The Future of Analog IC Design

The world is full of intelligent engineers all of whom are working on similar analog IC design issues. And while their ways of working may differ and the routes to the end result may be complex or simple, the final product of their efforts is often quite similar. In other words, there thousands of people on this planet all of whom are re-inventing the same IC "wheel" without any knowledge of what others are doing in the field or with any effort to coordinate their work. This does not look like a bright future. The quarter million or so unique analog ICs that exist today are likely to expand in number very slowly. This is not the way of the future.

Apple and China

There are a few companies and / or countries that are trying to break free of this pattern. Apple for example, is always on the lookout for bright analog IC designers to join their ranks. And once they get into Apple, they will rarely, if ever, design another IC again. Instead their focus is on IC system design. The products of their efforts are passed on to what is best defined as an analog IC standard product division. Analog IC design has expanded its role here.

And China is no longer a base for manufacturing the cheapest products on the planet. Things have changed here - they are not interested in in transistors that cost 1 cent or amplifiers that cost 2. The volumes may be high but the margins are dismal.

So where does the future of analog IC design lie?

IC Systems

For a long time those in the analog IC business have looked at non-programmed component arrays, FPAA or reconfigurable design concepts as being the way of the future. The problem is that these ideas have been doing the rounds for years and have remained just that - ideas. Even if resources are invested in them and concrete results do emerge in the future, the base on which the designs will be developed are already out of date.

Manufacturers are moving from transistors, LDOs and amplifiers to systems. And that is where the future of analog IC design is. Those with the best system level defined ICs are going to the winners of the future.

To cash in on this, analog IC designers need to discard their ingrained concepts of thinking of standalone ICs and begin to view the system as complete entity or product. If the optimum IC system solution can be designed, there will be customers for it. Volumes may be low initially, but the margins will be good and commercially viable. Of course there will be adopters who will recycle new system concepts and offer cheaper solutions. But if the leaders are willing to share their knowledge, at a price, then they will be able to both retain their eminence in the field as well as cut the ground from under the adopters.

The future of analog IC design boils down to three basic issues:
• Designing a fully integrated and optimized analog IC system
• Being the first in the market with it
• And being able to offer a price advantage to the customer.