Deep submicron demands 'design integrity'

Deep submicron demands 'design integrity'
By Bijan Kiani, EEdesign
July 12, 2002 (8:41 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020712S0075

The widespread availability of process technologies below 0.18 micron is enabling the increased integration of very complex functions into a single chip. With this increased integration, the need for a comprehensive solution to address emerging ultra deep submicron challenges is fast becoming a corporate mandate.

Based on a recent research report published by IBS (February 2002), the probability of chip failure due to functional mismatch or operating performance is increasing at a phenomenal rate as smaller feature sizes are being deployed. In fact, the report suggests the probability of chip failure increases to 50 percent for designs deploying feature sizes below 100 nanometer technology.

To address the verification challenges that arise with these increasingly complex designs, smarter functional verification solutions are being deployed to establish golden RTL. Once the designer establishes golden RTL, the design goes through a number of t ransformations - from RTL to gates, placed gates, transistor layout, GDSII, and ultimately to manufacturing for actual silicon.

As the design undergoes these transformations, there's a need for continued verification to ensure that the integrity of the design is maintained at every stage. A complete design integrity solution will verify that the testability, functionality, power, timing and layout of a design remains intact throughout the RTL to GDSII implementation flow.

Design integrity flow

The complete design integrity solution continuously ensures that these mission-critical parameters for design closure are maintained, enabling designers to deliver silicon right the first time.

Clearly, as designs move to smaller geometries, design integrity is becoming a critical component of every flow. EDA companies that recognize the need for continued technological advancement in a design integrity s olution - and invest accordingly - will be in the best position to address the growing needs of the design community.

Bijan Kiani is vice president of marketing at Synopsys, Inc.