21 September 2011

IHP expands SiGe PDKs for Agilent’s ADS 2011 software

IHP - Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany (an institute of the Leibniz Association), has announced the availability of Advanced Design System (ADS) process design kits (PDKs) for its 0.25μm (SG25H3) and 0.13μm (SG13S) silicon germanium (SiGe) processes.

The upgraded and further improved kits work seamlessly with Agilent Technologies Inc’s ADS 2011 and ADS 2009 Update 1 electronic design automation (EDA) software for communications applications, as well as prior ADS releases, and enable both IHP and Agilent customers to take full advantage of the breakthroughs in ADS 2011.

IHP’s PDKs enable RF designers to design MMICs such as low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), mixers and power amplifiers (PAs). Specifically, the SiGe PDKs include a complete set of MOSFETs, SiGe bipolar transistors, passive components such as poly resistors, MIM capacitors and inductors, diodes and contacts. The technology contains two thick aluminum layers for high-Q passive elements. Key layout components are fully scalable and are characterized to meet the IHP technology’s performance. The PDKs also support a complete ADS front-to-back design flow with design rule check (DRC) rules.

“Customers require dedicated RF design flow support to handle the advanced challenges of today’s sophisticated RF and microwave designs,” says Dr Renè Scholz, head of IHP’s MPW & Prototyping Service. “Agilent’s ADS platform has grown in popularity for silicon-based RFIC design, and offering a complete ADS design kit, including layout tools and integrated EM support, gives us and our customers the advantage of Agilent's proven expertise in RF and microwave design. Additionally, our customers gain confidence about the accuracy of their designs at high frequencies and avoid additional design cycles,” he adds.

“The combination of ADS and the IHP’s SiGe design kits provides our mutual RF customers access to a powerful, integrated design solution for a fast and efficient RFIC design flow,” says Juergen Hartung, foundry program manager of Agilent’s EEsof EDA organization. “With these kits, our customers can now enjoy the industry’s most comprehensive multi-technology design platform using qualified substrate definitions files for Momentum, the industry-leading 3D planar EM simulator, our integrated full 3D FEM engine, industry-proven design-for-manufacturing capabilities inside ADS, and an upgraded design rule checker,” he claims. “The kits have dedicated RF & microwave design support like a MMIC toolbar personality and transmission- line libraries to help streamline the MMIC design process.”

Tags: SiGe PDKs

Visit: www.ihp-microelectronics.com

Visit: www.agilent.com/find/eesof-ads