Custom/analogue EDA flow certification for TSMC N6

These advancements allow next-generation mobile application development at N6 and N5 and hyperscale application development on N5 with updated reference flows and methodologies. Cadence and TSMC are working with customers on production designs on TSMC’s advanced processes including N7, N6 and N5 and have enabled real-world tapeouts across those nodes worldwide.

The certified tool suites support the Cadence Intelligent System Design strategy, enabling customers to achieve SoC design excellence. Cadence’s integrated flow ensures it is fully convergent and all tools work together seamlessly. Customers can download the corresponding N6 and N5 process design kits (PDKs) to begin design projects now.

Cadence has further improved its fully integrated digital full flow, which continues to be certified on both TSMC’s N6 and N5 process technologies. The certified Cadence digital full flow features enhanced physical optimization and timing signoff closure. It includes the Innovus Implementation System, Liberate Characterization, Liberate Variety Statistical Characterization, Quantus Extraction Solution, Tempus Timing Signoff Solution, Voltus IC Power Integrity Solution and Pegasus Verification System. Additionally, the Genus Synthesis Solution and its latest predictive iSpatial technology is enabled for these process technologies for both mobile and hyperscale designs.

The Cadence digital and signoff tool suite and available reference flows help customers achieve better power, performance and area (PPA) while designing on TSMC’s N6 and N5 process technologies. Some of the updated tool suite improvements include enhanced EUV layer support, a new chip integration checker for floorplan design rules, and additions to via pillar, autoNDR and advanced MIMCAP support.

The Cadence custom/analogue tool suite has been certified on TSMC’s N6 and N5 process technologies. The certification includes the Virtuoso custom IC design platform, consisting of the Virtuoso Schematic Editor, Virtuoso Layout Suite and Virtuoso ADE Product Suite, the Voltus-Fi Custom Power Integrity Solution, and the Spectre Circuit Simulation Platform, including the new Spectre X Simulator.

Cadence continues to improve custom design methodologies and capabilities within the Virtuoso Advanced-Node Platform tailored for TSMC’s advanced process technologies. Customers continue to achieve better custom design throughput versus traditional non-structured design methodologies by leveraging advanced capabilities within the Virtuoso platform.

Custom/analogue enhancements for TSMC’s advanced process technologies incorporate an accelerated custom placement and routing methodology, which enables customers to improve productivity and meet power, multiple patterning, density and electro migration requirements. Interactive and automatic placement with advanced color engine support features have been enabled in N6.

Additionally, the platform provides expanded design rule constraint support with area-based rules, universal polygrid snapping, asymmetric colouring rule, mimcap layer support, voltage-dependent rule (VDR) checking, Width-based Spacing Patterns (WSPs), electrically-aware design (EAD) to enable correct-by-construction EM handling, and analogue cell support.

“Through our longstanding collaboration with Cadence, we’re continuing to enable customers in the most competitive markets to take advantage of our latest advanced process technologies,” said Suk Lee, Senior Director of the Design Infrastructure Management Division at TSMC. “The joint efforts combining Cadence’s leading edge design tools with the most advanced TSMC process technologies are helping our customers achieve silicon success for mobile, AI/ML and hyperscale systems applications, and we’re looking forward to seeing all the new innovations make a positive impact on the industry.”

“We’ve worked to ensure that our digital and custom/analogue solutions met TSMC’s criteria for production use on the latest N5 and N6 process technologies,” added Dr Chin-Chi Teng, senior vice president and general manager of the Digital & Signoff Group at Cadence. “Due to our close collaboration with TSMC, our customers are already working on production designs and demonstrating successful results.”