How Do You Extract 3D IC Structures?

How Do You Extract 3D IC Structures?
by Daniel Payne on 07-18-2012 at 2:01 pm

The press has been buzzing about 3D everything for the past few years, so when it comes to IC design it’s a fair question to ask how would you actually extract 3D IC structures for use by analysis tools like a circuit simulator. I read a white paper by Christen Decoin and Vassilis Kourkoulos of Mentor Graphics this week and became… Read More


AMS Simulation Update from Mentor Graphics at DAC

AMS Simulation Update from Mentor Graphics at DAC
by Daniel Payne on 06-25-2012 at 12:36 pm

I met with Jay Madiraju of Mentor Graphics on Wednesday at DAC to get an update on their AMS simulation products. We worked together at Mentor back when Mach TA was being developed as a Fast SPICE circuit simulator.… Read More


Double Patterning Technology at DAC

Double Patterning Technology at DAC
by Daniel Payne on 06-20-2012 at 5:12 pm

David Abercrombie from Mentor Graphics met with me on Tuesday at DAC to provide an update on DPT – Double Patterning Technology, something new required for several layers starting at the 20nm node in order to get any IC yield. DPT is also part of Multiple-Patterning.… Read More


A DAC Update from Mentor Graphics on IC Layout and Circuit Simulation Tools

A DAC Update from Mentor Graphics on IC Layout and Circuit Simulation Tools
by Daniel Payne on 06-11-2012 at 4:07 pm

Linda Fosler, Tom Daspit and Mitch from Mentor Graphics met with me last Monday at DAC to provide an update on IC layout and circuit simulation tools. My notes follow:

Overview – Pyxis for Schematic and Layout, IC Station is re-branded as Pyxis. (Pyxis schematic is still Falcon, Ample language is still used.)… Read More


Mentor Graphics Update 2012!

Mentor Graphics Update 2012!
by Daniel Nenni on 05-30-2012 at 3:30 pm

What is new with Mentor? Quite a bit actually. About this time last year Corporate Raider Carl Icahn stirred things up with a hostile takeover attempt that ended with three Raiderettes on the Mentor Board, out of eight board members total. This year however, two of the three Raiderettes are out so it looks like Mentor is firmly in control.… Read More


Two New Board Members at Mentor Graphics

Two New Board Members at Mentor Graphics
by Daniel Payne on 05-30-2012 at 1:25 pm

One year ago the annual share holder meeting at Mentor Graphics had tight security, a no-camera policy, and the drama of Carl Icahn the corporate raider successfully adding three new board members. Fast forward to today where two of Icahn’s board members were not even nominated, and Mentor added two new board members. I chatted… Read More


Carl Icahn Blinks in Bid for Mentor Graphics

Carl Icahn Blinks in Bid for Mentor Graphics
by Daniel Payne on 05-02-2012 at 3:42 pm

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One year ago activist investor Carl Icahn started a hostile takeover bid for Mentor Graphics and was able to offer up three new board members, however yesterday we read that Mentor Graphics will:

  • Have their annual shareholder meeting on May 30th
  • Two of Icahn’s board members are not on the roster for renewal
  • Mr. Icahn has no
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IC Reliability and Prevention During Design with EDA Tools

IC Reliability and Prevention During Design with EDA Tools
by Daniel Payne on 04-27-2012 at 5:04 pm

IC device physics uncovers limits to reliable operation, so IC designers are learning to first identify and then fix reliability issues prior to tape-out. Here’ s a list of reliability issues to keep you awake at night:… Read More


Mentor’s New Emulator

Mentor’s New Emulator
by Paul McLellan on 04-25-2012 at 8:00 am

Mentor announced the latest version of their Veloce emulator at the Globalpress briefing in Santa Cruz. The announcement is in two parts. The first is that they have designed a new custom chip with twice the performance and twice the capacity. It supports up to two billion gate designs and many software engineers. Surprisingly … Read More