What is an ASIC chip?

ASIC chips are typically fabricated using metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) technology, as MOS integrated circuit chips. As feature sizes have shrunk and chip design tools improved over the years, the maximum complexity (and hence functionality) possible in an ASIC has grown from 5,000 logic gates to over 100 million.

What is an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)?

Application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are purpose-built and mass produced for a specific function. Unlike FPGAs, they cannot be reprogrammed, and they require a significant NRE investment. With a standard cell-based ASIC, every layer of the integrated circuit must be customized.

Why should you use an ASIC?

For example, a cell phone company may design an ASIC to combine the display backlight controller with the battery charging circuit into a single IC in order to make the phone smaller. So, now that you know the basics behind an ASIC, let’s get into why you should consider using one in your current application.

What is a structured ASIC?

In essence, a structured ASIC offers lower power consumption with a lower unit cost compared to FPGAs, and a faster time to market with a lower NRE compared to cell-based ASICs. What to Choose and When?