Devesh Dwivedi, PhD

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬! The semiconductor industry in India is experiencing an unprecedented hiring boom — gradually chipping away at IT placements and opening exciting opportunities for engineers across domains. 🔹 End-to-end hiring: RTL/SoC design, verification, embedded systems, manufacturing (process, packaging, yield). 🔹 Freshers’ salaries: ₹6–12 LPA (vs. ₹3–4 LPA in IT). 🔹 Aggressive campus recruitment from tier-2 & tier-3 colleges, not just IITs. 🔹 Internships: ₹40k–50k/month stipends to build hands-on chip design skills. 🔹 Hiring scale: ~12,000 freshers annually (up from 8,000 last year). 🔹 Career growth: Roles extend up to ₹20–120 LPA for architects & leaders. Fuelled by global supply chain shifts, EVs, telecom, defence, and government initiatives (DLI, PLI, ECMS), this hiring surge is reshaping student aspirations, especially in ECE and core engineering branches. With India projected to hit $103B semiconductor market by 2030, this is the right time for students and professionals to align their skills with VLSI, Embedded Systems, AI/ML hardware, and semiconductor manufacturing. The future is semiconductor — and India is powering ahead as a global hub! https://lnkd.in/gKtU5Gn2 #Semiconductor #VLSI #ChipDesign #EmbeddedSystems #Electronics #SoC #SemiconductorIndia #SemiconductorJobs #SemiconductorTalent #HiringTrends #Careers #ECE #Engineering #SemiconductorEcosystem #MakeInIndia #Innovation #ElectronicsManufacturing #FutureOfWork #AI #ML #Hardware #Manufacturing #IndiaSemiconductorMission

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Advancements and Challenges in Micron’s DRAM Technology & Biz #semihpc.com,#Micron,#HPC,#Hynix To understand Micron’s progress in the DRAM business, it is crucial to explore the paths they have taken to advance DRAM technology and the strategic decisions made during key technological milestones. These insights help explain their technological competitiveness, leadership, and choices that have shaped Micron’s current DRAM business. Despite facing challenges such as relatively low market share and technical difficulties, Micron managed to persevere and adapt in the DRAM market during the 2000s. Through complementary management strategies and appropriate technology development and adoption, Micron strengthened its position. Notably, after 2010, Micron acquired fabs from companies such as Elpida Memory, Nanya Technology, and Inotera Memories, while focusing on quality and technology-driven strategies. This included adopting the Buried Cell structure and applying a cell layout different from competitors. Micron’s approach to DRAM technology demonstrates their commitment to product quality and performance competitiveness. However, in the late 2010s, they adopted the same cell layout as their major competitors, resulting in a convergence in the structure and layout of DRAM cells among the top three companies. This shift reflects Micron’s practical and flexible approach, showcasing their ability to adopt proven technologies while maintaining adaptability. It also highlights an organizational culture that values technical input and incorporates it into corporate decision-making, a hallmark of a healthy enterprise. In contrast, some major memory companies that have disappeared from the market failed to meet the market’s demands and chose to prioritize showcasing high-quality products or technical prowess over practical, market-driven solutions. Micron’s case exemplifies a functional internal communication structure that enabled timely decision-making at critical junctures, such as technological optimization, investment, and adoption. Delaying EUV investments and pursuing D1 Alpha and D1 Beta DRAM production with complex multi-patterning technology might appear as a stopgap measure. However, this decision reflects. . . https://lnkd.in/gJUAZUfP

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DDR5 DRAM MODULE TECHNOLOGY DDR5 DRAM technology, the fifth generation of Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory, offers significant performance improvements over DDR4 with higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, and enhanced data integrity, including on-die error correction code (ECC). Key Features and Advantages: 1. Increased Bandwidth: DDR5 delivers up to twice the bandwidth compared to DDR4, enabling faster data transfer rates and improved system performance. 2. Lower Power Consumption: DDR5 operates at a lower voltage (1.1V) and incorporates on-module power management integrated circuits (PMICs) for better energy efficiency. 3. Enhanced Data Integrity: DDR5 features on-die ECC, which detects and corrects errors before they reach the CPU, leading to more robust and reliable memory performance. 4. Dual 32-bit Subchannels: DDR5 utilizes two independent 32-bit subchannels on a single module, allowing for increased data transfer efficiency and improved scaling performance. 5. Increased Banks and Burst Length: DDR5 doubles the number of banks (16 to 32) and the minimum burst length (8 to 16), further enhancing data bus efficiency and reducing the number of reads/writes to access the same cache data line. 6. Scalable Memory: DDR5 is designed to support higher capacities and speeds, making it suitable for demanding applications like gaming, content creation, and data centers. 7. Improved Performance: DDR5 offers a significant performance boost for CPUs and platforms that require more cores and memory bandwidth. 8. On-die ECC: All DDR5 chips have on-die error-correction code, that detects and corrects errors before sending data to the CPU, to improve reliability and allow denser RAM chips which lowers per-chip defect rate. 9. Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMIC): Regulates the power required by the various components of the memory module. 

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Successful career in semiconductor industry needs a detailed understanding of the relevant fundamentals and critical knowledge of the below domains 1. Fundamentals of Semiconductors • Semiconductor materials (Si, Ge, GaAs, SiC, GaN, etc.) • Band theory, energy gaps, and carrier dynamics • Doping and impurity control • P-N junction theory and device physics ⸻ 2. Semiconductor Devices • Discrete devices: Diodes, BJTs, MOSFETs, IGBTs • Power devices: SiC MOSFETs, GaN HEMTs • Memory devices: SRAM, DRAM, Flash, MRAM, RRAM, FeRAM • Optoelectronics: LEDs, lasers, photodiodes, solar cells • Analog devices: Operational amplifiers, ADC/DAC ⸻ 3. IC Design • Digital design (RTL, synthesis, verification) • Analog & mixed-signal design • Low-power design techniques • Design for testability (DFT) • SoC architecture and IP integration ⸻ 4. Semiconductor Manufacturing • Wafer fabrication process (front-end & back-end) • Lithography (DUV, EUV) • Etching, deposition (CVD, PVD, ALD) • Doping (ion implantation, diffusion) • CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization) • Cleanroom protocols ⸻ 5. Process Technology • CMOS scaling and Moore’s Law • FinFET, GAAFET, and nanosheet transistors • Advanced packaging (2.5D, 3D IC, chiplets) • Emerging materials (2D materials, graphene, TMDs) ⸻ 6. Testing & Reliability • Electrical testing (parametric, functional) • Burn-in and qualification • Failure analysis techniques • ESD, latch-up, and radiation hardness ⸻ 7. Semiconductor Equipment • Lithography tools (ASML EUV scanners) • Deposition and etching equipment • Metrology and inspection systems ⸻ 8. Trends & Emerging Areas • AI and ML in chip design • Quantum computing hardware • Neuromorphic computing • Photonic integrated circuits • Semiconductor sustainability & recycling ⸻ 9. Industry & Ecosystem • Foundries (TSMC, Samsung, Intel, GlobalFoundries) • Fabless companies (Qualcomm, NVIDIA, AMD) • EDA tool vendors (Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens EDA) • Supply chain challenges and geopolitics • Standards (JEDEC, IEEE, SEMI) Keep watch on the research happening at premier educational institutes across the world!

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EMIR Checks in VLSI : As process nodes scale to 7nm, 5nm, and beyond, power delivery challenges become critical. EMIR (Electro-Migration & IR drop) analysis isn’t just a signoff formality—it’s the difference between reliable silicon and expensive respins. 🔹 IR Drop Static IR drop: Caused by average current → impacts DC voltage levels, reducing noise margin. Dynamic IR drop: Caused by instantaneous switching activity → leads to timing failures & setup/hold violations. 🔹 Electro-Migration (EM) High current density displaces metal atoms. Leads to void formation (open circuits) or hillocks (shorts). Reliability degradation follows Black’s Equation → failure rate ~ J^n * exp(-Ea/kT), where J is current density. 🔹 Why EMIR Checks Matter ✅ Ensure power integrity across standard cells & macros ✅ Capture voltage droop under realistic switching scenarios ✅ Validate reliability margins of interconnects & vias ✅ Provide lifetime projections for SoCs under actual workloads 🔹 Best Practices Use vector-based dynamic analysis for realistic IR stress conditions. Perform early in-design EMIR closure (not just signoff). Apply localized decap insertion & grid reinforcement where droop hotspots appear. Correlate RTL activity → gate-level simulation → signoff IR analysis for accuracy. With billion-transistor SoCs, EMIR is no longer just a backend task—it’s a design co-pilot. #VLSI #SoC #Semiconductors #ChipDesign #Reliability #EMIR

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Stunned by how Cerebrus rewrites the rules of RTL-to-GDS? You're not alone and this post kicks off a 5-part technical series for VLSI engineers making the leap from traditional Innovus flows to the AI-powered Cerebrus environment. 🎯 Part 1: Basic Setup & Run From TCL Scripting to Cerebrus Flow In a classic Innovus flow, VLSI engineers manually drive synthesis, placement, and routing with TCL scripts. Think of commands like: • source read_design.tcl • setPlaceMode -congestionDriven • placeDesign • optDesign -postCTS • routeDesign But with Cadence Cerebrus, you move from line-by-line scripting to a configuration-driven, AI-guided flow. A basic YAML configuration (e.g., cerebrus_config.yaml) replaces the need for manual tool invocations. You simply define your: • Project and design names • RTL source files • Constraints (.sdc) • Optimization goals (power, timing, area) Then, you launch the flow using a single command: cerebrus run -cfg cerebrus_config.yaml ✅ Key Shift: Instead of writing and debugging custom scripts at every step, Cerebrus orchestrates your entire RTL-to-GDSII implementation with high-level optimization goals. It intelligently manages tool settings, runs, and results freeing engineers to focus on architecture and quality. This isn’t just a TCL replacement it’s a mindset shift toward self-optimizing, parallelized, and data-driven digital design. 🔥 Stay tuned for Part 2: Hyperparameter Sweeps Made Easy Next, we’ll explore how Cerebrus automates design exploration using reinforcement learning sweeping tool knobs and optimizing for PPA goals intelligently. #VLSI #EDA #CadenceCerebrus #ChipDesign #RTLtoGDS #PhysicalDesign #Semiconductor #AIinVLSI #DesignAutomation #Innovus #ASIC #DigitalDesign  

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Understanding Key PCIe Components 🚀 PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is the backbone of modern high-speed communication in computing systems. Here’s a quick breakdown of essential PCIe components: 🔹 Root Complex (RC): The starting point of the PCIe hierarchy, connecting the CPU/memory to PCIe devices and managing enumeration. 🔹 Endpoint (EP): A PCIe device that initiates or responds to transactions, such as GPUs, SSDs, or network cards. 🔹 Switch: Expands connectivity by enabling multiple endpoints to communicate with the root complex. 🔹 Downstream Port (DSP): A switch port that connects to endpoints or other switches, forwarding transactions downward. 🔹 Upstream Port (USP): A switch port that connects towards the root complex, forwarding transactions upward. 🔹 Bridge: Connects different PCIe segments, enabling communication between devices on separate buses. 🔹 Function: A logical entity within a PCIe device, supporting multi-function devices. 🔹 Bus Number: A unique identifier assigned to each PCIe segment during enumeration, organizing the PCIe hierarchy. Understanding these fundamental components is key to mastering PCIe architecture. Whether any other main components I missed out?? #PCIe #VLSI #DesignVerification #Semiconductors #HighSpeedDesign #SV #UVM Thank you, Let's grow Let's shine 💫

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India’s digital economy will touch $1T by 2030. We’ll need chips for everything—from smart remotes to rockets. But despite a ₹76,000 Cr incentive, a $100Bn domestic electronics market, and the world's largest VLSI talent pool, India still isn’t building its own semiconductors at scale. Here’s why the “garage startup” mindset doesn’t work for fabless semicon. And what we must do to break the cycle. 👇 BigEndian Semiconductors #semiconductors #makeinindia #fabless #ic #startupindia #startup

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