About Us

There are several different kinds of integrated circuits, including large CPUs, GPUs, power converters, and memory chips, to name just a few.  An ASIC is an Application Specific Integrated Circuit, meaning that it is a custom-designed microchip dedicated to a single application.  Thus, designing an ASIC requires custom circuit design, simulation, layout, and validation.  Usually an ASIC is paid for by a customer and is only sold back to that customer for their specific application.

An ASIC integrates the functionality of multiple off-the-shelf components into a single die and package.  Reducing cost is usually the primary motivating factor to develop an ASIC.  The savings in BOM cost will repay the upfront development cost (NRE) and provide a compelling ROI.   In addition, printed circuit board (PCB) assembly and testing cost is reduced due to a smaller PCB and fewer components.

An ASIC is customized to the exact specification agreed upon.  Consequently, unnecessary performance, functionality, and power can be eliminated from a custom solution.  In addition, where higher performance or new functionality needs to be added, an ASIC can be custom designed to meet the requirements.

The functionality of multiple components will be integrated into a single chip; thus, significant size reductions are possible with fewer total components.

By reducing the number of components in a system, as well as the interconnect between them, reliability increases due to fewer failure points.

Integration of your system into an ASIC will increase the barrier to reverse engineering your intellectual property by one or more orders of magnitude.

Probably.  Most ASICs are very cost effective and have attractive ROIs.  CSS will optimize the chip’s performance to the engineering effort required for the complete ASIC in order to reduce costs as much as possible.  Given the cost savings on the BOM, as well as the PCB materials and testing, most ASICs will break even in 12 to 18 months of full production.  Contact CSS today for a free quote to see how reasonably priced a full-custom ASIC can be.

ASIC designs range from the ultra-simple, to the ultra-complex and schedules will vary accordingly.  The simplest ASICs can be designed and prototyped in as little as six months, whereas the most complex devices may take over twice that long.  After characterization of the ASIC, the completion of the production test program and release to production will take another 2-4 months.

1-2 weeks assuming the ASIC requirements are well defined.

During the bulk of the design phase, a weekly meeting may be sufficient to ensure we are fully aligned.  However, there are two time periods where customer support is critical.  First, defining and locking down the ASIC requirements.  CSS cannot design in earnest until the specification is signed by both parties; much input is needed from customers during this phase.  Second, significant customer engagement is needed for their prototype evaluation.  It is essential that the customer define a prototype evaluation plan and execute it in a timely manner once parts are received.

Most semiconductor manufacturers and packaging vendors are open to expedited cycle times if given sufficient notice.  They normally charge a fee for such expedites which, in turn, will be passed to the customer.

Integrated circuits are made by processing a thin wafer of semiconducting material in a fabrication factory (or “fab”).  Transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and metal interconnecting wires can be made directly onto the wafer using photo lithography coupled with implanting, growing, depositing, or removing electrically interesting materials.  The processing of a wafer usually includes scores of processing steps to build up the circuit layer by layer.