Vikram Sekar
@vikramskr.bsky.social
I write a newsletter with easy but detailed explainers on semiconductor technology for busy engineers and investors | Views mine | Sr. Staff Engineer at $QCOM
September 19, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Chip design knowledge is tribal.
AI promises to replace engineering grunt work—but machines need documentation to learn.
Problem? Documentation is the one thing engineers hate doing.
The real challenge: how do we make documentation machine-readable and engineer-friendly?
Read more: 👇🏽
AI promises to replace engineering grunt work—but machines need documentation to learn.
Problem? Documentation is the one thing engineers hate doing.
The real challenge: how do we make documentation machine-readable and engineer-friendly?
Read more: 👇🏽
September 4, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Chip design knowledge is tribal.
AI promises to replace engineering grunt work—but machines need documentation to learn.
Problem? Documentation is the one thing engineers hate doing.
The real challenge: how do we make documentation machine-readable and engineer-friendly?
Read more: 👇🏽
AI promises to replace engineering grunt work—but machines need documentation to learn.
Problem? Documentation is the one thing engineers hate doing.
The real challenge: how do we make documentation machine-readable and engineer-friendly?
Read more: 👇🏽
Literally the best picture of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) on Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) packaging I have ever seen.
August 19, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Literally the best picture of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) on Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) packaging I have ever seen.
Chip engineers feel in a rut after almost a decade on the job.
Here's an actionable plan to get out of it. 👇🏽
First, why engineers feel stuck:
→ You do a tiny task in a huge flow
→ When impact is unclear, motivation drops and you feel replaceable
Here's an actionable plan to get out of it. 👇🏽
First, why engineers feel stuck:
→ You do a tiny task in a huge flow
→ When impact is unclear, motivation drops and you feel replaceable
August 14, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Chip engineers feel in a rut after almost a decade on the job.
Here's an actionable plan to get out of it. 👇🏽
First, why engineers feel stuck:
→ You do a tiny task in a huge flow
→ When impact is unclear, motivation drops and you feel replaceable
Here's an actionable plan to get out of it. 👇🏽
First, why engineers feel stuck:
→ You do a tiny task in a huge flow
→ When impact is unclear, motivation drops and you feel replaceable
Solid-State PAs vs. Traveling Wave Tube Amplifiers
Pros and Cons. 👇🏽
Tube amplifiers have been the mainstay of power generation in SATCOM.
The efficiency and output power of tubes was unmatched by solid state technology.
Until GaN arrived.
Read more here:
www.viksnewsletter.com/p/why-the-fu...
Pros and Cons. 👇🏽
Tube amplifiers have been the mainstay of power generation in SATCOM.
The efficiency and output power of tubes was unmatched by solid state technology.
Until GaN arrived.
Read more here:
www.viksnewsletter.com/p/why-the-fu...
August 5, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Solid-State PAs vs. Traveling Wave Tube Amplifiers
Pros and Cons. 👇🏽
Tube amplifiers have been the mainstay of power generation in SATCOM.
The efficiency and output power of tubes was unmatched by solid state technology.
Until GaN arrived.
Read more here:
www.viksnewsletter.com/p/why-the-fu...
Pros and Cons. 👇🏽
Tube amplifiers have been the mainstay of power generation in SATCOM.
The efficiency and output power of tubes was unmatched by solid state technology.
Until GaN arrived.
Read more here:
www.viksnewsletter.com/p/why-the-fu...
SATCOM is leaving vacuum tubes behind.
For decades, traveling-wave tubes were the only way to generate >100W RF output.
Enter GaN.
GaN-based SSPAs are now rivaling TWTs — delivering high power, efficiency, and reliability.
Read it here:
www.viksnewsletter.com/p/why-the-fu...
For decades, traveling-wave tubes were the only way to generate >100W RF output.
Enter GaN.
GaN-based SSPAs are now rivaling TWTs — delivering high power, efficiency, and reliability.
Read it here:
www.viksnewsletter.com/p/why-the-fu...
July 28, 2025 at 12:46 AM
SATCOM is leaving vacuum tubes behind.
For decades, traveling-wave tubes were the only way to generate >100W RF output.
Enter GaN.
GaN-based SSPAs are now rivaling TWTs — delivering high power, efficiency, and reliability.
Read it here:
www.viksnewsletter.com/p/why-the-fu...
For decades, traveling-wave tubes were the only way to generate >100W RF output.
Enter GaN.
GaN-based SSPAs are now rivaling TWTs — delivering high power, efficiency, and reliability.
Read it here:
www.viksnewsletter.com/p/why-the-fu...
Turns out that you can now put TSVs in EMIBs.
Whoever created this image impresses me more than putting a TSV through a piece of silicon.
Check it more on IEEE Spectrum.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/intel-advanced-packaging-for-ai
Whoever created this image impresses me more than putting a TSV through a piece of silicon.
Check it more on IEEE Spectrum.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/intel-advanced-packaging-for-ai
June 12, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Turns out that you can now put TSVs in EMIBs.
Whoever created this image impresses me more than putting a TSV through a piece of silicon.
Check it more on IEEE Spectrum.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/intel-advanced-packaging-for-ai
Whoever created this image impresses me more than putting a TSV through a piece of silicon.
Check it more on IEEE Spectrum.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/intel-advanced-packaging-for-ai
I was reading a paper on use of glass substrates for 6G in the latest IEEE Microwave Magazine
The first chart is how we will need 10-100 Gbps (!) for immersive AR/VR experience!!
The first chart is how we will need 10-100 Gbps (!) for immersive AR/VR experience!!
June 11, 2025 at 2:35 AM
I was reading a paper on use of glass substrates for 6G in the latest IEEE Microwave Magazine
The first chart is how we will need 10-100 Gbps (!) for immersive AR/VR experience!!
The first chart is how we will need 10-100 Gbps (!) for immersive AR/VR experience!!
After I posted my article on the use of AI for RFIC design, a founder of a startup just out of stealth contacted me to say how their product does exactly that for MMIC design.
I'll be meeting them at IMS next week to see their demo. Exciting!
If you missed my post on AI for RFIC, link in comments.
I'll be meeting them at IMS next week to see their demo. Exciting!
If you missed my post on AI for RFIC, link in comments.
June 10, 2025 at 1:35 PM
After I posted my article on the use of AI for RFIC design, a founder of a startup just out of stealth contacted me to say how their product does exactly that for MMIC design.
I'll be meeting them at IMS next week to see their demo. Exciting!
If you missed my post on AI for RFIC, link in comments.
I'll be meeting them at IMS next week to see their demo. Exciting!
If you missed my post on AI for RFIC, link in comments.
Turns out hooking up chiplets in a honeycomb-ish pattern in an SoC gives the best throughput somehow
June 10, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Turns out hooking up chiplets in a honeycomb-ish pattern in an SoC gives the best throughput somehow
Time to upgrade to USB sticks.
June 9, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Time to upgrade to USB sticks.
7 unwritten rules for a high-impact engineering career in the chip industry (or anywhere) 👇🏽
Stuff I learnt the hard way over 15 years in the industry.
Link in comment. 👇🏽
Stuff I learnt the hard way over 15 years in the industry.
Link in comment. 👇🏽
June 9, 2025 at 2:35 AM
7 unwritten rules for a high-impact engineering career in the chip industry (or anywhere) 👇🏽
Stuff I learnt the hard way over 15 years in the industry.
Link in comment. 👇🏽
Stuff I learnt the hard way over 15 years in the industry.
Link in comment. 👇🏽
Microgravity unlocks materials Earth never could.
• No buoyancy = better uniformity
• No convection = precise diffusion
• No pressure = purer processes
• No containers = no contamination
Read more here: 👇🏽
• No buoyancy = better uniformity
• No convection = precise diffusion
• No pressure = purer processes
• No containers = no contamination
Read more here: 👇🏽
June 5, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Microgravity unlocks materials Earth never could.
• No buoyancy = better uniformity
• No convection = precise diffusion
• No pressure = purer processes
• No containers = no contamination
Read more here: 👇🏽
• No buoyancy = better uniformity
• No convection = precise diffusion
• No pressure = purer processes
• No containers = no contamination
Read more here: 👇🏽
Vibe Design ≠ Optimization
• Optimization tunes parameters
• Vibe Design redefines specs
• Uses human language
• Explores impossible design spaces
• Unlocks intuition-defying results
It's not smarter tuning. It's a new design paradigm.
Read more here: 👇🏽
• Optimization tunes parameters
• Vibe Design redefines specs
• Uses human language
• Explores impossible design spaces
• Unlocks intuition-defying results
It's not smarter tuning. It's a new design paradigm.
Read more here: 👇🏽
June 4, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Vibe Design ≠ Optimization
• Optimization tunes parameters
• Vibe Design redefines specs
• Uses human language
• Explores impossible design spaces
• Unlocks intuition-defying results
It's not smarter tuning. It's a new design paradigm.
Read more here: 👇🏽
• Optimization tunes parameters
• Vibe Design redefines specs
• Uses human language
• Explores impossible design spaces
• Unlocks intuition-defying results
It's not smarter tuning. It's a new design paradigm.
Read more here: 👇🏽
800V EV batteries aren't just about speed—they're about efficiency and performance.
- Charge 10–80% in ~15 mins
- Less heat, thinner cables
- Lighter vehicles, better range
- SiC transistors unlock higher voltages
Explore the tech behind the shift: 👇🏽
- Charge 10–80% in ~15 mins
- Less heat, thinner cables
- Lighter vehicles, better range
- SiC transistors unlock higher voltages
Explore the tech behind the shift: 👇🏽
June 3, 2025 at 1:35 PM
800V EV batteries aren't just about speed—they're about efficiency and performance.
- Charge 10–80% in ~15 mins
- Less heat, thinner cables
- Lighter vehicles, better range
- SiC transistors unlock higher voltages
Explore the tech behind the shift: 👇🏽
- Charge 10–80% in ~15 mins
- Less heat, thinner cables
- Lighter vehicles, better range
- SiC transistors unlock higher voltages
Explore the tech behind the shift: 👇🏽
Silicon photonics needs native lasers.
Group IV materials (like Ge and Sn) offer a path to integrate lasers directly on silicon, eliminating complex III-V integrations.
Breakthroughs in GeSn alloys could transform photonic chips.
Dive into the details: 👇🏽
Group IV materials (like Ge and Sn) offer a path to integrate lasers directly on silicon, eliminating complex III-V integrations.
Breakthroughs in GeSn alloys could transform photonic chips.
Dive into the details: 👇🏽
June 3, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Silicon photonics needs native lasers.
Group IV materials (like Ge and Sn) offer a path to integrate lasers directly on silicon, eliminating complex III-V integrations.
Breakthroughs in GeSn alloys could transform photonic chips.
Dive into the details: 👇🏽
Group IV materials (like Ge and Sn) offer a path to integrate lasers directly on silicon, eliminating complex III-V integrations.
Breakthroughs in GeSn alloys could transform photonic chips.
Dive into the details: 👇🏽
Can devices talk to each other without batteries?
Yes—with ambient backscatter communication.
• It reflects existing RF (like Wi-Fi) to transmit data
• Requires no battery or dedicated transmitter
• Ideal for low-power IoT in hard-to-reach areas
A quiet revolution in wireless tech.
Yes—with ambient backscatter communication.
• It reflects existing RF (like Wi-Fi) to transmit data
• Requires no battery or dedicated transmitter
• Ideal for low-power IoT in hard-to-reach areas
A quiet revolution in wireless tech.
June 2, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Can devices talk to each other without batteries?
Yes—with ambient backscatter communication.
• It reflects existing RF (like Wi-Fi) to transmit data
• Requires no battery or dedicated transmitter
• Ideal for low-power IoT in hard-to-reach areas
A quiet revolution in wireless tech.
Yes—with ambient backscatter communication.
• It reflects existing RF (like Wi-Fi) to transmit data
• Requires no battery or dedicated transmitter
• Ideal for low-power IoT in hard-to-reach areas
A quiet revolution in wireless tech.
RF switches are evolving.
Phase Change Materials (PCMs) offer:
Ultra-low RON × COFF
Non-volatile operation
Compact size
Integration with existing processes
Could PCMs replace RFSOI in RF front-ends?
Explore the possibilities: 👇🏽
Phase Change Materials (PCMs) offer:
Ultra-low RON × COFF
Non-volatile operation
Compact size
Integration with existing processes
Could PCMs replace RFSOI in RF front-ends?
Explore the possibilities: 👇🏽
June 2, 2025 at 2:35 AM
RF switches are evolving.
Phase Change Materials (PCMs) offer:
Ultra-low RON × COFF
Non-volatile operation
Compact size
Integration with existing processes
Could PCMs replace RFSOI in RF front-ends?
Explore the possibilities: 👇🏽
Phase Change Materials (PCMs) offer:
Ultra-low RON × COFF
Non-volatile operation
Compact size
Integration with existing processes
Could PCMs replace RFSOI in RF front-ends?
Explore the possibilities: 👇🏽
Guess the whole SiC thing didn't pan out for Wolfspeed.
Couldn't withstand China's pricing pressures.
Wonder what happens to the 8" SiC fab they were building.
Couldn't withstand China's pricing pressures.
Wonder what happens to the 8" SiC fab they were building.
May 23, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Guess the whole SiC thing didn't pan out for Wolfspeed.
Couldn't withstand China's pricing pressures.
Wonder what happens to the 8" SiC fab they were building.
Couldn't withstand China's pricing pressures.
Wonder what happens to the 8" SiC fab they were building.
Got $9,000 to spare and want to lose the world weighing on your shoulders?
Take 15 Zero-G flights with champagne included. Vomiting guaranteed. You can get pictures of it too and celebrate after.
gozerog dot com
Take 15 Zero-G flights with champagne included. Vomiting guaranteed. You can get pictures of it too and celebrate after.
gozerog dot com
May 22, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Got $9,000 to spare and want to lose the world weighing on your shoulders?
Take 15 Zero-G flights with champagne included. Vomiting guaranteed. You can get pictures of it too and celebrate after.
gozerog dot com
Take 15 Zero-G flights with champagne included. Vomiting guaranteed. You can get pictures of it too and celebrate after.
gozerog dot com
AI-hype cycle is dead.
I'm all-in on the space economy.
Step 1 is obviously Space Hotel U.S.A.
I'm all-in on the space economy.
Step 1 is obviously Space Hotel U.S.A.
May 19, 2025 at 2:35 AM
AI-hype cycle is dead.
I'm all-in on the space economy.
Step 1 is obviously Space Hotel U.S.A.
I'm all-in on the space economy.
Step 1 is obviously Space Hotel U.S.A.
Last week, I had a fantastic chat with someone who works in Quantum Computing. I did not realize how much quantum circuits had in common with RF engineering.
A lot of the RF hardware needed for quantum is under 10 GHz for a bunch of reasons. When I asked what the best book is to learn this stuff,
A lot of the RF hardware needed for quantum is under 10 GHz for a bunch of reasons. When I asked what the best book is to learn this stuff,
May 6, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Last week, I had a fantastic chat with someone who works in Quantum Computing. I did not realize how much quantum circuits had in common with RF engineering.
A lot of the RF hardware needed for quantum is under 10 GHz for a bunch of reasons. When I asked what the best book is to learn this stuff,
A lot of the RF hardware needed for quantum is under 10 GHz for a bunch of reasons. When I asked what the best book is to learn this stuff,
Tell me how you pick fruit:
→ With your bare hands like an ape
→ With a kick-ass autonomous lidar robot
... and I'll tell a lot about you.
→ With your bare hands like an ape
→ With a kick-ass autonomous lidar robot
... and I'll tell a lot about you.
May 1, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Tell me how you pick fruit:
→ With your bare hands like an ape
→ With a kick-ass autonomous lidar robot
... and I'll tell a lot about you.
→ With your bare hands like an ape
→ With a kick-ass autonomous lidar robot
... and I'll tell a lot about you.
Look at quadrant 3 in the graph below.
That's where the magic happens.
Several phenomena just happen in reverse:
- Doppler effect
- Vavilov-Cherenkov Effect
- Snell's Law
But these materials do not occur naturally.
That's where the magic happens.
Several phenomena just happen in reverse:
- Doppler effect
- Vavilov-Cherenkov Effect
- Snell's Law
But these materials do not occur naturally.
April 28, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Look at quadrant 3 in the graph below.
That's where the magic happens.
Several phenomena just happen in reverse:
- Doppler effect
- Vavilov-Cherenkov Effect
- Snell's Law
But these materials do not occur naturally.
That's where the magic happens.
Several phenomena just happen in reverse:
- Doppler effect
- Vavilov-Cherenkov Effect
- Snell's Law
But these materials do not occur naturally.
What kind of detector should I use for my lidar system?
Well that depends on the wavelength you want to operate in.
Well that depends on the wavelength you want to operate in.
April 25, 2025 at 2:36 AM
What kind of detector should I use for my lidar system?
Well that depends on the wavelength you want to operate in.
Well that depends on the wavelength you want to operate in.