The Shift Towards Open Source in Silicon Design

A significant transformation has occurred in software engineering over the last twenty years, largely due to the growth of open source. Proprietary tools and libraries have been increasingly replaced by open-source alternatives, readily available on platforms such as GitHub.

This shift has resulted in a substantial increase in the number of software engineers, providing them with opportunities to both learn from and contribute to state-of-the-art software development.

Challenges to Openness in the Silicon World

However, this open model hasn't fully materialized within the silicon industry. The processes and tools used for chip design and engineering remain predominantly proprietary.

While emerging architectures like RISC-V and specifications like OpenRAN have gained some traction in recent years, the industry largely remains closed to open innovation.

The CHIPS Alliance: Fostering Open-Source Hardware

Founded in March 2019, the CHIPS Alliance was established to address this issue and promote the adoption of open-source practices throughout the hardware silicon sector.

Operating as a member of the Linux Foundation, it shares a similar philosophy of leveraging openness to stimulate further advancements.

New Leadership at the Helm

The Alliance recently announced the appointment of Rob Mains as its new executive director.

Mains joined the organization last month as general manager, bringing with him a wealth of experience accumulated over decades at prominent companies including Qualcomm, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, and IBM.

He believes his past experiences provide a crucial understanding of the existing ecosystem, while recognizing the need for change within the silicon world.

“Silicon companies have historically operated with a very different mindset,” Mains stated, emphasizing that CHIPS Alliance is “building a platform for collaborative contributions from various companies and members… ultimately propelling us towards the next phase of innovation.”

Growing Membership and a Holistic Approach

Currently, the organization boasts a membership base of over twenty-four corporate and university entities, including major players like Intel, Google, Alibaba, and RISC-V innovator SiFive.

Unlike organizations focused on specific open-source technologies, such as the RISC-V Foundation, Mains envisions CHIPS Alliance taking a broader approach to creating a more open ecosystem.

“We can promote standards and provide examples in numerous areas,” he explained, citing bus protocols and interfaces between chiplets as key examples.

CHIPS Alliance currently hosts the OpenXtend protocol, originally developed by Western Digital, designed to standardize the interface between processor caches and memory controllers.

Furthermore, it supports the Advanced Interface Bus (AIB) standard, initially created at Intel, for connecting multiple semiconductor dies.

Focus on EDA Tools and Open PDKs

Mains possesses significant expertise in electronic design automation (EDA) tools, which are essential for translating chip designs into physical silicon.

He identifies a substantial opportunity to expand the availability of open-source tools within the EDA landscape.

The organization is also actively exploring advancements in Open PDK (process design kit) infrastructure, including a recent experimental release from Google and Skywater.

A Vision for a More Innovative Future

By serving as a community and advocating for open-source methodologies in hardware, Mains hopes to unlock innovation and broaden participation within this traditionally closed industry.