TSMC Improves Custom Layout Productivity With Laker

Challenges of Memory Library Layout

TSMC, the worlds largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, provides the industrys leading process technology and the foundry industrys largest and most comprehensive portfolio of process-proven library, IP, design tools and reference flows. With these resources, the companys Memory Library Layout Team develops and deploys full-custom layout across its process-specific libraries, technology applications and embedded memories. The teams two key challenges are:

    * Finding ways to help layout engineers get up to speed more quickly
    * Improving productivity with the full-custom layout projects, further reducing the amount of manual work.

A key project - based on 90-nm process technology
As a technology leader, TSMC announced Nexsys 90-nanometer process technology in early 2002.
With 70-75% linear shrinkage and a two-time performance improvement, 90-nm process technology is poised to become the next de-facto standard for SoC design platforms.

The Memory Library Layout team continued to look for productivity improvement when they began to work on a TSMC 90-nanometer process technology project. With so much riding on the project, selecting the right solutions was paramount. An approach more productive than available conventional methods would be needed to meet the deadline. The team decided an entirely new full-custom layout solution was necessary to improve layout productivity.

Laker- a new layout technology

After a comprehensive tool evaluation, the team elected to work closely with Silicon Canvas on this project. By leveraging Silicon Canvas Laker custom layout tool, which delivers a dramatic productivity gain through automation, performance, capacity, and openness, the team hoped to shave valuable layout time and add a high-performance, custom-layout tool to their projects.

"As design size and the complexity continue to grow, fast stream in/out and the ability to handle large GDSII files are very important to us," said Fred Wang, Senior Director at TSMC. "We were impressed by the performance of Lakers database. Moreover, MCell provides a much faster and more flexible way for device creation and modification that dramatically increase the yield of our custom layout projects. Weve also greatly benefited from Silicon Canvascommitment to customer support. Our memory layout team receives top-notch service. During the past two years, Silicon Canvas and Laker have greatly helped our projects".

"Whenever we needed help, Silicon Canvas came through with highly responsive support. Their turnaround time was usually a day or two, which is far better than the industry norm."

A Shortcut to Superior Layout Results

The adoption of Laker custom layout tool resulted in a major reduction of manual work. The tool completed full-custom layout within required deadline and enabled the dependent project to be launched on schedule. The advantage of standardizing on Laker solutions has significantly cut design time to less than half the time required by traditional methods previously used by the memory layout team.

Silicon Canvas MCell approach and the rule-driven technology reduce 40% of DRC violation, with a corresponding reduction in the potential for errors. With fast stream in/out, the dynamic visual layout environment and other capabilities, Laker provides major performance and productivity gains that dramatically increase throughput and time-to-market competitiveness for any projects involving full-custom layout designs.

With Laker, TSMCs Memory Library Layout Team has developed a production flow that enables effective, efficient custom layout for memory development. With more than 30 chips having been successfully taped out in the team including SRAM, DRAM and Flash applications, TSMC has adopted Laker as an extension for its full-custom memory layout tool.

"In working with TSMC, weve been very impressed by the caliber of their design team, their dedication to quality and their commitment to provide the best foundry service. The pressure is tremendous on the TSMCs memory library design team to meet stringent layout requirement and deadlines," according to Dr. Hau-Yung Chen, president at Silicon Canvas, Inc. "Through Laker, Silicon Canvas offers intelligent solutions for full-custom layout resulting not only in huge savings, but, just as importantly, a high level of interactive capability that accelerates the layout of fullcustom memory blocks. Our innovative R&D efforts have again extended the performance to keep pace with our customers demanding schedules."