Date: 05/06/2009

Agilent's PDKs for Jazz Semiconductor's 0.18-micron SiGe BiCMOS Process

Agilent Technologies has made available the two process design kits (PDKs) for Jazz Semiconductor's 0.18-micron SiGe BiCMOS process offerings that are used with Agilent's Advanced Design System 2009 EDA software.

The new Jazz SBC18HA and SBC18H2 PDKs are for the industry's latest Silicon Germanium Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (SiGe MMIC) design solutions. The SBC18HA and SBC18H2 have been widely accepted in many high-frequency applications, including 24GHz and 77GHz collision avoidance radar, 60GHz WLAN HDTV, wireless base-station back haul, and a host of optical applications, including TIA, laser drivers, SERDES and CDRs.

"Our collaboration with Jazz is in response to the strong market demand from our mutual customers for a fast and efficient RFIC design flow," said Avery Chung, foundry program manager of Agilent's EEsof EDA division. "With these new SiGe PDKs in ADS 2009, customers will be able to design high-performance ICs operating up to 60GHz and higher. They can use the breadth of capability ADS provides, including design for manufacturing toolsets and Momentum, the industry-leading 3-D planar EM simulator."

"These PDKs offer design teams a smooth transition from GaAs-based high-frequency product design to silicon-based product design by using the same Agilent ADS design environment now available with Jazz's high-performance SiGe technology," said Marco Racanelli, senior VP and general manager, Jazz Semiconductor. "Recognizing that ADS is a leader in this market, Jazz partnered with Agilent to speed time-to-market for our customers who are targeting applications up to and beyond 60 to 77GHz in our SiGe technology."

Both the SBC18HA and SBC18H2 PDKs are certified by Jazz and Agilent to take advantage of ADS 2009, the latest release from Agilent EEsof EDA. ADS 2009 contains new features that support IC, package and RF board co-design. These PDKs are expected to be available by end of June-09.

SiGe BiCMOS Process is used to make RF chips with integrated logic, mixed-signal and also passive components. Today's wireless RF devices are mostly made from this process.