Cadence Spectre FX FastSPICE Simulator Is Adopted by SK Hynix to Accelerate DRAM Design

Rhea-AI Summary

Cadence Design Systems announced that SK hynix has adopted the Spectre FX Simulator for FastSPICE-based verification of DDR4 and DDR5 DRAMs, targeting PC and mobile applications. This simulator enhances simulation accuracy and speed, crucial for managing complex designs with millions of transistors. By leveraging multicore architecture, SK hynix improves simulation turnaround time, ensuring timely product delivery. The Spectre FX Simulator plays a vital role in achieving stringent specifications and productivity gains in design methodology.

Positive

• SK hynix's adoption of the Spectre FX Simulator improves simulation accuracy and performance.
• The simulator enables efficient handling of large transistor-level designs, crucial for timely DRAM product delivery.
• Utilization of multicore architecture enhances simulation turnaround time without compromising accuracy.

Negative

• None.

SK hynix achieves significant productivity gains by adopting the latest FastSPICE simulator

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDNS) today announced that SK hynix Inc. has deployed the Cadence^® Spectre^® FX Simulator for FastSPICE-based functional verification of their DDR4 and DDR5 DRAMs targeted for PC and mobile applications. The Spectre FX Simulator provides SK hynix with high simulation accuracy, fast performance and an intuitive use model.

Functional verification of SK hynix's DRAM requires simulating large transistor-level designs with tens of millions of transistors and hundreds of millions of parasitic post-layout elements across several modes of operation and process, voltage and temperature (PVT) corners. The Spectre FX Simulator delivers optimal capacity for handling these huge designs with fast simulation performance to complete verification and meet stringent tapeout deadlines. SK hynix leveraged the simulator to check critical output data signal values and top-level currents and timing measurements, enabling it to verify design behavior and ensure that the designs meet their functionality, timing and power specifications. In addition, the simulator provides an intuitive use model with minimal simulation-tuning requirements accompanied by excellent accuracy and performance balance to speed up given verification tasks.

SK hynix is using the Spectre FX Simulator's highly scalable multicore architecture to perform parallelization of transient simulations, allowing design and verification teams to further improve simulation turnaround time by utilizing the hardware resources available without having to trade off accuracy.

"Our DRAM designs require several high-accuracy chip-level FastSPICE simulations across many process corners to ensure their timing, power and other attributes meet demanding specifications while delivering our products on time to the PC and mobile computing markets,” said Mr. Do Chang-ho, Head of Computer Aided Engineering at SK hynix, Inc. “As a result of our collaboration with Cadence, the Spectre FX FastSPICE Simulator has been qualified and deployed in production for PC and mobile DRAM verification and is being expanded to HBM and graphics DRAMs. The Spectre FX Simulator enables breakthroughs in design methodology and significant productivity gains.”

The Spectre FX Simulator is part of the industry-leading Spectre Simulation Platform, which offers the only complete simulation solution encompassing multiple solvers to allow a designer to move easily and seamlessly between circuit-, block- and system-level simulation and verification tasks. The Spectre Simulation Platform supports Cadence's Intelligent System Design^™ strategy enabling SoC design excellence. For more information on the new Spectre FX Simulator, please visit www.cadence.com/go/SpectreFXSuccess.

About Cadence

Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic systems 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 complete systems for the most dynamic market applications, including hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, mobile, aerospace, consumer, 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.

About SK hynix Inc.

SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is the world’s top tier semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”), Flash memory chips (“NAND Flash”) and CMOS Image Sensors (“CIS”) for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, news.skhynix.com.

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Source: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

FAQ

What is the significance of SK hynix adopting the Spectre FX Simulator from Cadence?

SK hynix's adoption of the Spectre FX Simulator significantly enhances its functional verification processes for DDR4 and DDR5 DRAMs, ensuring high accuracy and improved performance.

How does the Spectre FX Simulator improve SK hynix's design process?

The Spectre FX Simulator allows SK hynix to simulate large transistor-level designs with high accuracy, enabling timely product delivery for PC and mobile applications.

What are the benefits of the multicore architecture in the Spectre FX Simulator?

The multicore architecture of the Spectre FX Simulator allows SK hynix to perform parallel simulations, significantly reducing turnaround time while maintaining accuracy.

How does the Spectre FX Simulator support Cadence's Intelligent System Design strategy?

The Spectre FX Simulator is part of the Spectre Simulation Platform, which enhances Cadence's Intelligent System Design strategy by providing a seamless simulation experience across varying design levels.