SANTA CLARA, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — June 6, 2011 — Extreme DA™, the leader in new-generation timing sign-off software and ATopTech, Inc., the leader in next-generation physical design solutions, today announced an extension to their cooperation for timing sign-off technology. Extreme DA is licensing the parametric method found in its GoldTime sign-off timer to ATopTech for the analysis of on-chip variations (OCV) found in leading-edge digital integrated circuit (IC) designs. With improved analysis, design teams can design ICs with higher performance and improved robustness while reducing development efforts.
At advanced process nodes, statistical methods are required to analyze global and local variations, which affect IC performance. Previously OCV derating values were applied to all paths in a design regardless of path depth, which caused timing analysis to be optimistic for short paths and conservative for long paths. Current attempts to model the impact of path depth using advanced on chip variation (AOCV) have serious limitations and cause 100s of pico-seconds of wasted slack in 28nm designs. The parametric OCV (POCV) technology in Extreme DA GoldTime can calculate the correct slack variation on any path by using the variation information of a single cell stage and has been qualified for sign-off in the latest TSMC Reference flow 12.0. Through this cooperation, ATopTech’s Aprisa physical design tool will more quickly create ICs with higher performance that are better correlated to sign-off timing.
Jue-Hsien Chern, CEO of ATopTech said, “The Aprisa physical design solution is the leader in fast design closure taking into account complex timing issues associated with OCV, SI and MCMM analysis. The POCV timing analysis technology from Extreme DA gives us deeper insight into those paths that could affect circuit timing because of variations in manufactured silicon. We are glad to extend our cooperation, so our joint customers will enjoy a robust sign-off solution at the latest semiconductor nodes.”
Mustafa Celik, CEO of Extreme DA, said, “OCV effects are increasing with each new node. Our collaboration delivers faster and more accurate design closure because POCV analysis from Extreme DA eliminates the overhead and pessimism of other methods, such as AOCV. POCV analysis meets the performance challenge of verifying complex nanometer designs and delivers golden timing sign-off at 28nm and below.”
Design Automation Conference 2011: Stop by ATopTech in booth #2816 and Extreme DA in booth #2939 and view a demonstration from each company to pick up your Timing Tiger.
About GoldTime — The New Standard in Sign-off Timing
GoldTime by Extreme DA is the new-generation timing sign-off technology that delivers up to 5X better speed and capacity. With its new, from-the-ground-up architecture, designers can sign-off with certainty and achieve faster timing closure. Whether verifying a current generation design across corners or doing a statistical analysis (SSTA) to optimize the performance, power and yield for 28nm ICs, GoldTime delivers the answers while the competition is still figuring out the results.
About Aprisa
Aprisa is a complete place-and-route (P&R engine), including placement, clock tree synthesis, optimization, global routing and detailed routing. The core of the technology is its hierarchical database. Built upon the hierarchical database are common “analysis engines”, such as RC extraction, design rule checking (DRC) engine, and an advanced, extremely fast timing engine to solve the complex timing issues associated with OCV, signal integrity (SI) and multi-corner multi-mode (MCMM) analysis. Aprisa uses state-of-the-art multi-threading and distributed processing technology to further speed up the process. Because of this advanced architecture, Aprisa is able to deliver predictability and consistency throughout the flow, and hence faster total turn-around time (TAT) and best quality of results (QoR) for physical design projects.
About ATopTech
ATopTech, Inc. is the technology leader in IC physical design. ATopTech’s technology offers the fastest time to design closure focused on advanced technology nodes. The use of state-of-the-art multi-threading and distributed processing technologies speeds up the design process, resulting in unsurpassed project completion times. For more information, see www.atoptech.com.
About Extreme DA
Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., Extreme DA develops and licenses software products that provide sign-off analysis and improve the performance and yield of nanometer integrated circuits prior to manufacture. The company was funded by Foundation Capital, IT-Farm Corporation, and Lanza techVentures and is now significantly broadening its product portfolio. For the latest news and information on Extreme DA, visit www.extreme-da.com or write to Email Contact.
Extreme DA, the Extreme DA logo, and Extreme DA GoldTime are trademarks of Extreme DA. Aprisa and Apogee are trademarks and ATopTech is a registered trademark of ATopTech, Inc. All other legal marks are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
Armstrong and Associates
Jean Armstrong, 503-477-5434
or
Extreme
DA
Sanjay Lall, 408-588-1112
or
Cayenne Communication
Michelle
Clancy, 252-940-0981
