Mentor Graphics provides support for TSMC iPDKs

WILSONVILLE, USA: Mentor Graphics Corp. announced support for the TSMC interoperable process design kit (iPDK) in the Mentor Custom IC design flow products.

This support gives companies using TSMC process technology the freedom to choose best-in-class tools such as the IC Station tool without the encumbrance of proprietary PDK files, and results in shortened design cycle times and more effective design reuse.

“The TSMC unified iPDK is designed to eliminate the need for multiple proprietary PDKs, and opens the door to greater innovations in custom, analog, mixed-signal and RF design,” said S.T. Juang, senior director of Design Infrastructure Marketing at TSMC. “Support from the EDA community has been outstanding, and we feel the collaborative nature of the work will pay huge dividends to our mutual customers.”

The TSMC iPDK is based on an Open Access database and data model, and features open standard languages for scripting and programming. It includes complete views of symbols, parameterized layout cells, callbacks and technology files. This approach ensures rapid availability of PDKs for advanced technology nodes, and allows TSMC customers more choices of design tools.

“The iPDK initiative is a great example of the industry working together in the best interest of its customers,” said Robert Hum, general manager of Mentor Graphics Deep Submicron Division. “Design kits written in proprietary languages that keep the customer captive to one vendor do not serve the industry well. Interoperability gives a customer the choice and flexibility to buy the EDA tools that best serve their business objectives.”