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IRDS (International Roadmap for Devices and Systems)

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The International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS) is a global collaborative effort between industry, academia, and government organizations aimed at identifying and addressing key challenges in the development of future computing and electronic systems. The goal of IRDS is to provide a comprehensive roadmap that outlines the technical challenges, research priorities, and potential solutions for the advancement of electronic systems over the next 15-20 years.

Background and History

The IRDS initiative was first launched in 2016 as a joint effort between the IEEE Standards Association and the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). The initiative aimed to bring together experts from a range of disciplines to identify the key challenges facing the development of future electronic systems and to create a roadmap to guide research and development efforts in the industry.

The first IRDS roadmap was published in 2017 and focused on the technology needs of the semiconductor industry. It identified key challenges such as the scaling of CMOS technology, the need for new materials and device structures, and the importance of new memory and storage technologies. The roadmap also highlighted the need for greater collaboration between industry, academia, and government organizations to address these challenges.

In 2018, the IRDS initiative expanded its scope to include not only the semiconductor industry but also other areas of computing and electronics such as the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing. The goal was to create a more comprehensive roadmap that addressed the challenges and opportunities across the entire spectrum of electronic systems.

Key Themes of IRDS

The IRDS initiative is organized around a set of key themes that reflect the challenges and opportunities facing the development of future electronic systems. These themes include:

  1. System and Architecture: This theme focuses on the design and architecture of future computing and electronic systems. It includes topics such as heterogeneous computing, neuromorphic computing, and system-level security.
  2. Process, Devices, and Integration: This theme focuses on the technology needed to enable the continued scaling of electronic systems. It includes topics such as new materials, novel device structures, and advanced lithography techniques.
  3. Design, Verification, and Test: This theme focuses on the design and testing of electronic systems, including topics such as design automation, design for manufacturability, and system-level testing.
  4. Manufacturing and Productization: This theme focuses on the manufacturing and commercialization of electronic systems, including topics such as supply chain management, quality control, and product lifecycle management.
  5. Applications and Markets: This theme focuses on the applications and markets for electronic systems, including topics such as the internet of things, AI, and autonomous systems.

Each of these themes is further divided into subthemes that provide more detail on the specific challenges and opportunities within each area.

Benefits of IRDS

The IRDS initiative provides a number of benefits for the development of future electronic systems. These benefits include:

  1. Collaboration: The IRDS brings together experts from industry, academia, and government organizations to collaborate on identifying key challenges and developing solutions. This collaboration fosters innovation and accelerates the development of new technologies.
  2. Focus: The IRDS provides a roadmap that focuses research and development efforts on the key challenges and opportunities facing the industry. This helps to ensure that resources are allocated to areas of greatest need and that progress is made on the most critical issues.
  3. Strategic Planning: The IRDS provides a long-term strategic planning framework that enables industry, academia, and government organizations to plan and coordinate their research and development efforts. This helps to ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively.
  4. Standards: The IRDS provides a foundation for the development of industry standards that are needed to enable the interoperability of electronic systems. This helps to promote the growth of the industry and ensures that electronic systems can work together seamlessly.

Conclusion

The International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS) is a crucial initiative that provides a comprehensive roadmap for the development of future computing and electronic systems. It addresses the key challenges and opportunities facing the industry and provides a collaborative platform for industry, academia, and government organizations to work together on addressing these issues.

The IRDS initiative is organized around five key themes, each of which is divided into subthemes that provide more detail on the specific challenges and opportunities within each area. This framework provides a strategic planning framework that enables industry, academia, and government organizations to plan and coordinate their research and development efforts.