In this All About Circuits industry article, Enrique Martinez (EnSilica) provides a practical guide to handling last-time buy (LTB) notifications for legacy ASICs — particularly those manufactured on older process technologies such as 600 nm that are being phased out by many foundries. As the semiconductor industry continues migrating to smaller, more efficient nodes and larger wafer formats, manufacturers are increasingly issuing LTBs on processes that have been foundational for decades but no longer align with current technology economics and material sourcing.
The article explains the historical role of the 600 nm node, why foundries are retiring it (such as supply-chain and cost pressures), the implications for sectors like automotive, aerospace and industrial systems that still depend on these chips, and why such notifications shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a crisis. Instead, Martinez outlines strategic options — including planning design migration to modern nodes, leveraging foundries’ support for porting designs, and aligning LTB quantities with future product demand — showing how companies can turn obsolescence challenges into opportunities to improve performance, reliability and long-term supply outlook.
Read the full article on All About Circuits: https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/industry-articles/last-time-buy-notifications-for-your-asics-how-to-make-the-most-of-it/
