Date: 19/01/2011

SoC design software packages ready for 28nm process of common platform alliance

Synopsys and Cadence have announced the availability of upgraded EDA tools for the 28-nanometer(nm) high-k metal gate(HKMG) technology from Common Platform alliance of IBM, Samsung and globalfoundries.
Synopsys' SoC VLSI design software package includes Synopsys' Lynx Design System and its Galaxy Implementation Platform. Synopsys says this 28-nm design solution is pre-validated with ARM Artisan Physical IP and the ARM Cortex-A9 processor.

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has also announced qualified 32/28-nanometer (nm) reference flow for low power high-k (dielectric) metal gate (HKMG) chip making technology.

Cadence says this new Silicon Realization reference flow for the Common Platform alliance is built around the Cadence end-to-end Encounter flow, including Encounter RTL Compiler, Encounter Test, Encounter Conformal, the Encounter Digital Implementation System, Litho Physical Analyzer, QRC Extractor, Encounter Timing System, and Encounter Power System. It was validated using the 32/28-nanometer ARM low-power physical libraries, and employs the Common Power Format (CPF)-enabled Cadence Low-Power Solution to maintain power intent throughout the design process.

Cadence also says the flow encompasses key foundry-validated technologies, including physically aware synthesis, large-scale rapid design exploration and physical prototyping, advanced timing and signal integrity concurrent optimization with multi-mode and multi-corner analysis and optimization, context-aware placement, advanced OCV-aware clock tree synthesis, litho-aware routing, and in-design signoff analysis for timing and power.

Synopsys too has nearly same stuff in its tools. Lynx Design System offers foundry-ready system technology plug-in pre-validated for CPA 28-nm HKMG technology and offers advanced visualization capabilities for managing chip design that enable easy flow configuration and execution, as well as on-demand project metrics.

The Lynx Design System and Galaxy platform offers low power implementation flow including concurrent multi-corner, multi-mode (MCMM) optimization and analysis with support for IEEE 1801 standards. Synopsys pitches its tools as faster, predictable and convergent path from RTL to GDSII.

Cadence differentiates its products by calling 360 Degree offering where as Synopsys provides bundle of silicon proven IPs serving present market requirements, Something nearly similar offering but off course not identical.

Correction: In the previous version of this article it was wrongly entered as 'ARM' instead of 'SAMSUNG'. The error is regretted.