Cadence and Samsung Accelerate 3nm Mixed-Signal Silicon

Rhea-AI Summary

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS) has partnered with Samsung Foundry to introduce Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready process design kit (PDK) technology files. This innovation supports various Samsung process technologies, enhancing the speed and productivity of mixed-signal designs in sectors such as data centers, 5G, and automotive applications. Key features include advanced floorplanning, power routing capabilities, and improved static timing analysis, enabling more efficient chip designs. This collaboration aims to accelerate market readiness and optimize design processes for mutual customers.

Positive

• Collaboration with Samsung enhances productivity for mixed-signal designs.
• Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDK supports various Samsung process technologies from 28FDS to GAA base 3nm.
• Improves design speed for data centers, networking, 5G, and automotive applications.

Negative

• None.

Samsung and Cadence co-develop Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDKs that enable seamless implementation and verification of mixed-signal designs for data centers, networking, 5G, mobile, industrial and automotive applications

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDNS) today announced that it has collaborated with Samsung Foundry to deliver qualified Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready process design kit (PDK) technology files that support a range of Samsung process technologies from 28FDS to GAA base 3nm. The Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDK allows mutual customers to speed their time to market by ensuring that the qualified Cadence^® custom and digital design tools seamlessly interoperate on various Samsung process technologies. The Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDK improves productivity for mixed-signal designs used in data centers, networking, 5G, mobile, industrial and automotive applications.

The Cadence digital tools included with the Mixed-Signal OpenAccess PDK for Samsung process technologies are the Innovus^™ Implementation System, Genus^™ Synthesis Solution, Liberate^™ Characterization Suite, Tempus^™ Timing Signoff Solution, Voltus^™ IC Power Integrity Solution, Quantus^™ Extraction Solution, Physical Verification System, Tempus^™ Timing Signoff Solution, Voltus^™-Fi Custom Power Integrity Solution, and Litho Physical Analyzer. The Cadence custom tools included in the PDK are the Virtuoso^® ADE Product Suite, Virtuoso Schematic Editor, Virtuoso Layout Suite, Virtuoso Layout Suite Electrically Aware Design (EAD), Spectre^® X Simulator, and LDE Electrical Analyzer.

Using the Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDK with the Virtuoso and Innovus platforms, customers can seamlessly access mixed-signal designs in a common OpenAccess database. This co-design methodology promotes shared responsibilities and collaboration between the analog and digital teams for chip planning, design, implementation, physical verification, and signoff, improving overall productivity and increasing design throughput.

The Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDK enables the use of the flows, which offer:

• Advanced floorplanning and pin optimization: Users can pre-plan sensitive analog parts of the design using constraint-driven placement in the Virtuoso platform, then open the same design in the Innovus system for timing-driven placement of digital blocks. Users can fix pin locations or move them in either tool to optimize routing.
• Powerful block and chip routing capabilities: Users can pre-route sensitive analog nets using custom design tools and finish the rest using a fast timing-driven router with in-design DFM hotspot detection and automated fixing to fulfil the mandatory DFM signoff requirements.
• Improved static timing analysis (STA): The Innovus and Tempus solutions automatically recognize logic cells on the timing path in mixed-signal design and perform timing analysis while ignoring analog circuitry that does not impacting timing.
• Improved EM-IR Analysis: Enables faster electromigration IR drop (EM-IR) analysis for mixed-signal designs through a new hierarchical approach.

“We have qualified the Cadence Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDKs, and our IP designers are taking advantage of the interoperability of the Virtuoso and Innovus flow for our internal designs,” said Jongwook Kye, vice president, Foundry Design Enablement at Samsung Electronics. “This flow is available to our mutual customers immediately and will allow them to create high-quality designs on our various process technologies. This collaboration signifies further progress in our ongoing innovation with Cadence and ensures our customers continue to have access to the tools needed to improve productivity and speed their design process.”

“In collaboration with Samsung, we’ve developed a Mixed-Signal OpenAccess PDK that enables customers to create mixed-signal designs for emerging applications more effectively,” said Michael Jackson, corporate vice president, R&D in the Digital & Signoff Group at Cadence. “With this new PDK, customers can leverage the Cadence digital and custom tools and Samsung’s process technologies to achieve improved power, performance, and area and successfully deliver new designs within tight market windows.”

The Cadence digital and custom flow supports the Cadence Intelligent System Design^™ strategy, enabling customers to achieve system-on-chip (SoC) design excellence. To learn more about the Cadence Mixed-Signal OpenAccess PDK for Samsung technology, visit www.cadence.com/go/Samsung3nmMS.

About Cadence

Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic design, building upon more than 30 years of computational software expertise. The company applies its underlying Intelligent System Design strategy to deliver software, hardware and IP that turn design concepts into reality. Cadence customers are the world’s most innovative companies, delivering extraordinary electronic products from chips to boards to systems for the most dynamic market applications, including consumer, hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, mobile, aerospace, industrial and healthcare. For seven years in a row, Fortune magazine has named Cadence one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. Learn more at cadence.com.

© 2021 Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Cadence, the Cadence logo and the other Cadence marks found at www.cadence.com/go/trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Source: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

FAQ

What is the significance of the partnership between Cadence and Samsung?

The partnership aims to improve productivity and speed for mixed-signal designs across various applications, enhancing market readiness.

What technologies do the new Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDKs support?

The PDKs support Samsung's process technologies from 28FDS to GAA base 3nm.

How does the new PDK benefit chip design processes for CDNS customers?

It enables advanced floorplanning, power routing, and improved static timing analysis, enhancing overall design efficiency.

When will the Mixed-Signal OpenAccess-ready PDKs be available to customers?

The new PDKs are available to mutual customers immediately.

What applications can benefit from the new PDK technology?

The technology benefits applications in data centers, networking, 5G, mobile, industrial, and automotive sectors.