Every time you move your designs onto a new process or technology node, the analog circuits and IP need to be implemented. The fact is, managing the migration of these isn’t always the easiest since, as yet, there is no high-level description – as exists in the digital domain.
There are smart ways to reuse part of the layout and schematics for simple designs. However, for complex SoCs to take full benefit of the integration nodes these simple migrations are not recommended.
If you move foundries, the challenges become even more complex as most of them have their own philosophy on creating the PDKs and coping with the latest challenges of sub-nano technology nodes.
For effective decision-making surrounding a circuit design (or redesign), engineering and business planning needs to be able to easily compare the overall business-case, from the feasibility of the design down to the foundry wafer prices and availability of fab capacity and ultimately, to the price of the final device at specific quantities.
It was this set of challenges, and the need for simplifying designers’ lives, that led us to develop the Amalia Technology Analyzer. In the hands of our customers’ design engineers, this powerful tool gives them the option to compare foundry technologies in the shortest time, and informs their strategic planning: enabling them to decide on the right design options and the optimum commercial fit.
Using Technology Analyzer, design teams select the source and target technologies to estimate the best fit, as shown in Figure 1.
Technology Analyzer enables simulations down to device level, using SmartSpice or Spectre, giving the design teams the necessary insights to compare and qualify practically all existing foundry and technology nodes that might fit that specific design. It also gives the possibility to compare the overall costs of productization across different fabs.
And that last point is fundamental when, as is the case today, fab capacity is under extreme pressure and is booked up by a small number of Tier 1 tech companies. The ability to make fast decisions can be crucial to finalize an implementation and to get your product market quickly – hopefully before it’s even too late to maintain your competitive advantage.
If you are under these pressures and this sounds all-too familiar, get in touch with us here and see how a Thalia AMALIA solution can help your business.
