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Agilent Technologies' Momentum Electromagnetic Simulator Qualified for High-Frequency Designs in TSMC Advanced RF Processes

13th October 2009

Keysight Technologies (formerly Agilent)

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Agilent Technologies has announced that it has qualified its Momentum Electromagnetic (EM) tool for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.'s (TSMC's) 65-nm process as part of the TSMC EM Tool Qualification program. This program assists IC designers by providing certified process technology files, layout and measurements for 65-nm and 90-nm process technologies. Certified process files eliminate several error sources in the design process and enable designers to use a TSMC-qualified EM simulator on TSMC 65-nm processes with confidence. Today's qualification announcement demonstrates the fitness of Momentum in EM-based inductor device modeling for high-frequency and RF designs in TSMC's 65-nm process.

Agilent's Momentum is the leading EM simulator that combines full-wave and quasi-static EM solvers for RF passives, high-frequency interconnects and parasitic modeling. Its efficient meshing, adaptive frequency sampling and threaded NlogN solver reduces simulation time. Momentum can simulate complex EM effects including skin effect, substrate effect, thick metals and multiple dielectrics. The Momentum infrastructure, for use with TSMC Mu (UTM) inductors in 1P9M and Mz+ALRDL inductors in the 1P8M TSMC 65-nm process is delivered via a certified Momentum Module. Developed and supported by Agilent, the Momentum Module includes everything that is needed to start simulating with Momentum. The Momentum Module supports both the Cadence Virtuoso and Agilent Advanced Design System (ADS) environments and is available from TSMC-Online along with the EM Tool qualification report.

Agilent and TSMC have had an established working relationship for quite some time and we are happy to see Momentum qualified under the EM Tool Qualification program for 65-nm RFIC design, said Tom Quan, deputy director of Design Service Marketing at TSMC. This program, as part of the TSMC Active Accuracy Assurance Initiative, allows designers to select Agilent's Momentum EM simulator as their EM simulation tool with confidence for high-frequency designs. It will also reduce time-to-market, improve design confidence and eliminate several sources of error from the design process.

Momentum now joins our GoldenGate RF simulator on the list of Agilent's tools certified for use with TSMC's advanced RFIC nodes, said Paul Colestock, RFIC planning and marketing manager for Agilent's EEsof EDA organization. Like Tom, I'm also pleased that our relationship with TSMC continues to bear fruit that will benefit our mutual RFIC customers.

Agilent EEsof EDA's RFIC simulation, analysis and verification solutions include a series of products aimed at the design of large-scale RFICs used in wireless communication product design. These include Agilent's GoldenGate and Momentum simulators and Ptolemy-based wireless system-level test benches. Additionally, the ADS Data Display is available for advanced data analysis. This suite delivers unique value by linking the RF system, subsystem and component-level design and analysis as part of a comprehensive design flow.