Y. Zorian and S. Shoukourian of Synopsys Receive 2013 Governmental State Award of the Republic of Armenia
Hard to imagine that not so long ago computers filled up an entire room and were used only by academic institutions. In recent decades, the size of electronic devices has been reduced significantly. Moreover, they have become an indispensable part of our daily life. We are no longer surprised that our cell phones and media players increase functionality but grew smaller in size and become more affordable. The first electronic computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry, which made them unreliable and slow. Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers. They allowed computers to become smaller, faster, and more reliable. But if the first integrated circuits contained only a single transistor in 60s, today billions of integrated circuits are built onto a single silicon chip. Those transistors are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye.
Because the integrated circuit elements and the space between them have decreased in size, their design and production has become more difficult. This causes many errors during the production process. The effective testing and recovery systems in the embedded integrated circuits enable effective testing of integrated circuits, detecting and diagnosing failures. This allows to additionally increasing yield.
Synopsys Fellow, Chief Architect at Synopsys, a Foreign Member of the RA Academy of Sciences Dr. Yervant Zorian and the member of the RA Academy of Sciences, Chair of IT Educational and Research Center at Yerevan State University (YSU), Senior Manager at Synopsys Armenia, Dr. Samvel Shoukourian have received 2013 Governmental State Award of the Republic of Armenia in the area of precise and natural sciences for their research on “Test Solutions for Nanoscale Systems-on-Chip: Algorithms, Methods and Test Infrastructure”.
The results are not only basis for further research, but they also have a practical significance. They are used in tools designed by Synopsys and used in more than 300 companies. Moreover, one of such tools was honored with the Best in Test Product of the Year award in 2002, and Test & Measurement World Best in Test Award in 2013. These awards truly represent the industry’s appraisal of a product.
“It is the greatest happiness for every human being to have an opportunity to do their favorite job and use their talents to create lasting values. At the same time it is a great pleasure to be recognized and appreciated, especially in their homeland. This award will inspire me for more accomplishments and further achievements,” said Dr. Yervant Zorian during the official award ceremony that took place at the Presidential Palace on March 21. Dr. Zorian holds 32 US patents, edited 4 books, and authored over 300 refereed papers. He was selected by EE Times among the top 13 influencers on the semiconductor industry in 2003, was the 2005 recipient of the prestigious IEEE Industrial Pioneer Award for his contribution to BIST, and the 2006 recipient of the IEEE Hans Karlsson Award for diplomacy. He is a Fellow of the IEEE since 1999.
“I am deeply touched to receive such an award in my country. Science and scientific products are universal; they reach beyond a country’s borders and nationality. The value of the research is assessed by the professional community. It is especially touching when your work is appreciated in your own country,” said YSU professor, the author of more than 80 papers and patents, Dr. Samvel Shoukourian.
Synopsys, Inc. accelerates innovation in the global electronics market. As a leader in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IC, its software, IP and services help engineers address their design, verification, system and manufacturing challenges.
