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AWR of El Segundo, CA, USA, which provides high-frequency electronic design automation (EDA) software tools, and 6-inch gallium arsenide foundry WIN Semiconductors Corp of Tao Yuan Shien, Taiwan have announced the latest release of the WIN PP15-10 process design kit (PDK), the first in a series of next-generation commercial foundry PDKs available for monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) design.

The combination of the WIN PP15-10 pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (pHEMT) MMIC PDK with AWR’s Microwave Office 2007 software enables designers of radio, satellite, radar, and automotive products to leverage WIN’s process to its fullest extent, providing optimal product performance and time-to-market advantages, the firms say.

PP15-10 is a high-frequency and high-power 0.15 micron GaAs pHEMT MMIC process that has been in production since 2003. Until now, however, existing PDKs and design tools have lacked the technology needed to take full advantage of the advanced features in the WIN process. This new class of AWR WIN PDKs can leverage the foundry process using new technologies in the latest version of Microwave Office software.

The PDK supports AWR’s Intelligent Net (iNet) routing technology and the ACE automated microwave circuit extractor, both of which serve to cut interconnect design time by 100-fold or more. Built-in design rule support through the native AWR design rule check (DRC) engine alerts engineers to manufacturing issues during early design stages, where design faults can be more quickly and easily corrected, saving design time and capturing performance margin. PP15-10 can also be loaded into Microwave Office software simultaneously with packaging and other IC PDKs for module co-design.

“We intend to facilitate our customers’ design flow with accurate models and pCells in not only the most advanced compound semiconductor processes, but also the most advanced EDA tools and flows,” says Gary St. Onge, WIN’s VP of technical marketing. “AWR’s iNets, ACE, and multi-PDK capabilities are unique innovations that our customers want to use,” he adds. “These PDKs bridge the gap from design concept to working product. The benefits of our process capability can now be fully exploited.”

“WIN's latest processes integrated in these new PDKs open up new possibilities for MMIC design,” says AWR’s VP of marketing Sherry Hess.

PP15-10 PDK is distributed by WIN and is available free of charge for use within AWR’s Microwave Office 2007 design suite.

See related item:

Cree samples new GaN HEMTs for WiMAX and launches AWR PDK for high-power GaN MMIC process

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