Process design kit for smarter power

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Jan 29, 2004

A new process design kit (PDK) supports PolarFab's premier process for power management applications.

A new process design kit (PDK) supports PolarFab's premier process for power management applications.

The PDK supports a complete analogue and mixed-signal design flow with Silvaco circuit simulation and custom IC CAD tools.

"The new Silvaco custom IC CAD design tools provide a solid platform for our customers to design power management ICs from schematic through layout to tapeout, using PolarFab's PBC4 process,'' said Steve Kosier, Vice President of Engineering, PolarFab.

"This process design kit includes parameterised cells for all of the 50 active and passive components".

"Foundry supported PDKs offer us immediate productivity in design entry, simulation, and design verification", said Mike Wilson, Vice President of Networking and Industrial Power Management at Semtech.

"We appreciate the tight integration between the PolarFab process and Silvaco tools".

"Silvaco's PDK development methodology really shines with the challenge of a fifty element BiCMOS/DMOS process", said Kenneth Brock, Vice President of Marketing for Silvaco.

"We were able to complete a comprehensive PDK in a fraction of the time it takes to develop PDKs for other design tool flows".

Silvaco PDKs include SmartSpice circuit simulator models, Scholar schematic symbols, Expert layout editor technology files, parameterised layout cells supporting schematic driven layout for each of the active and passive elements, and Guardian DRC/LVS/LPE rule decks.

Silvaco PDKs enable first-time correct silicon, shorter design times, optimum semiconductor performance, lower development costs, reduced risks, and ultimately faster time to market.

The PBC4 BCD process monolithically integrates dense, low-voltage CMOS and bipolar control circuitry with power DMOS transistors.

This 0.5um BCD process features dual gate oxides (5.5 and 16V), complementary N- and P-channel mosfets with 5, 7, 16, 30 and 40V (NMOS only) capabilities, vertical NPN (VNPN) and lateral PNP (LPNP) bipolar transistors, and a variety of passive elements.

PBC4 is suitable for a wide array of smart power and power management IC applications.

Silvaco PDKs are available for immediate download from PolarFab's customer support website.