Fabless Semiconductor Association Releases Mixed-Signal/RF Process Design Kit Guidelines; Standard Checklist of PDK Contents Showcases Quality
SAN JOSE, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—March 23, 2004—
The Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA), the global
voice for fabless and hybrid semiconductor companies and their foundry
and supply-chain partners, announced today it has received widespread
industry support for the development and future adoption of a method
to document the contents of a process design kit (PDK). A PDK is a set
of data files that enable analog circuit and layout designers to
efficiently design an integrated circuit (IC) using a set of
electronic design automation (EDA) tools and a selected foundry
process.
The FSA's Mixed-Signal (MS)/RF Foundry Committee's PDK working
group has released its Mixed-Signal/RF PDK Checklist, which provides
guidelines to showcase PDK quality. The Checklist describes simulation
models, technology files, design rule files and parameterized cell
generators used to design today's complex mixed-signal and RF ICs.
Checklists will be delivered with new MS/RF PDKs over the next several
months and are targeted to become standard practice by the end of the
year.
Companies represented in the Committee's working group include 1st
Silicon, Agilent Technologies, austriamicrosystems, Cadence Design
Systems, HPL, Jazz Semiconductor, Mindspeed Technologies, OK
Initiative, PolarFab, Silvaco and TSMC.
"The Checklist is the first deliverable from the Mixed-Signal/RF
Foundry Committee. It serves as the foundation for this working group
to help streamline foundry, customer and supplier processes," said
Jodi Shelton, co-founder and executive director of the FSA. "The
Checklist showcases best practices in the semiconductor industry and
serves as the ingredients list and 'nutrition facts panel' for a
design kit, and we hope it will become the de facto standard."
The Checklist will be delivered with each release version of an
MS/RF PDK developed or co-developed by foundries, EDA tool vendors and
design service companies. The Checklist is both foundry and EDA vendor
neutral. The easy-to-read two-page document consists of three
sections. The foundry document section describes the specific
documents, revisions and dates that were used to build the PDK. The
EDA tool section describes the software tools, vendors, revisions and
release dates used to qualify the PDK. The device section summarizes
the symbols, SPICE models, attributes, parameterized cells and
verification of each of the devices.
"Analog, mixed-signal and RF designers need to know how much they
can trust what is in their PDKs throughout the semiconductor process
life cycle," stated Ken Brock, chair of the PDK working group and vice
president of marketing at Silvaco. "This document facilitates the
clear communication between foundry, fabless customer, EDA vendor,
intellectual property (IP) developer and design service providers."
The FSA Mixed-Signal/RF PDK Checklist and instructions can be
downloaded free of charge from the FSA website at
www.fsa.org/committees/foundry.
About the FSA's Mixed-Signal/RF Foundry Committee:
The FSA Mixed-Signal, RF Foundry Committee was founded to
accelerate the formation of an advanced mixed-signal/RF foundry supply
chain and ecosystem for fabless and hybrid semiconductor companies.
The PDK/Roadmap working group was chartered to first develop a format
for PDK representation and common terminology for describing MS/RF PDK
contents and inputs. Its second goal is to develop PDK quality
criteria at critical delivery milestones and streamline the PDK
development process. For more information on becoming a member of this
committee visit www.fsa.org/committees/foundry.
About the Fabless Semiconductor Association:
The FSA is the global voice of fabless and hybrid semiconductor
companies and their foundry and supply-chain partners. Incorporated in
1994, the Association (www.fsa.org) is focused on the perpetuation of
the fabless business model throughout the worldwide semiconductor
industry. The organization encourages the relationship between
semiconductor companies and suppliers; facilitates business
partnerships; creates awareness of the fabless/outsourced business
model; disseminates industry data; and fosters standards and policies.
FSA members include fabless companies, integrated device
manufacturers (IDMs), foundry providers, packaging/assembly houses,
intellectual property providers, electronic design automation
companies, OEMs, photomask companies, design software companies,
investment bankers, venture capitalists and other companies. FSA
members represent more than 21 countries spanning North America,
Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
Contact:
Fabless Semiconductor Association
Vivian Pangburn, 972-866-7579 ext.140
vpangburn@fsa.org
or
Shelton PR
Media Contact
Helen Garrett / Erin Anthony, 972-239-5119 ext. 201 / 135
hgarrett@sheltongroup.com
eanthony@sheltongroup.com
