XFAB http://www.xfab.com/ x-fab ch XFAB http://www.xfab.com/typo3conf/ext/tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.xfab.com/ 18 16 x-fab TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Wed, 06 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0200 06-07 Jun 2012: Sensors Expo & Conference, Rosemont, IL, USA http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//06-07-jun-20-1/ Sensors Expo & Conference is the only industry event in North America exclusively focused on... www.sensorsexpo.com.

Meet us at booth #826.

To arrange for meetings with X-FAB at the show site, please contact Sales.Americas@xfab.com]]> EVENTS Wed, 06 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0200 30 & 31 May 2012: Webinar on Design Challenges & Solutions for AC LED Lighting and AC/DC Power Supply Applications http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//30-31-may/ Join us online for a free Webinar on May 30 & 31, 2012. seminar@xfab.com ]]> EVENTS Wed, 16 May 2012 10:47:00 +0200 X-FAB Joins the IPL Alliance and Announces iPDK Availability http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//x-fab-joins/ The Interoperable PDK Libraries (IPL) Alliance announced today that X-FAB Silicon Foundries has...
MOUNTAN VIEW, Calif. – The Interoperable PDK Libraries (IPL) Alliance announced today that X-FAB Silicon Foundries has joined the IPL Alliance, a standards organization whose charter is to establish an interoperable custom design ecosystem. X-FAB, the leading foundry group for analog/mixed-signal semiconductor applications, is making interoperable process design kits (iPDKs) available for its most popular foundry processes ranging from 0.6 to 0.13 micrometers.

The IPL Alliance, which includes major electronic design automation (EDA), semiconductor and foundry companies, released the industry’s first open standard for iPDKs for analog/mixed-signal designs in 2010. The iPDK standard is based on the OpenAccess database and uses standard languages and a unified architecture to enable interoperability among all EDA vendor tools. Engineering teams only need to develop a single PDK for each process node, which reduces development costs, shortens design cycles and provides designers with earlier access to advanced process technologies across multiple tools.

X-FAB is the leading analog/mixed-signal foundry group manufacturing silicon wafers for analog-digital integrated circuits (mixed-signal ICs). X-FAB maintains wafer production facilities in Erfurt and Dresden (Germany); Lubbock, Texas (US); and Kuching, Sarawak (Malaysia); and employs approximately 2,400 people worldwide. Wafers are manufactured based on advanced modular CMOS and BiCMOS processes with technologies ranging from 1.0 to 0.13 micrometers, for applications primarily in the automotive, communications, consumer and industrial sectors.

“We are committed to helping our customers make their analog/mixed-signal designs more robust and get to market faster," said Thomas Ramsch, director of design support at X-FAB. “Therefore, after extensive evaluation, we decided to join the IPL Alliance, adopt the iPDK standard and provide our customers with X-FAB iPDKs. We believe the standardization of PDKs can significantly lower the cost and reduce the effort for analog IP migration. By next month, X-FAB will be able to deliver iPDKs, for all supported EDA tools that work with the OpenAccess database, four times faster than before.”

“iPDKs are proven and provide semiconductor foundries significant benefits such as reducing PDK development and validation time, lowering support and distribution costs and enabling advanced design flows and multiple EDA tool support,” said Jingwen Yuan, president of the IPL Alliance and strategic alliance manager at Synopsys. “We are happy to add leading analog/mixed signal foundry X-FAB to our growing number of foundry members.”  
About the IPL Alliance
The IPL Alliance is an industry standards organization established to develop an interoperable ecosystem for custom design by creating and promoting interoperable PDK standards. There are currently 30 semiconductor and EDA company members. For more information, please visit the IPL Alliance web site at http://www.IPLnow.com  or contact info@iplnow.com

]]> NEWS Mon, 14 May 2012 16:00:00 +0200 X-FAB 在0.18um工艺平台扩展高温的功能并结合高压、高温、与非挥发性内存的特点 http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//x-fab-01/ XH018高温工艺对新的应用领域增加了多个新式且功能强大的器件 XH018高温工艺对新的应用领域增加了多个新式且功能强大的器件

. 2012年3月20日 - 德国艾尔福特(Erfurt) - 为了响应客户在高温应用的需求，X-FAB Silicon Foundries今日发表XH018高温工艺。在XH018平台上加入一套具有高温特性的新模块，提供了业界首创且唯一在0.18微米平台上具有高温、高压、与非挥发性内存(NVM)的功能。X-FAB藉由这次的技术扩展，增加了13个基本组件，包含数种不同电压与强化导通电阻的高压器件、对称型的高压器件、与新架构的静电保护器件(ESD)。

 高温的扩展与新增的组件非常适用于汽车领域中，例如燃油引擎或电控引擎内的控制组件，其中高达45V的操作电压就适合于汽车电子，而弹性地整合了其他现有工艺的特点，也为工业、医疗、消费领域中广泛地电压需求，提供了适用于马达控制、电源管理、电力转换的特殊工艺。

XH018高温工艺模块延伸了集成电路的温度操作范围到+175°C，而且无须任何额外的光罩，具有非常高的成本效益 。新增加的基本器件包含10V、20V、与对称型的高压器件，使设计人员容易构思与开发产品。18V的萧特基二极管可用来设计电荷帮浦(charge pumps)电路，也可以作为高压组件的静电保护电路(ESD)。

X-FAB 技术长 Jens Kosch解释今日对半导体界所发布重要的新闻，”高温的操作环境会使组件的功能与可靠性造成严重地破坏。然而，XH018高温工艺，使我们的客户研发新的产品以应用在新的领域中，甚至可操作在严苛的环境下。我们所提供的新器件，严谨的结构与延伸的模型与特性确保器件可以正常工作并具有较长的使用寿命与较少的性能退化。另外，越来越多的应用需要整合可靠的非挥发性内存，所以我们开发了一套解决方案，可以让非挥发性内存操作在严苛的环境中。我们所推出针对高温使用的嵌入式闪存、非挥发性随机内存(NVRAM)、和一次性可程序化(TrimOTP)的模块可以使客户的产品更增加弹性与可靠性。”

全方位的设计服务

对于XH018高温模块，X-FAB提供全方位的设计服务，最新的设计套件已开放授权并于X-FAB在线的技术中心提供下载使用。相关的模型文件均已完备并支持GSA的模型叙述规范，所有提供的设计工具(PDK)包含支持Cadence 6.1的器件库与支持多数SPICE仿真软件的器件模型。除了静电保护之外，现成的闭锁(latch-up)设计准则可以预防电路偶尔发生地短路现象。X-FAB也在技术中心提供工艺可靠性的说明，包含安全操作区(SOA)的规格与器件老化的信息。

解决方案

XH018高温工艺已可提供客户开始设计电路并芯片流片。独特地嵌入式闪存IP、一次性可程序化(TrimOTP)、非挥发性随机内存(NVRAM)的编辑器、与175°C高温特性的组合将于下一季正式发表。客户可以采用X-FAB所提供或者客户本身设计的内存。X-FAB更将于下一季提供组件使用寿命的计算表。

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X-FAB公司简介

X-FAB为先进的模拟/数字/混合讯号 集成电路的制造服务业者。X-FAB在全球约有2400名员工，并且在德国的艾尔福特(Erfurt)与德勒斯登(Dresden)、美国德州的乐波(Lubbock)、和马来西亚沙劳越的古晋(Kuching)各设有一座晶圆厂。

制程平台以先进的CMOS与BiCMOS模块化为基础，搭配1.0到0.13微米技术，涵盖汽车、通信、消费、与工业领域的各种应用。相关信息，请上网查询 www.xfab.com

]]> NEWS Erfurt Germany Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:00:00 +0100 X-FAB Uses Silicon Frontline’s Post-Layout Extraction Software to Enhance its Advanced Mixed-Signal Process Design Kit http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//x-fab-uses-s/ Use of SFT’s R3D software for XH018 process design kit improves high-voltage and driver... Use of SFT’s R3D software for XH018 process design kit improves high-voltage and driver characteristics of mixed-signal SOC designs

Campbell, Calif.– February 2, 2012 – Silicon Frontline Technology, Inc. (SFT), an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) company in the post-layout verification market, announced today that X-FAB Silicon Foundries has used SFT’s R3D (Resistive 3D) software for X-FAB’s 0.18 micrometer high-voltage process (XH018), providing improvements in reliability and efficiency. X-FAB is the world's leading foundry group for More-than-Moore semiconductor applications.

X-FAB’s XH018 modular mixed-signal CMOS technology can be integrated with high-voltage (HV) and non-volatile memory (NVM) modules, making it ideal for SOC applications in the automotive market and embedded NVM applications in the communications, consumer and industrial markets. R3D is used for extraction and analysis of power devices. The combination of SFT’s R3D software and X-FAB’s 0.18 micrometer process supports advanced electronic designs targeting mixed-signal applications with HV and NVM modules.

 “Our customers are seeking ways to design more reliable and efficient SOCs for their automotive, power management and NVM embedded applications,” stated Thomas Ramsch, Director Design Support at X-FAB. “After extensive evaluations, we decided to start using Silicon Frontline’s R3D software for our XH018 process. R3D enhances our customers’ SOC design quality and time to market with its powerful analysis and visualization of current density, potential distribution and IR drop. Therefore, we will offer XH018 Pcells for driver integration as part of our PDK by early March, giving customers a way to check their layout, optimize Rdson and do reliability checks.”

X-FAB manufactures wafers for automotive, industrial, consumer, medical, and other applications on modular CMOS and BiCMOS processes in geometries ranging from 1.0 to 0.13 micrometers, and offers special BCD, SOI and MEMS long-lifetime processes. It is recognized for solid, specialized expertise in advanced analog and mixed-signal process technologies, and maintains a high level of responsiveness, service and technical support for its customers.

“We are proud to add X-FAB to the list of the leading foundries that have qualified our 3D post-layout software for their advanced mixed-signal processes,” said Yuri Feinberg, SFT CEO. “We believe that our R3D’s analysis software is ideal for improving X-FAB’s customers’ design efficiency and reliability.”

    

About R3D
Silicon Frontline’s R3D combines 3D extraction with a new analysis engine to handle the accuracy and capacity requirements with a fast turnaround. To date, R3D has been adopted by more than 20 customers and applied to MOS, DMOS, LDMOS, vertical DMOS, waffle-style and GaN HEMT designs.

About Silicon Frontline
Silicon Frontline Technology, Inc. provides post-layout verification software that is Guaranteed Accurate and works with existing design flows from major EDA vendors. Using new 3D technology, the company’s software products improve silicon quality for standard and advanced nanometer processes. For more information please visit www.siliconfrontline.com. For sales or general assistance, please email info@SiliconFrontline.com.


All trademarks and tradenames are the property of their respective holders.

]]> NEWS Erfurt Germany Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0100 X-FAB拓展0.18um技术平台着重高能效系统 http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//x-fab0/ 结合新式60V高压技术与嵌入式闪存的工艺 以智能型电源管理芯片推动新一代的功率控制方案

结合新式60V高压技术与嵌入式闪存的工艺  

以智能型电源管理芯片推动新一代的功率控制方案


2011年11月1日，德国艾尔福特(Erfurt)，X-FAB Silicon Foundries 于今日发布新一代的技术平台XP018。此工艺平台提供业界最少的光刻版数，整合数字、模拟、高压、与嵌入式闪存(eFlash)模块。针对高能效的应用所推出的特殊工艺，是首次允许片上系统芯片(SoC)整合高达60V的工作电压、5V电源并结合嵌入式非挥发性内存。此平台推动了一个可靠且高效率的电源管理、数字控制、和相关功率控制片上系统的新时代。

XP018工艺平台提供5V到60V的电压工作范围，和在业界中非常有竞争性的低导通电阻 (RDSon) ，以帮助客户缩小芯片面积与降低成本。此平台所提供的高压组件与嵌入式非挥发性内存的独特组合只需要不到30层光刻版，这在拥有相关特性的代工厂中，光刻版数是最少的。此工艺平台也非常适合于汽车电子系统。

XFAB总裁Rudi De Winter表示「业界一直致力于开发高能效的芯片与系统，我们所开发的XP018就是为了解决客户在这方面的需求。客户可以藉由高性价比的平台来设计智能型系统芯片、并结合具有60V高压能力的嵌入式微处理器，以实现新一代的电源管理方案。」

 

XP018提供广泛地非挥发性内存(NVM)的选择，包含poly fuse、一次性可程序化(OTP)、非挥发性随机内存(NVRAM)、EEPROM、闪存(FLASH)。所有经过验证的设计套件将于2012年提供。

XP018工艺现在已经可以提供客户流片，包含各种嵌入式内存的选项。所有工艺与设计套件的验证将于2012年完成。

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 X-FAB简介

X-FAB是先进的模拟/数字集成电路 (混合讯号IC) 的晶圆代工业者。X-FAB目前全球员工人数约为 2400名，代工厂位于德国的艾尔福特 (Erfurt) 与德勒斯登 (Dresden) 、美国德州的乐波市 (Lubbock) 和马来西亚沙劳越的古晋(Kuching)。工艺以先进模块化CMOS 与BiCMOS 为基础，搭配 1.0 到0.13 微米技术，涵盖以汽车、通信、消费与工业产品为主的各种应用。相关信息，请上网查询：www.xfab.com

]]> NEWS Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:00:00 +0100 CEITEC S.A. Announces Volume Production of the Chip do Boi Device http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//ceitec-sa/ RFID Device becomes Brazils First Homegrown Chip to Reach Mass Manufacturing at X-FAB RFID Device becomes Brazils First Homegrown Chip to Reach Mass Manufacturing at X-FAB

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil – October 18, 2011: CEITEC S.A., a Brazilian company that develops and produces application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) today announced that it has reached volume production for the first semiconductor device designed in-house. The device announced is being manufactured at X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries in Germany. Today’s announcement marks a major milestone in the country’s effort to develop a domestic microelectronics industry.

CEITEC’s Chip do Boi is an advanced LF-RFID device designed for use in Brazil’s cattle industry as part of a leading-edge system to track livestock. Forecasted domestic demand for the chip is as high as 1.5 million units for 2012 with an expected minimum growth rate of 10 percent a year over the next decade. Chip do Boi is the first chip designed in Brazil by Brazilian engineers in a company that was homegrown and home funded to reach volume production at a world-class semiconductor manufacturing facility. CEITEC has been guiding the efforts to foster industry advances in electronics since 2008.

“Today’s volume manufacturing milestone means that chips designed in Brazil will soon hit the market, but more importantly, it signifies the country’s ability to produce world-class technology and lays the foundation for a growing, sustainable industry,” said Dr.  Cylon Gonçalves da Silva, President of CEITEC. “This is an extraordinary achievement both scientifically and commercially and we are happy to have X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries as our manufacturing partner.”

 X-FAB is one of the world's leading manufacturers for analog/mixed-signal semiconductor applications. The company has been chosen by CEITEC to produce the Chip do Boi design at its wafer fab in order to serve the market in Brazil and around the world, because X-FAB’s 0.6 micrometer CMOS technology is the same that will soon be available in CEITEC’s own manufacturing facility.

Thomas Hartung, VP Marketing at X-FAB remarked: “With the announcement of the Chip do Boi CEITEC has demonstrated its excellent capabilities to successfully launch products into the Brazilian market using a global supply chain. We are proud to be a long-term partner of CEITEC and to do business with a center for IC development and manufacturing in Brazil. We are looking forward to further intensify our relationship in the future in the field of know-how transfer as well as in manufacturing of high-performance mixed-signal ICs. X-FAB believes that this collaboration and the dynamic growth of the strong Brazilian economy will be the base of our mutual success.”
 
CEITEC licensed X-FAB’s advanced 0.6 micrometer process technology called XC06, enabling CEITEC to establish the first commercial CMOS semiconductor front-end manufacturing operation in Brazil. On the other hand, X-FAB is able to increase its presence in the emerging and fast-growing Latin American electronics market, with other technology nodes.

Chip do Boi is only the first RFID chip designed by CEITEC SA to go into volume production. The company has announced that two more RFID chips are undergoing performance tests and will go into volume production in 2012.

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About CEITEC
CEITEC S.A. is a Brazilian company focused on the development and production of application-specific standard products (ASSPs) for the RFID, wireless communications and digital multimedia markets. The company’s design center, located in Porto Alegre, develops chips that will play a strategic role in Brazil’s microelectronics industry. The company’s adjoining foundry, now in the final stages of assembly and certification, is the first and only facility of its kind in Latin America that is capable of producing advanced types of ICs in commercial scale. CEITEC S.A.'s mission is to position Brazil as a global player in advanced microelectronics.

]]> NEWS Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0200 X-FAB和深迪将MEMS陀螺仪带入中国 http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//x-fab/ 深迪选择X-FAB为单轴和三轴陀螺仪的量产做MEMS芯片代工 深迪选择X-FAB为单轴和三轴陀螺仪的量产做MEMS芯片代工

 德国爱尔福特，中国上海-【2011年10月13日】-X-FAB硅芯片代工集团和深迪半导体（上海）有限公司今日宣布已经完成大量应用于消费电子产品的微机电（MEMS）陀螺仪的研发并开始逐步扩大生产。X-FAB将发挥其开放式平台惯性传感器工艺的优势成为深迪的前端生产合作伙伴，深迪将使用X-FAB生产的传感器装置生产单轴和三轴陀螺仪。作为一家领先的半导体专一业务MEMS芯片代工厂，X-FAB提供一系列得到综合技术支持的高质量开放式平台MEMS加工技术。深迪是中国首家对MEMS陀螺仪进行设计和封装的商用MEMS供应商，已于近日将产能提升至每月250万片MEMS陀螺仪芯片。
 单轴MEMS陀螺仪能够侦测绕单轴进行旋转的运动（倾斜、滚动或旋转），而更复杂的三轴陀螺仪能够侦测所有三个方向的运动。这些陀螺仪对于许多高量产电子类产品如手机、平板电脑、便携式摄像机、游戏手柄、遥控器、数码相机、电玩以及车载和医疗器械来说都是非常理想的应用。

  深迪董事长邹波指出: 我们选择与X-FAB合作是因为X-FAB的高性能加工技术能够使我们非常迅速划算地开发产品占领市场。X-FAB的开放式平台惯性传感器工艺能够迅速直接实现我们的设计。有X-FAB这样的高量产MEMS芯片代工厂家的经验加上我们自己帮助客户开发他们自己的MEMS陀螺仪应用的专业技术与全心投入，我们相信深迪在满足全球不断增长的消费电子用MEMS陀螺仪市场需求方面是处于前沿的。

  X-FAB已经从事了十多年的MEMS芯片代工服务并且将惯性MEMS看作为公司MEMS业务增长的基石。X-FAB首席执行官Rudi De Winter说:“我们的目标是为我们的客户提供第一时间开发生产出正确产品所需的快速便捷的芯片代工途径。深迪在一个创纪录的时间里将惯性MEMS技术平台转化成了满足市场需求的陀螺仪产品，我们非常高兴能够和深迪合作。”   深迪简介 深迪半导体（上海）有限公司成立于2008年8月，总部位于中国上海张江高科技园区，是中国首家商用MEMS陀螺仪传感器供应商。深迪拥有领先且具备独立知识产权的MEMS工艺及结合技术，专注于为消费电子及汽车市场设计生产低成本低功耗高性价比小型化的MEMS陀螺仪芯片并致力于为客户提供整体解决方案和最优质的服务。

  X-FAB简介 X-FAB是领先的模拟/混合数字芯片代工集团，为模拟-数字集成电路（混合信号集成电路）生产硅晶圆，在德国爱尔福特和德累斯顿、美国德克萨斯的卢伯克和马来西亚沙捞越的古晋拥有晶圆生产设施，全球员工约2400人。使用先进的模块化CMOS和BiCMOS工艺结合1.0-0.13微米技术生产主要用于汽车、通讯、消费类和工业类的晶圆。更多内容请访问www.xfab.com。 ]]> NEWS Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0200 X-FAB and Senodia Bring MEMS Gyroscopes to China http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//x-fab-and-se/ Senodia selects X-FAB as MEMS foundry for high-volume production of single- and 3-axis gyroscopes Senodia selects X-FAB as MEMS foundry for high-volume production of single- and 3-axis gyroscopes ERFURT, Germany and Shanghai, China; October 13, 2011 – X-FAB Silicon Foundries Group and Senodia Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd today announced they have concluded development and are ramping production of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscopes for high-volume consumer applications. X-FAB will serve as the front-end manufacturing partner, leveraging its open-platform inertial sensor process. Senodia will use sensor devices manufactured by X-FAB to produce single-axis and 3-axis gyroscopes. X-FAB, a leading pure-play MEMS foundry, offers a range of qualified open-platform MEMS process technologies covered by comprehensive design support. Senodia is the first commercial MEMS supplier to design and package gyroscopes in China. It recently raised its production capacity to more than 2.5 million MEMS gyroscope chips per month.

Single-axis MEMS gyroscopes can detect movement on one axis of rotation – yaw, pitch or roll – and more complex 3-axis gyroscopes can detect movement in all three. These gyroscopes are ideal for many high-volume applications such as mobile phones, tablet PCs, camcorders, gaming controllers, remote controls, digital cameras, electronic toys, and automotive and medical devices.

Bo Zou, Chairman/CEO of Senodia said, “We chose to work with X-FAB because of its high-performance process technology that enables us to develop products very rapidly and cost-effectively for the market place. X-FAB’s open platform inertial sensor process was immediately available and ready to use for realizing our designs. With X-FAB’s experience as a high-volume MEMS foundry, and our expertise and commitment to help customers develop their MEMS gyroscope applications, we believe Senodia is at the forefront of serving the world’s ever-increasing market demand for MEMS gyroscopes in consumer electronics.”

X-FAB has provided a MEMS foundry service for more than 10 years and considers inertial MEMS a cornerstone for the company’s MEMS growth. X-FAB CEO Rudi De Winter said, “Our goal is to provide fast and easy foundry access for our customers to develop and manufacture first-time-right products. We are very pleased to work with Senodia, which has turned the inertial MEMS technology platform in record time into a gyro product that meets market needs.”


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About Senodia
Senodia Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd is the first commercial MEMS Gyroscope sensor supplier in China, founded in August, 2008. Its headquarters is in ZhangJinag Hi-Tech Park Shanghai, China. Senodia has the leading-edge MEMS process and integration technology with its own intellectual property (IP). Senodia focuses on designing and manufacturing low-cost, low-power, high performance/price ratio and small-sized MEMS Gyroscope chip for the consumer electronics and automotive markets. Senodia is also committed to provide customers with total solutions and best services.


About X-FAB
X-FAB is the leading analog/mixed-signal foundry group manufacturing silicon wafers for analog-digital integrated circuits (mixed-signal ICs). X-FAB maintains wafer production facilities in Erfurt and Dresden (Germany); Lubbock, Texas (US); and Kuching, Sarawak (Malaysia); and employs approximately 2,400 people worldwide. Wafers are manufactured based on advanced modular CMOS and BiCMOS processes with technologies ranging from 1.0 to 0.13 micrometers, for applications primarily in the automotive, communications, consumer and industrial sectors. For more information, please visit www.xfab.com.]]> NEWS Erfurt Germany Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0200 X-FAB Qualifies Cadence Physical Verification System for All Process Nodes http://www.xfab.com/ch/main/about-x-fab/news/newsdetail/article//x-fab-qualif/ Customers of Leading Mixed-Signal Foundry Group Reap Benefits of In-Design Physical Verification... Customers of Leading Mixed-Signal Foundry Group Reap Benefits of In-Design Physical Verification Integrated with Cadence Encounter and Virtuoso Technologies SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 5, 2011—Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS), a leader in global electronic design innovation, today announced that X-FAB, a leading foundry group for analog/mixed-signal semiconductor applications, has qualified the Cadence® Physical Verification System for the majority of its process technologies. Foundry qualification means that X-FAB has given its stamp of approval for silicon accuracy of the Cadence Physical Verification System across all of its process nodes, and that mixed-signal customers can reap new performance and productivity advantages enabled by its tight integration into the Cadence Virtuoso® and Encounter® flows.

 “Creating an advanced mixed-signal SoC presents significant challenges,” said Dr. Jens Kosch, chief technology officer at X-FAB. “Our customers welcome any opportunity to streamline the development process, so we were pleased to qualify and endorse the Cadence Physical Verification System for our process technologies at X-FAB.”

The Cadence Physical Verification System delivers in-design and final signoff design rule checking (DRC) and layout versus schematic (LVS) verification at transistor, cell, block, and full-chip/SoC levels. It integrates with industry-standard end-to-end digital and custom/analog flows, enabling more efficient Silicon Realization methodologies.

“Design teams prefer to stay within the same environment for design, implementation, and verification to shorten turnaround time and ensure design quality. This qualification means X-FAB customers can confidently conduct all required physical verification using the Cadence Physical Verification System, remaining in the design and implementation cockpit to improve productivity,” said John Murphy, group director, alliances marketing at Cadence. “We worked closely with X-FAB to address all its stringent verification qualification requirements, meeting and exceeding all sign-off parameters. This type of deep collaboration with leading foundries is an essential element of the EDA360 vision.”

By tightly integrating design rule checking into the Cadence implementation technologies, design teams will be able to validate against signoff DRC validation as they edit, allowing them to find and fix errors earlier in their flow while saving them time in longer loops through standalone signoff solutions. The result is faster time to tapeout. Cadence and X-FAB continue to work closely together to provide validated signoff verification decks for their mixed-signal customers.

About Cadence
Cadence enables global electronic design innovation and plays an essential role in the creation of today's integrated circuits and electronics. Customers use Cadence software, hardware, IP, and services to design and verify advanced semiconductors, consumer electronics, networking and telecommunications equipment, and computer systems. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world to serve the global electronics industry. More information about the company, its products, and services is available at www.cadence.com.


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Cadence, Virtuoso, Encounter and the Cadence logo are registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


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