan engineers, and compares design trends and use of EDA tools in both areas.

The survey was jointly conducted by Global Sources' biweekly design publication, Electronic Engineering Times-Asia (EE Times-Asia), and leading market research firm Gartner.

EE Times-Asia publisher Mark Saunderson said: "Most surveyed designers are using 0.18um technology for both ASIC and standard IC design".

"Using 0.18um and finer processes enables engineers to develop more compact, integrated components which can then be used for more efficient electronic devices".

The survey shows that 66% of Taiwan respondents and 69% of China respondents use four iterations or less in ASIC development - up 16 and 11 percentage points respectively from 2004.

Principal analyst of Gartner Dataquest's design and engineering group, Nancy Wu, said: "The use of fewer iterations shows that EDA tools are becoming more sophisticated and that engineers are becoming more skilled at using EDA software".

"Asia is one of the fastest growing markets for EDA software".

"In 2004, the Asian EDA market grew by more than 20% - faster than North America, Europe and Japan".

Some 35% of designers cited consumer electronics as their key focus.

Other key application segments included communication products - 19%; computers and computer peripherals, 15%; and industrial controls, 16%.

Saunderson added: "Automotive design is gaining importance - it was a key focus for 8% of 2005's respondents, up from 3% in 2004".

The survey also analyses trends in system design, PCB design and FPGA/PLD design.

It examines EDA tools used by engineers, factors considered in tool purchase decisions and engineers' design goals for future projects.

Mainland China and Taiwan is the latest in EE Times-Asia's annual surveys of Asia and China's electronics sector.

The surveys complement the specialised technical information provided by EE Times-Asia and Electronics Supply and Manufacturing-China.

They are a key part of Global Sources' integrated information offering that covers the electronics industry from design to export.

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