6 October 2011

TowerJazz expands SiGe, SOI and RF CMOS design kits for Agilent’s ADS 2011 software

Specialty foundry TowerJazz (which has two fabrication plants at Tower Semiconductor Ltd in Migdal Haemek, Israel plus one at its US subsidiary Jazz Semiconductor in Newport Beach, CA) has announced the availability of additional high-speed silicon germanium (SiGe), silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and RF CMOS process design kits (PDKs) for its 0.18µm process platform.

The kits were developed for use with Agilent Technologies Inc’s Advanced Design System (ADS) 2011 electronic design automation (EDA) software and target cell-phone front-end module components such as SOI antenna switches and SiGe power amplifiers as well as high-frequency products for optical networks, automotive, radar and 60GHz WiFi, and other high-speed interfaces such as those supporting Light-Peak and Thunderbolt standards. The PDKs are designed to help customers get new products to market faster by providing an accurate and productive work environment for RF CMOS, SiGe MMIC and power amplifier design solutions.

TowerJazz and Agilent are demonstrating the new PDKs in booth 515 at European Microwave Week in Manchester, UK (10-14 October) and at the TowerJazz Global Symposium (TGS) in Newport Beach (3 November).

The new ADS design kits are available for SOI-based RF CMOS processes targeting cell-phone antenna switch applications, high-power SiGe technology targeting power amplifier applications, as well as high-speed SiGe BiCMOS technology with speeds of up to 200GHz (SBC18HA/HXL/H2). ADS 2011 enables multi-technology simulation with multiple PDKs, including modeling of packaging effects for RF module and RF system-in-package circuit co-design. Also included is a power amplifier design library with characterized power cells for use in wireless front-end module applications in cell phones and WiFi devices. The design kits support a complete ADS front-to-back design flow with an embedded TowerJazz Inductor Toolbox and CNEX netlist definitions for layout-versus-schematic support. The new PDKs work seamlessly with ADS 2011, ADS 2009 Update 1 and all prior ADS releases.

Developed in collaboration with Agilent, the enhanced design platform enables the co-simulation of components designed in different process technologies, accelerating module and system-level development, says Dr Marco Racanelli, senior VP & general manager of TowerJazz’s RF & High Performance Analog Business Group and Aerospace & Defense Business Group. “As silicon expands its domain in product areas previously occupied by III-V technology, we are seeing Agilent’s ADS platform growing in popularity with our customers and, by offering a complete ADS design kit including layout tools and integrated EM support, we give our customers the advantage of Agilent’s proven expertise in RF and microwave design. The outcome is faster design cycles as well as consistent results and possibly higher yields for our mutual customers,” he adds.

“As a leader in the GaAs MMIC world, we are continually looking for ways to extend our footprint for RF CMOS and SiGe BiCMOS design support,” says Juergen Hartung, foundry program manager of Agilent’s EEsof EDA organization. “These kits offer us a means to achieve that goal. For our customers, the benefit is substantial: access to the industry’s most comprehensive RF and microwave design platform using Momentum, the industry-leading 3D planar EM simulator, our integrated full 3D FEM engine, advanced RF design and analysis support, and industry-proven design-for-manufacturing capabilities inside ADS,” he adds. “Such functionality underscores why the majority of MMIC designers now choose ADS to increase performance, consistency and yield.”

Tags: TowerJazz SiGe SOI RF CMOS Agilent

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