Design kit jump-starts mixed-signal designs

A new kit enables semiconductor companies and electronic systems manufacturers to jump-start their design cycles on AMI Semiconductor's foundry process using Mentor's analogue/mixed-signal IC flow.

AMI Semiconductor (AMIS) and Mentor Graphics have collaborated to offer a state-of-the-art analogue/mixed-signal technology design kit (TDK) containing comprehensive and proven building blocks at the device level.

This kit enables semiconductor companies and electronic systems manufacturers to jump-start their design cycles on AMI Semiconductor's foundry process using Mentor's analogue/mixed-signal IC flow; thereby cutting time to market and ensuring manufacturing success of analogue, low datarate wireless, mixed-signal, and system-on-chip (SoC) ICs.

The AMIS and Mentor Graphics partnership starts with AMI Semiconductor's C5 process, a popular 0.5um mixed-signal process technology widely used among automotive, medical, industrial, and defence foundry customers.

The production-proven TDK enables chip designers to immediately begin creating, simulating and verifying mixed-signal or analogue transistor-level designs targeted for AMI Semiconductor's C5 process.

The kit includes a comprehensive set of Eldo simulation models and Calibre rule files, and complete schematic symbols for Design Architect-IC with corresponding layout device generators for IC Station.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Mentor Graphics in offering this C5 technology design kit", noted Al Morrison, Vice President of Mixed-Signal Foundry Services at AMI Semiconductor.

The combination of our production-proven, mixed-signal processes and Mentor's world-class, optimised mixed-signal design flow will enable our mutual customers to gain more control and predictability over their SoC design and manufacturing".

"With the release of the AMIS C5 technology design kit, we further broaden our coverage of supporting specialised mixed-signal foundries", said Jue-Hsien Chern, Vice President and General Manager of the Deep Submicron Division at Mentor Graphics.

"Our TDKs ensure that our mutual customers will not only get their designs off the ground quickly, but will also have a seamless flow from design creation to implementation and manufacturing".

Mentor Graphics has also teamed up with Mosis to extend the accessibility of AMI Semiconductor's C5 TDK to a wider range of design communities, including commercial firms and higher education institutions.

AMIS has partnered with Mosis for nearly a decade in making their foundry technologies accessible to a wide range of designers via Mosis multiwafer project (MPW) services.

Mentor is proud to support that tradition by making the C5 design kit available to Mosis customers.

The Mentor technology design kit for AMI Semiconductor's C5 process is available now.

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