Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: Zkom | Subject: Crystal Yield
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 13 March 2006
Simulator predicts real-world chip
performance
The latest release of Crystal Yield EDA software incorporates gradient effect simulation and automatic parameter generation.
The latest release of Crystal Yield EDA software offers two all-new features: gradient effect simulation (GES) and automatic parameter generation (APG) Conventional Spice simulators represent the on-chip circuit behaviour in an ideal state
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 31 Oct 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Statistical simulation provides an effective toolbox to perform such analyses already at the design stage - it is better to calculate in advance than to measure when it is too late.
One pioneer and leading vendor in this specific field is the Dortmund-based EDA software company Zkom.
Its Crystal Yield package is now available in version 4.5 and was enriched by two important features: GES and APG.
GES (gradient effect simulation) is a methodology which was developed by Zkom in co-operation with the University of Bochum to precalculate during the design stage, the impact of an IC layout, and particularly the device positions on the chip, on the mismatch behaviour.
GES therefore complements the Crystal Yield analysis techniques for "local device mismatch" and "global process tolerances".
Designers of analogue ICs know about the difficulties of dealing with gradient effects (parameter gradients) for various designs, such as: the distance effect (larger distances between devices cause increase in mismatch); common centroid structures (crosscoupling of devices to reduce mismatch at in critical amplifier stages); and effects due to the device placement in the layout.
With Crystal Yield, these effects can be determined in advance with statistical certainty.
This enables chip designers to minimise these effects by appropriate optimisation of their IC design, or to check in advance whether the expected production spread is tolerable.
Another new feature is APG (automatic parameter generation).
Using APG, designers can perform a reliable statistical simulation with sufficient precision, even if there is no information available about the empirical production spread of their ICs in fabrication.
Therefore, Crystal Yield is the first ever statistics simulator which does not necessarily depend on additional statistical parameters from the foundry.
The parameters available for conventional simulation are automatically processed and analysed by Crystal Yield as a basis for the statistical simulation.
The simulation results of Crystal Yield using APG are very compelling.
The new feature is very attractive for production technologies which have not yet been statistically characterised by the foundry.
APG is therefore well suited to considerably ease the migration to new technologies.
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