Jul 15 2009
Magma(r) Design Automation Inc. (Nasdaq:LAVA), a provider of chip design software, today announced the availability of an integrated low-power IC implementation reference flow for UMC's (NYSE:UMC) (TSE:2303) advanced 40-nanometer (nm) process.
This reference flow supports the UMC 40-nm process and the UMC 40-nm low-leakage library. Based on the Magma Talus(r) IC implementation system and fully compliant with the Unified Power Format (UPF), it allows designers to address low-power nanometer design considerations during implementation and within a single environment, maximizing quality of results (QoR) while reducing turnaround time. Similar low-power reference flows for 90- and 65-nm processes are already available from Magma.
"UMC and Magma's long-standing partnership has resulted in many productive design support solutions for our customers," said Stephen Fu, director of the IP Development and Design Support Division at UMC. "Our latest effort is an integrated low-power IC implementation reference flow that gives designers a means to address low-power issues during the implementation phase of 40-nm designs."
"Our goal in working with UMC was to give project teams a way to address low-power nanometer design considerations with an integrated low-power IC implementation reference flow," said Premal Buch, general manager of Magma's Design Implementation Business Unit. "The Talus platform's unique integration accomplishes that goal while reducing overall turnaround time."
The Magma-UMC Low-Power Reference Flow
The Magma-UMC RTL-to-GDSII low-power reference flow includes the required scripts and documentation for Magma users to move to UMC's advanced 40-nm low-power process technology and offers timing closure without iterations to enable quick silicon delivery.
A multiple-power domain is used to create different voltage domains with designated purposes, including reducing leakage current and reducing chip power consumption while meeting timing requirements. The reference flow provides MTCMOS power switch insertion and placement for implementing a switched domain. It performs automatic checking and insertion of level shifters and isolation cells into the right locations in a domain, insertion of retention flip-flops in the domain that can be powered down, and always-on buffering for retention of the control signal in the switched domain.
In addition, Magma's placement engines complete all the standard-cell placement in the design using features such as comprehensive congestion analysis and timing-driven placement. Magma's clock tree synthesis constructs a minimum-skew clock tree. With the GUI clock-tree browser, users can monitor the clock tree implementation during the flow and can select the correct clock tree structures for their design. After clock tree synthesis is completed, Magma's advanced routing engines complete the routing, including signal and power routing, based on UMC's 40-nm design rules.
Magma's integrated IC implementation solution and unified data structure as the basis for the reference flow ensures better quality results for timing, area, power, signal integrity and reliability while minimizing the design cycle.