| FAQs
about RUBICAD Tools
1. What is the difference
between LADEE and LACE?
Answer:
LACE is the Layout
Compaction Engine inside the LADEE Tool Suite. LADEE includes a common
graphical interface for the complete set of physical design and migration
tools. Some of the other tools inside LADEE are LACEedit, the full custom
layout editor, AutoMask, a mask processing tool for automatic layer manipulation,
LayAna for the automatic analysis of the layout hierarchy, and CrossSpeed
for solving signal integrity and timing problems on the layout level.
2. Which input
data do I need for a conversion with LADEE and LACE?
Answer:
For a conversion
with LADEE and LACE, the input layout database (GDSII) and the design rules
of the target technology, plus information about transistor sizing or wire
sizing, are needed.
3. Are there any
data
limitations in the number of layers, cells, or polygons inside
LADEE?
Answer:
No, LADEE and all
the tools which are part of the tool suite can handle an unlimited number
of layers, cells or polygons.
4. Can LADEE migrate
our existing standard cell library, which is designed in
0.6-micron technology for fab A, to the 0.18-micron technology of a different
fab?
Answer:
Yes, LADEE can do
all the necessary adjustments like cell height, grid, feeds and terminals.
You can easily feed the library back into your design flow.
5. Can LADEE migrate
our memory design to 0.18-micron technology and maintain
the hierarchy to keep the database small?
Answer:
Yes, there was a
big breakthrough in 1998 when LADEE got the capability of handling design
migrations in a hierarchical way and maintaining unlimited levels of hierarchy.
6. How many
levels of hierarchy can LADEE handle during conversion?
Answer:
LADEE is designed
to handle multi-level hierarchy structures, and there is no particular
built-in limitation to the number of levels LADEE can handle.
7. Can LADEE migrate
databases that contain metal options and over-the-cell routing
on a different level of hierarchy?
Answer:
Yes, the tool LayAna
is particularly designed to analyze these layout structures and will automatically
rebuild the original layout hierarchy after conversion.
8. We need to migrate
a datapath layout to another technology for reuse in another
chip. Can LADEE handle that hierarchically, too?
Answer:
Yes, LADEE can hierarchically
migrate the datapath layout and maintain two-dimensional abutting.
9. We have a circuit
which was designed for a 5-volt application a few years ago. Now we need
to reuse the layout for an embedded 3-volt application. Can LACE migrate
the layout from the 5-volt to the 3- volt application?
Answer:
Yes, LACE can do
all the necessary adjustments for the different voltage applications.
10. When we did a
shrink to an 0.18- micron technology we ran into signal integrity
problems. Can LADEE handle these problems? What information is
needed?
Answer:
Yes, there is a
module in the LADEE Tool Suite called CrossSpeed which solves signal integrity
problems by reducing the coupling capacitance between signals. It lets
designers specify net-specific distance rules to ensure the prevention
of crosstalk.
11. We need to shift
our design to a different foundry for second source production. For that
we need to correct only two design rules in our layout. Can
LADEE handle these two design rules without changing the other rules?
Answer:
Yes, the layout
compactor LACE can modify and correct specific design rules layer by layer.
12. When we shifted
our design to a different fab we needed to adjust all transistor
sizes in our layout to get the same performance as in the original
process, because the electrical parameters of the new fab were different.
Can LACE adjust the transistor sizes in the layout?
Answer:
Yes, LACE can very
flexibly adjust transistor sizes in the layout. You can differentially
size N and P transistors, classes of transistors, or individual devices
independently of the overall size factor.
13. We need to integrate
a layout migration solution like LADEE into our design flow. Can
LADEE communicate with other vendors’ tools?
Answer:
Yes, LADEE has a
programmable data interface which allows it to stream in and out of other
vendors’ data formats.
Do you have more
questions? Please contact us at (408) 995-3334 or email info@rubicad.com.
FAQs
about RUBICAD's TopQuality Design Service
1. We don't have
internal resources we could train to use RUBICAD's tools for migrating
our design to a different fab. Can RUBICAD's TopQuality Design Service
Team convert our DSP core to another fab?
Answer:
Yes, RUBICAD's TopQuality
Design Service Division offers migration services on a project basis.
2. What are the costs
and how long will it take to convert our hard macro to the new
process?
Answer:
To give you an estimate
of cost and time, RUBICAD needs to see the design. Then we can provide
you with a fixed-price quotation and the project schedule. Usually, our
customers save 50-95% in time and costs over other migration methods.
3. What size
of projects can RUBICAD handle?
Answer:
Our TopQuality Design
Service Team handles projects as small as the migration of a standard cell
library, as large as a multi-million-gate chip conversion, and everything
in between.
4. After we have
licensed the LADEE software, does RUBICAD provide the service of
setting it up for a particular process technology?
Answer:
Yes, RUBICAD will
set up LADEE for any technology and for any migration goal.
5. We would like
to simulate the circuit after conversion. Does RUBICAD do
another conversion run to correct the timing problems found during the
simulation?
Answer:
Yes, after simulation
we incorporate new transistor sizing, new wire sizing, or critical signal
rules in a conversion flow and automatically convert and correct the layout.
6. Does RUBICAD offer
the service of power and timing optimization in the layout,
assuming that you are provided with the list of critical signals?
Answer:
Yes, RUBICAD uses
the LADEE Tool Suite for layout optimization, which has the capabilities
in place for handling signal-specific design rules.
7. How can I be certain
that my design is DRC and LVS clean after conversion?
Answer:
RUBICAD works very
closely with the customer’s engineers. During the conversion project, the
customer's engineers put the design through their own verification and
sign-off procedures.
Do you have more
questions? Please contact us under (408) 995 3334 or email service@rubicad.com
 Back
to Top
|
