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Synopsys, ARM, Samsung, GLOBALFOUNDRIES (Part 1 of 2)

Synopsys, ARM, Samsung, GLOBALFOUNDRIES (Part 1 of 2)
by Daniel Payne on 06-14-2011 at 12:26 pm

Intro
The 28nm nodes is ready with foundry silicon, IP and EDA tools. Tuesday morning at the DAC breakfast I learned more about the 28nm eco-system.

Notes
Why 32/28nm
Lower power, high integration requirements, mobile applications

What is Ready?
IP is qualified (ARM, Memories, Foundation IP, SNPS IP, PDKs)
Read More


A Birds-Eye Overview of DRC+

A Birds-Eye Overview of DRC+
by Daniel Nenni on 06-13-2011 at 10:57 pm

The GlobalFoundries DRC+ platform is one of the most innovative DFM technologies and was well represented at #48DAC. In case you missed it, here is a reprint of a DRC+ overview from GFI just prior to #48DAC:

DRC (Design Rule Constraints) are the fundamental principles in constraining VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) circuit… Read More


CyberEDA adds a Transistor-Level Debugger

CyberEDA adds a Transistor-Level Debugger
by Daniel Payne on 06-13-2011 at 6:34 pm

Intro
I met with CK Lee, founder of Cyber EDA at his booth on Monday evening in San Diego. Last year I learned about their new SPICE circuit simulator named PCSIM, this year the new product is called ADDS-Debugger.



Notes

2010 – Announced a debugger

2011 ADDS Debugger – trace at the transistor level your design
– Signal tracing… Read More


QuickCap for IC Extraction at DAC 2011

QuickCap for IC Extraction at DAC 2011
by Daniel Payne on 06-13-2011 at 6:08 pm

Intro
John and Ralph from Magma gave me an update on QuickCap at DAC on Monday afternoon in their demo suite.

Notes
John Schritz – Sr AE
Ralph Iverson, Ph. D. (wrote QuickCap)

John Schritz
– Digital Signoff, extraction
– QCP: 2.5D RC for full ASIC designs
– QuickCAP NX: 3D field solver
– QCP:

Demo – 1.5 million… Read More


HSPICE gets Faster, better Convergence

HSPICE gets Faster, better Convergence
by Daniel Payne on 06-13-2011 at 5:53 pm

Hany El Hak – Product Marketing Manager

Frederik Iverson – AE

Scott Wetch – HSPICE Architect

HSPICE – 5 years ago convergence was not so good, while 95% of analog circuits today converge out of the box, no options are required.

Synopsys AMS Portfolio – wide range of tools
– Custom Designer: IC schematic and layout tools
–… Read More


Physical IP Group at ARM

Physical IP Group at ARM
by Daniel Payne on 06-13-2011 at 5:45 pm

After lunch on Monday I met with John Heinlin, Ph.D. – VP Marketing of Physical IP Division

Back in the day I knew the founders of Artisan (VLSI Libraries) when we worked together at Silicon Compilers (Mark Templeton, John Malecki, Scott Becker).

Q: Do you favor any EDA tools for creating your IP?
A: No, we don’t really endorse a specific… Read More


FineSIM adds RF Analysis plus new Tcl Circuit Checks

FineSIM adds RF Analysis plus new Tcl Circuit Checks
by Daniel Payne on 06-13-2011 at 4:58 pm

At DAC I spent time in the Magma FineSIM demo suite on Monday morning.

Greg Curtis – Product Director, Custom Design Business Unit

– Talus for Digital Design
– FineSim does: SPICE, FastSPICE, Characterization
– Flows Demoed at DAC: High Performance Core, SOC, ASIC/ASSP, AMS, Memory
– What’s New in FineSim?o… Read More


Nimbic (formerly Physware) – 3D Field Solver in the Cloud or Desktop

Nimbic (formerly Physware) – 3D Field Solver in the Cloud or Desktop
by Daniel Payne on 06-13-2011 at 12:57 pm

I met with Bala Vishwanath, CMO at Nimbic on Monday morning. They had just announced a $6.9M round of venture capital which is something that you rarely hear about in EDA these days, especially during a slow economic recovery.

Intro

Physware – served the package and board markets, co-design challenges (can add IC noise sources).… Read More


The Secret of Analog Design

The Secret of Analog Design
by Paul McLellan on 06-09-2011 at 5:15 pm

Everybody knows that digital designers run on pizza and soda, what one might describe as poor food and weak drinks. At DAC in San Diego I discovered a restaurant that gave away the secret to analog design. And you thought it was a good layout editor and a good circuit simulator. But it turns out that the secret to analog is good food and… Read More