
Technical Insights
New Realms of Rapid Application Development with Introspect’s Pinetree Software
3 min
Among semiconductor companies, there are many types of engineers who use our products. They range from pre-silicon design validation engineers to high-volume characterization and high-volume wafer-level engineers, and so many more in between. Over the years, it’s become apparent to us that applications engineers are probably the most powerful users of Introspect tools, sharing their results both externally and internally within their companies.
This article is dedicated to fellow applications engineers in the semiconductor industry who continue to use Introspect tools in their relentless pursuit of design advancements! It is an honour to see their problem-solving and development successes every day.
Let’s dive into the top three reasons why applications engineers love Introspect Technology tools.
One important activity during the characterization process is compliance testing. This is especially true if the interface being characterized is governed by an industry alliance. An example is PCI Express, which is governed by PCI-SIG, and the characterization process often includes compliance verification.
When engineers perform compliance testing using non-Introspect tools, the environment is usually very expensive and very complex. Teams must not only purchase the test equipment itself, such as arbitrary waveform generators and oscilloscopes, but often, they also need to hire consultants to operate the equipment! The existence of multiple stand-alone companies specializing in this service underscores the complexity of this process.
The problem with compliance is that it is sometimes academic. Yes, it needs to be done to achieve proper characterization for the chip under test. However, the tests are sometimes contrived, rigid, and do not resemble interoperation performance in the real world. An applications engineer’s mission is to make the chips work in real-life scenarios. And they often do not have access to the ultra-expensive setups that are in their characterization team’s labs!
This is the biggest reason that applications engineers favor Introspect. Our tools enable incredibly sophisticated characterization and interoperability testing, and they are very flexible, compact, and portable. Introspect tools are specifically designed to provide our users the independence to operate and perform their own test and measurement tasks, without depending on characterization labs or characterization engineers.
In Figure 2 below, the applications engineer’s focus is on failure analysis and debugging interoperability under different optical cable lengths. The applications engineer does not have access to the characterization environments, nor does he/she need to! Introspect tools allow the applications engineer to perform failure analysis, interoperability testing, protocol checking, and much more.
Characterization tools sometimes deal with very limited “test patterns” or test modes that are enabled within semiconductor devices under test. However, applications engineers need protocol-aware tools.
We understand that.
So, our solutions are designed with applications engineers in mind – they are protocol-aware. They provide engineers all the “knobs” to adjust the protocols and deal with any customer situation so that test and measurement tasks can be done properly, stressing and pushing the limits of the chip to conduct real, system-level testing.
We say Introspect tools are ultra-portable, and with reason! Test and measurement equipment is typically bulky and heavy. Simply put, it is not made to be transported by the average person from one place to another.
The reality is that applications engineers are the indispensable link between the semiconductor manufacturer’s product development teams and their end users. Flexibility to carry powerful test and measurement tools to various customers is key to their successful implementations.
During our tradeshows and in-person demonstrations, customers often wonder where our tools are, expecting us to roll in equipment or carry in a large machine. Instead, we simply open our backpack and effortlessly pull out the Introspect tools.
Compact, yet powerful; efficiently designed and bench-top ready, Introspect’s tools are a must-have for applications engineers in the semiconductor industry.
We highlighted three ways the test and measurement needs of applications engineers differ from characterization engineers, and in turn, why Introspect solutions are so sought after. First, applications engineers require tools that are flexible and straightforward, unlike rigid compliance setups, allowing them to work autonomously and avoid costly consultants. Second, we emphasized the importance of protocol-aware tools to allow users to test chips at the system-level. Finally, compact test and measurement tools promote work efficiency to easily visit customers and work in multiple desktop environments.
We are incredibly thankful for the applications engineers who use the Introspect tools and act as our most genuine ambassadors. Their stories of the difference that the Introspect solutions have made in their new jobs or with colleagues who have previously never encountered Introspect tools inspire us.
Would you share a story about how Introspect Technology products have made a difference in your team, your company, or with your own customers? Send us an email today at info@introspect.ca.