Mentor Graphics delivers new capabilities in TSMC Analog/Mixed Signal Reference Flow 2.0

June 03, 2011 // Paul Buckley

Mentor Graphics Corporation has announced that a collection of tools have been validated for inclusion in TSMC Analog/Mixed-signal Reference Flow 2.0 (AMS Reference Flow 2.0), providing design enablement for TSMC 28nm process technology. Areas of collaboration produced new capabilities to ensure device reliability, provide early access to design and verification data and deliver faster simulation results.

The Calibre PERC tool enables automated electrical rule checking and circuit verification to ensure designs meet requirements in the area of analog layout guidelines. In the TSMC AMS Reference Flow 2.0, Mentor worked with TSMC to integrate the Calibre PERC tool and the Eldo Classic Spice simulation tool to provide advanced circuit reliability checking. By combining topological and layout circuit verification with dynamic simulation, users can identify whether circuit layout patterns induce potential reliability concerns.

The Calibre xACT 3D parasitic extraction tool delivers field solver level accuracy with the performance of a rule-based solution. For the TSMC AMS Reference Flow 2.0, the Calibre xACT 3D parasitic extraction tool adds support for early access to parasitic information through the RCX-API for real-time calculation of wire loads.

Enhancements to the IC Station platform and the Eldo Classic Spice simulation tool enable designers to have statistical results with faster simulation and less computing. Enhancements include fast Monte-Carlo simulation, re-simulation without reloading the entire netlist, Layout Dependent Effects (LDE) assessment and wireload parasitics assessment during pre-layout simulation.

The Calibre nmDRC and nmLVS tools are also part of the TSMC AMS Reference Flow 2.0. Moreover, the Calibre platform is the physical verification platform used to validate TSMC PDKs (Process Design Kits), which provide the models used in the TSMC AMS Reference Flow 2.0.

Visit Mentor Graphics at www.mentor.com.

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