Paving the way to low power IC design

1st March 2017

Synopsys Inc

Alice Matthews

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Synopsys has announced approval of new statistical moment-based extensions to LVF by the Liberty Technical Advisory Board (LTAB), an IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organisation (IEEE-ISTO) federation member programme. The new extensions provide a more precise static timing model based on non-Gaussian variation observed in designs operating at near sub-threshold voltage conditions. Applications include mobile and IoT IC designs, where low energy consumption is a dominant requirement.

Synopsys' Galaxy design platform support for these new extensions is available today with PrimeTime signoff Static Timing Analysis (STA), SiliconSmart library characterisation and Library Compiler library checking solutions. Synopsys IC Compiler II physical implementation tool will also provide support in its upcoming release.

The LVF modeling standard, first ratified in August 2014, has been adopted by leading semiconductor companies while providing signoff confidence with PrimeTime STA on more than 50 designs manufactured with the latest FinFET processes, including those operating at low voltages down to 0.45V. However, mobile and IoT chip providers, in their continued drive to further reduce operating voltage levels, are targeting near or sub-threshold voltage operation. This creates a challenge for IC designers as non-Gaussian timing variation is more prevalent at low voltage and poses a bigger impact on design robustness and yield. To help address this emerging challenge, LTAB members proposed and ratified three statistical moment-based extensions to the LVF standard consisting of mean shift, standard deviation and skewness. These additions allow EDA tools to more precisely model the timing variation impact at such low voltages, thus enabling a more robust design.

"It is through the leadership, vision and collaboration of LTAB member companies that the Liberty modeling standard continues to evolve and benefit the industry," said Robert Hoogenstryd, Senior Director of marketing for design analysis and signoff at Synopsys. "The new LVF extensions lay the foundation for designing ICs that will operate at previously unimaginable low voltages to achieve lower energy consumption."

"It has been gratifying to see industry leaders rally around a common standard that ultimately benefits the entire semiconductor industry," said Marco Migliaro, President and CEO at IEEE-ISTO. "Together, we are succeeding in evolving the Liberty standard in an inclusive manner that serves current and future industry requirements."