EnSilica joins TSMC Design Center Alliance

We are proud to announce that EnSilica has joined the TSMC Design Center Alliance (DCA). This significant achievement underscores our deep expertise in mixed signal and RF design, now combined with TSMC’s advanced technology to deliver unparalleled solutions to our mutual customers.

EnSilica is committed to providing high-performance ASIC solutions across the automotive, industrial, healthcare, and communications sectors using TSMC technologies. Whether you need high-quality full turnkey ASICs or a comprehensive range of services—from PDK access, design support, MPW shuttles, production tape-out, and wafer supply, to packaging, test development, qualification, and supply chain management—we are here to be your trusted IC Partner.

Read the full press release here.

 

EnSilica: Leading the Way in FinFET Technology

In the dynamic landscape of wireless communication, semiconductor innovations play a pivotal role. Among these, FinFET technology stands out as a game-changer. Let’s explore how FinFETs are shaping the future of 5G and satellite communication.

MIMO Systems: A Brief Overview

Deployment of 5G terrestrial and satellite communications relies heavily on the integration of Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems to meet the link budget requirements and mitigate interference.

Fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs), represent a departure from traditional planar transistors. Their three-dimensional fin-like structure allows for better control over current flow, reducing the leakage and improving power efficiency. This technology has been the key enabler for the design of highly integrated digital radio ASICs, based on RF ADCs and DACs, supporting multiple standards.

Key Changes with FinFETs

  1. Improved RF and Analog performance:
  • FinFETs exhibit superior Gm and Rout characteristic, which is paramount to implement the highly linear analog signal processing required in MIMO systems.
  • Excellent RF performance with fT values of 600GHz.
  • MIMO signals remain pristine even in challenging environments.
  1. Power Efficiency Boost:
  • The subthreshold slope of FinFET devices is practically ideal. This drastically reduces leakage current—the silent power drain—that has plagued semiconductor devices for years.
  • For 5G devices and satellite communication terminals, where power constraints are stringent, FinFET-based designs shine.

 

Design Challenges

Despite the improvements in performance, FinFET technology introduces complexity in the design that impact the work of engineers and their approach to RF ASICs.

Now more than ever analog designers, who delve into the intricacies of FinFET, need accurate modelling to ensure that their designs align with the theoretical predictions. Rigorous simulations validate performance metrics, allowing for confident deployment.

At the same time designers face a delicate balancing act. Performance, power consumption, and chip area—these factors intertwine. Effective trade-offs lead to optimized designs that meet real-world requirements.

Impact on Satellite Communication

  • Custom ASICs empower cost-effective, low-power satellite broadband user terminals.
  • These terminals, based on MIMO communication systems, enable seamless connectivity, even in remote areas. Collaborations with space agencies underscore the commitment to advancing satellite communication technology.
  • Hybrid satellite/5G networks are on the horizon, promising ubiquitous connectivity.

The journey through the FinFET landscape is one of innovation, precision, and impact. As we embrace the future of wireless communication, semiconductor advancements remain a beacon—a testament to human ingenuity.

 

For more in-depth insights, please refer to the full article in the Microwave Journal by EnSilica’s FinFET expert Gabriele Devita

EnSilica adds Post Quantum Cryptography support to eSi-Crypto IP library

First license for EnSIlica’s PQC cores licensed to major semiconductor vendor for 5nm networking chip

OXFORD, United Kingdom – January 15th 2024 – EnSilica (AIM: ENSI), a leading chip maker of mixed-signal ASICs, has added a range of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) accelerators to its eSi-Crypto range of hardware accelerator IP.

These cryptographic algorithms are developed to withstand cyber-attacks from quantum computers, and their launch makes EnSilica one of very few companies to offer advanced cryptographic accelerators to the market as licensable hardware IP cores.

By implementing these in hardware cryptographic operations, such as encryption and decryption, can be performed faster, with lower-power and more securely than software-based implementations.

The first license for EnSilica’s new QPC cores has now been granted to a major semiconductor company for target at a high performance 5nm networking chip.

Why PQC is essential:
Today’s secure communications and financial transactions rely on public-key encryption techniques. These use maths problems a conventional computer cannot readily solve. However, advances in both quantum computing and artificial intelligence-based systems, which are backed by large datasets that need to be kept secured, means there is a real threat that cyber-attacks will break current standards.

As such, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published its first draft standard for encryption algorithms capable of resisting quantum attacks in H2 last year. for the first of these cryptographic algorithms was published by the last year, with feedback completed in November.

In its 2023 announcement, the NIST mathematician Dustin Moody, who led the seven-year project to develop the algorithms said their creation meant “We’re getting close to the light at the end of the tunnel, where people will have standards they can use in practice”

EnSilica’s PQC accelerator IP:
EnSilica has added two new PQC accellerators to its eSi-Crypto range of IP:

• eSi-Dilithium is a hardware IP designed for accelerating the NIST FIPS 204 Module Lattice Digital Signature Algorithm called CRYSTALS Dilithium
• eSi-Kyber is a hardware IP designed for accelerating the NIST FIPS 203 Key Encapsulation Mechanism (KEM) called CRYSTALS Kyber.

Dilithium and Kyber algorithms are both part of the Cryptographic Suite for Algebraic Lattices (CRYSTALS) and are based on the computational difficulty of the Module Learning With Errors (MLWE) problem.

Additionally, the eSi-SHA3 has also been added to eSi-Crypto, this is a hardware IP designed for accelerating the NIST FIP 202 cryptographic hashing algorithms including SHA3 and SHAKE

These add to and complement EnSilica’s existing range of non-quantum resistant cryptography accelerators, which include ECC, EDCDA, RSA, AES, DES/3DES, SNOW3G, ChaCha20 and Poly1305 as well as a NIST compliant True Random number generator (TRNG). The cores are suitable for ASIC and FPGA usage and can be pre-configured to meet a range of throughputs and compatible with a range of AMBA buses including APB, AHB and AXI.

The timely adoption of PQC is driven by the concern that sensitive encrypted data harvested today, might one day be compromised once powerful quantum computers emerge. This is a critical security risk for governments safeguarding secrets and businesses handling sensitive and confidential information.

 

Ian Lankshear, Chief Executive Officer of EnSilica, commented:
“EnSilica’s commitment to technological innovation is reflected in our comprehensive range of cryptographic accelerators IP to address the next generation of cybersecurity threats.

The licensing agreement with this major semiconductor giant validates the intrinsic value of our intellectual property. EnSilica not only licenses its IP to other semiconductor companies but also leverages it in the development of custom ASICs.”

Paul Morris, VP RF and Comms Business Unit, commented:
“EnSilica’s PQC cores will be a critical IP when we are building the next generation communication ASICs for our customers, enabling us to build in robust defences against quantum threats. With quantum-resistant algorithms, PQC not only ensures data integrity and confidentiality but also bolsters non-repudiation, preventing denial of digital signatures and affirming the authenticity of communications in the quantum era.”.

Bernard Wu, VP Sensing and Control Business Unit, commented:
“The cybersecurity landscape is evolving necessitating for the redesign of many ASICs due to the recently enacted EU Network and Information Security (NIS2) legislation. The NIS2 directive, now encompassing industrial and manufacturing sector as well as transportation. Our new QPC IP along with our existing range of non-quantum resistant cryptography accelerators provide us with the technology to secure our customers ASIC so they are fit being supplied well into the next decade.”

EnSilica’s Vasiliki Xiradaki named among UK’s best young engineers in a trio of prestigious industry awards

TechWorks/UK Electronic Skills Foundation

Electronic Weekly’s BrightSparks Awards

The IET Future Talents Scholarship.

 

EnSilica’s Vasiliki Xiradaki was named among the UK’s top 3 student electronic engineers at the annual TechWorks industry awards  ceremony on the 7th December. The award category, run and presided over by the UK Electronic Skills Foundation follows hot on the heels of Xiradaki being declared among the UK’s 30 best engineers under 30 in Electronics Weekly’s BrightSparks Awards, which was presented just one week earlier on the 30th November.

 

Completing a hat trick of awards, this month has also seen Xiradaki be awarded Future Talents Scholarship by the IET.

 

EnSilica CEO Ian Lankshear said: “We’re delighted for Vasiliki and so proud of her, the awards are so very, very deserved.

 

“Helping young, talented engineers to develop and flourish is an exceptionally important part of our culture and these two awards coupled with Omotade Iluromi winning last year’s TechWork’s Young Engineer of the Year Award are testament to the support given here.”

 

Xiradaki has been working with EnSilica as an UKESF scholar since for 13 months and is in her 3rd year of an electronic engineering degree at the University of Birmingham. At EnSIlica Xiradaki has played an active role in the company’s satellite communications IC projects, working on both verification and on module design for projects including a Satellite Communications on the Move chip to give commercial, military and disaster recovery vehicles access to high-speed communications anywhere on the planet.

 

Outside of EnSilica, Xiradaki is an advocate for women in engineering and for engineers from diverse backgrounds. For this, she has been actively participating in many outreach activities across different age groups, visiting more than 10 schools to help bring under-represented groups of people into STEM subjects and electronic engineering degrees. This has helped her be selected by the UKESF to participate in the Academy Achiever’s #BeMeDigitalInclusion charity STEM event which is targeted at black girls from vulnerable backgrounds.

EnSilica enters strategic partnership with Indesmatech to develop custom ASIC’s for IoT modules and Components .

OXFORD, United Kingdom – December 11th 2023 

EnSilica (AIM: ENSI), a leading chip maker of mixed signal ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), has announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with the design consultancy and custom module developer IndesmaTech.

 

The companies will collaborate to develop custom ASICs for next generation IoT modules and systems for IndesmaTech’s client roster across northern Europe, including throughout Germany, the UK and Scandinavia.

 

The partnership helps us lower the cost of entry to companies considering taking an ASIC approach either for improved product performance or to protect the supply chain,” said Peter Jeuter, EnSilica’s VP of sales, adding: “This deal and the incredible experience of the team at IndesmaTech should help make ASICs more accessible to a greater number of companies looking to take an ASIC approach.”

 

Indesmatech has said: “Our joint venture aims to accelerate the development of tailor-made IoT devices, offering faster, more efficient, and highly customizable solutions to meet the evolving demands of diverse industries…Our collaboration is designed to cater to specific client needs, ensuring a seamless integration of our advanced ASIC technologies into their IoT applications.”

 

The strategic partnership deal was signed in Q4 2023.

EnSilica to supply beamforming SatCom ICs to Germany’s VITES to enable power- and cost-efficient flat panel terminals for NGSO-constellations

Focus on connectivity systems for moving vehicles. Initial applications include commercial and government land-based vehicles

  

EnSilica (AIM: ENSI), a leading turnkey supplier of mixed signal ASICs and SoCs, has announced it is to supply VITES with a new beamformer chip for satellite user terminals. VITES will use the chip at the heart of its new ViSAT-Ka-band terminal.

EnSilica’s beam-forming chip is optimised to enable VITES’s creation of power- and cost-efficient ground-based flat panel user terminals for satellite communication systems that can be used across a range of fixed and SatCom on the move (SOTM) applications.VITES specialises in broadband wireless systems for professional applications and has been delivering flat panel terminals based on its own phased array technology since 2019.

Its new ViSAT-Ka-band terminal is intended to be integrated into vehicles for Communications-on-the Move applications. As such it is able to track the movement of low earth orbit (LEO) and other non geo synchronous (NGSO) satellites and allows users to access high-speed connectivity anywhere on the planet while the vehicle is moving.

ViSAT-Ka uses an innovative scalable architecture that enables extremely power efficient TDD and FDD terminals at affordable prices. On this advanced technical base, VITES is developing terminals for both land-based and maritime vehicles of any kind, including for cost and power sensitive automotive applications.

This means that vehicles can access “Always on” broadband connections outside of 4G / 5G network coverage areas, with high throughput, and in an ultra-compact form factor that allows for both retro and line fitting.

Paul Morris, VP of the RF and communications business unit at EnSilica commented:

“EnSilica has been investing in this area for several years working closely with the UK Space Agency, European Space Agency and VITES GmbH. VITES have provided clear terminal requirements so we have been able to optimise our solution for the market. This beamformer chip can be paired with a range of Ka- and Ku-band RFICs including our own EN92030 allowing it to cover the various LEO or GEO constellations. “ 

Martin Gassner, CEO of VITES said:

“For the upcoming NGSO-constellations, quantum leap solutions are required in order to drive performance up, while driving cost and power consumption down. Our new ViSAT-Ka-Band terminals are the solution to these challenges. We’re delighted to be partnering with EnSilica and working closely with them on leading SOTM solutions that are delivering broadband connectivity even when there is no access to terrestrial networks.”

 

 Fig 1) The ViSAT-Ka-band terminal is intended to be integrated into vehicles for Communications-on-the Move.

       

Fig 2) Map showing 4G and 5G coverage in US and Germany, with significant areas not served by any operator. Copyright nPerf

For further information please contact:

 

EnSilica plc

Ian Lankshear, Chief Executive Officer

www.ensilica.com

Via Vigo Consulting

+44 (0)20 7390 0233

 

VITES GmbH

Martin Gassner, Chief Executive Officer

www.vites.de

 

 

+49 (0)89 6088 4600

info@VITES.DE

Sonus PR (Technology Public Relations)

Rob Ashwell

+44 (0)7800 515 001 ensilica@sonuspr.com.com

 

About EnSilica

EnSilica is a leading fabless design house focused on custom ASIC design and supply for OEMs and system houses, as well as IC design services for companies with their own design teams. The company has world-class expertise in supplying custom RF, mmWave, mixed signal and digital ICs to its international customers in the automotive, industrial, healthcare and communications markets. The company also offers a broad portfolio of core IP covering cryptography, radar, and communications systems. EnSilica has a track record of delivering high quality solutions to demanding industry standards. The company is headquartered near Oxford, UK and has design centres across the UK, in Bangalore, India and in Port Alegre, Brazil.

 

About VITES

VITES GmbH (“VITES”) is an innovative German supplier of high-performance broadband wireless systems and customized solutions for professional applications. Main focus is the development of FPA-terminals for SATCOM-on-the-Move applications. These terminals are based on a power efficient active phased array technology, appropriate for any kind of vehicle, including governmental as well as commercial use.

In the areas of public safety, security and disaster management, VITES offers nomadic LTE-/5G- (ViCell) as well as broadband IP-Mesh-Networks (ViMesh). The brand vikomobil 2.0 represents complete customer specific mobile communication nodes (“cell on wheels”) that are energy autonomous and integrate SATCOM.

EnSilica und VITES kooperieren bei der Chipsatz-Entwicklung zur Realisierung energie- und kosteneffizienter Flat-Panel-Terminals für NGSO-Konstellationen

Fokus auf breitbandige SATCOM-Datenanbindung während der Fahrt. Erste Anwendungen umfassen kommerzielle Fahrzeuge und solche der Sicherheitsbehörden

  

EnSilica (AIM: ENSI), ein führender Anbieter von Mixed-Signal-ASICs und SoCs, gibt bekannt, die VITES GmbH mit einem neuen Beamforming-Chipsatz (elektronische Funkstrahl-Formung) für Satelliten-User-Terminals zu beliefern. VITES wird die ASIC-Entwicklung maßgeblich begleiten und den Chipsatz in seinen neuen ViSAT-Ka-Band-Terminals einsetzen.

 

Der Beamforming-Chipsatz von EnSilica ist daraufhin optimiert, energie- und kosteneffiziente, bodengestützte Flat-Panel-User-Terminals für Satellitenkommunikationssysteme realisieren zu können, die sich für ortsfeste SATCOM- und mobile SATCOM-on-the-Move-/Communications-on-the-Move Anwendungen eignen.

VITES ist auf Breitband-Funksysteme für professionelle Anwendungen spezialisiert und liefert seit 2019 Flat-Panel-Terminals auf Basis einer eigenen Phased-Array-Technologie.

Integriert in Fahrzeuge, ermöglicht das neue ViSAT-Ka-Band-Terminal der VITES die Konnektivität mit Satelliten während der Fahrt (Communications-on-the-Move, COTM). Das Terminal ist in der Lage, den Funkstrahl vollelektronisch auf die Bewegung von erdnahen Satelliten (LEO, Low Earth Orbit) und anderen nicht geosynchronen Satelliten (NGSO) nachzuführen. Nutzer erhalten damit einen schnellen Netzwerkzugang überall auf der Welt, auch während der Fahrt.

ViSAT-Ka basiert auf einer skalierbaren Architektur, die sehr energieeffiziente TDD- und FDD-Terminals zu erschwinglichen Preisen ermöglicht. Auf dieser fortschrittlichen technischen Basis entwickelt VITES Terminals für Land- und Seefahrzeuge aller Art – auch für kostensensitive Automotive-Anwendungen, die zudem eine sehr geringe Verlustleistung erfordern.

Mit dieser Technologie haben Fahrzeuge auch außerhalb der 4G-/5G-Netzabdeckung Zugang zu „Always-on“-Breitbandverbindungen mit hohem Durchsatz – und das in einer sehr flachen, kompakten Formgebung, die sich gleichermaßen für Nachrüstungen, als auch für die Fahrzeug-Erstausrüstung ab Werk eignet.

Paul Morris, VP der RF and Communications Business Unit bei EnSilica, dazu:

„EnSilica investiert seit mehreren Jahren in diesen Bereich und arbeitet eng mit der UK Space Agency, der European Space Agency und der VITES GmbH zusammen. VITES hat klare Anforderungen für die Beamforming-Chips geliefert, so dass wir unsere Lösung für den Markt optimieren konnten. Der Chipsatz lässt sich mit Ka- und Ku-Band-RFICs kombinieren, einschließlich unserem EN92030 Ka-band-Chip, so dass er die verschiedenen LEO- oder GEO-Konstellationen abdeckt.“ 

Martin Gassner, CEO von VITES, fügte hinzu:

„Für die kommenden NGSO-Konstellationen sind Terminals erforderlich, die in Bezug auf Performance, Energieeffizienz und Herstellungskosten einen Quantensprung darstellen. Diese Anforderungen erfüllen wir mit unseren neuen ViSAT-Ka-Band-Terminals. Wir freuen uns über die Partnerschaft mit EnSilica und die Zusammenarbeit bei der Entwicklung von COTM-Lösungen, die Breitbandverbindungen auch dort ermöglichen, wo es keinen Zugang zu terrestrischen Netzen gibt.“

Bild 1: Das ViSAT-Ka-Band-Terminal misst je nach Version zwischen ca. 16 x 10 cm und 50 x 30 cm und ist für den Einbau in Fahrzeuge für Communications-on-the-Move vorgesehen

       

Bild 2: 4G- und 5G-Abdeckung in Deutschland, wobei wesentliche Gebiete von keinem Betreiber versorgt werden (Quelle: nPerf).

Kontakt für weitere Informationen:

 

EnSilica plc

Ian Lankshear, Chief Executive Officer

www.ensilica.com

Via Vigo Consulting

+44 (0)20 7390 0233

 

VITES GmbH

Martin Gassner, Chief Executive Officer

www.vites.de

 

 

+49 (0)89 6088 4600

info@VITES.DE

Sonus PR (Technology Public Relations)

Rob Ashwell

+44 (0)7800 515 001 ensilica@sonuspr.com.com

 

Über EnSilica

EnSilica ist ein führendes Fabless-Design-Unternehmen, das sich auf kundenspezifisches ASIC-Design für Erstausrüster (OEMs) und Systemhäuser sowie auf IC-Designdienstleistungen für Firmen mit eigener IC-Entwicklung konzentriert. Das Unternehmen besitzt erstrangige Erfahrungen in der Entwicklung kundenspezifischer HF-, mmWave-, Mixed-Signal- und Digital-ICs für internationale Kunden in den Bereichen Automotive, Industrie, Gesundheitswesen und Kommunikation. Darüber hinaus bietet das Unternehmen ein breites Spektrum an Kern-IP für Kryptographie, Radar und Kommunikationssysteme. EnSilica hat umfangreiche Erfahrung in der Lieferung qualitativ hochwertiger Dienstleistungen, die anspruchsvolle Industrienormen erfüllen. Das Unternehmen hat seinen Hauptsitz in der Nähe von Oxford, Großbritannien, und verfügt über Entwicklungszentren in ganz Großbritannien, in Bangalore, Indien, und in Port Alegre, Brasilien.

Über VITES

Die VITES GmbH („VITES“) ist ein innovativer deutscher Anbieter hochleistungsfähiger Breitband-Funksysteme und kundenspezifischer Lösungen für professionelle Anwendungen. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf der Entwicklung von Flat-Panel-Terminals für Communications-on-the-Move-Anwendungen. Diese Terminals basieren auf einer energieeffizienten aktiven Phased-Array-Technologie, die für jede Art von Fahrzeugen geeignet ist, sowohl für den kommerziellen Einsatz als auch bei Sicherheitsbehörden.

Im Bereich öffentliche Sicherheit und Katastrophenschutz bietet VITES nomadische LTE-/5G- (ViCell) als auch breitbandige IP-Mesh-Netze (ViMesh) an. Die Marke vikomobil 2.0 steht für mobile energieautarke Mobilfunkknoten („Mobilfunkzelle auf Rädern“) die zusätzlich SATCOM integrieren.

Image of smart watch

EnSilica evaluation platform for EN62020 sensor interface ASIC speeds up development of wearable fitness and healthcare sensor devices

EnSilica evaluation platform for EN62020 sensor interface ASIC speeds up development of wearable fitness and healthcare sensor devices

 

Evaluation platform supports wide range of sensors for battery powered medical and fitness devices including ECG, PPG, temperature and optical signals, including for NIR spectroscopy

 

Oxford, UK – 12 April 2023 – EnSilica (LON:ENSI), a leading ASIC and mixed signal chip maker, has released an evaluation platform to speed up the development of wearable fitness and healthcare vital-sign monitoring systems.

 

EnSilica’s EN62020 ultra low power healthcare sensor interface ASIC, supports a variety of vital sign measurements. These include ECG, PPG (Heart rate, Oxygen Saturation SpO2), temperature. The optical interface to LEDs and photodiodes can also be used for near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and the monitoring of chemical substances in the blood, such as glucose.

 

Specifications

The size and power-optimised design of the EN62020 makes the device well-suited to compact healthcare devices, patches, and sports / fitness devices. The highly sensitive capacitive sensor interface also makes the device well suited for novel MEMS sensors.

 

The ASIC incorporates multiple analogue front ends (AFEs) including:

  • Two differential ECG sensor channels suitable for 3-lead ECG with <2.5µVrms noise levels and CMRR of 70dB@50/100Hz
  • A highly sensitive capacitive sensor channel
  • A temperature sensor (35-45oC, <0.15oC resolution)
  • Two photodiode drivers/photodetector readouts with SNR over 70dB and Read-out dynamic range of 105dB
  • The device can also interface to other optical or current sensors, such as fluorescent glucose probes

 

Designed to work alongside an edge processor, or a communication device, the EN62020 uses a single 1.2 – 3.6V supply, has a flexible IO voltage and consumes as low as ~10µA per AFE.

 

The evaluation platform comes with a 10cm x 10cm evaluation board fitted with an EN62020, an MCU interface board for PC connection, and a graphical user interface (GUI) software for the control of EN62020.

 

The evaluation platform is available from the EnSilica website EN62020 request form.

 

It is also available via EnSilica partners Cedar Technologies (Europe) and QLS (North America).