Analog Design Tools for Nanometer Processes

Technical Session I

Analog Design Tools for Nanometer Processes

Oscar Buset, Kimotion

Abstract

The need for analog design and verification software is on the rise. Mixing analog and digital circuits on single-chip SOCs can strain or break old tools and methodologies in a number of ways, whether it be trying to match digital design turnaround times, ensuring first-time silicon success, or dealing with statistical data in nanometer process technologies.

Traditional analog design methodologies face significant challenges with advancing process geometries. An important issue amongst these is the overdesign incurred when designing to classic worst-case corners - corners traditionally derived for digital circuits, but used also to ensure the robustness of analog cells. The best current alternative, monte-carlo simulations, can be prohibitively expensive in terms of run time, given the number of simulations necessary to confidently predict the distribution of the performances of a design.

This talk will focus on how new software and flows can help analog design teams cope with statistical process technologies.

Biography

Oscar Buset PresidentKimotion Technologies

Oscar Buset is president of Kimotion Technologies since its founding in 2003. Prior to Kimotion, Dr. Buset founded Snaketech and served as vice president responsible for place and route products until Snaketech's acquisition by Simplex Solutions in 2000 (since acquired by Cadence). He holds a PhD. from EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and M.Sc. (Electrical Engineering) and B.Math. (Computer Science) degrees from the University of Waterloo, Canada. From 1988 to 1990, Dr. Buset worked in the CAD department of Bell-Northern Research (now Nortel), focusing on analog simulation. He has several patents in the field of physical design.