|
|
|
Overview - Key Success Factors
Many design steps are required for the development and manufacture of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs). The Advanced Design System (ADS), a powerful electronic design automation (EDA) software system, is a crucial part of the complete MMIC design flow and is used throughout the process. It provides designers with:
- A unique and advanced set of tools to create robust designs with first pass success and high yield.
- Complete and continuously updated process design kits from all major MMIC foundries.
- A complete set of advanced simulation tools, seamlessly integrated into one single environment, which flows from schematic entry through to production and packaging of the MMIC.
- The ability to verify, prior to fabrication, that a MMIC meets all specifications in its final package, using seamlessly integrated Planar EM and 3D-EM tools.
- The ability to provide "True Circuit" verification to all wireless standards, prior to and post fabrication, using a complete set of the most accurate wireless verification tools.
 
Today, MMICs are at the core of most high-frequency, high-speed electronic products (e.g., cellular phones, PDAs and other mobile devices), performing functions such as microwave mixing, power amplification, low noise amplification, and high frequency switching. To be competitive in the various product markets, MMIC designers are continually challenged to reduce costs and get their devices to market fast, as well as ahead of the competition. ADS enables today's MMIC designers to address these challenges head on. Offering full-featured simulation (e.g., system, circuit and electromagnetic) and layout capabilities for complete front-to-back MMIC design in a single integrated design flow, ADS makes MMIC design faster and easier than ever before.
With its innovative Design For Manufacturing (DFM) tools, ADS helps you create and manufacture high yielding, quality and robust MMIC designs which are guaranteed to work right the first time, thereby reducing overall cost and time to market. A complete MMIC process design kit (PDK) offering - the only one in the EDA industry to be fully validated, supported, maintained, and continuously updated by today's leading GaAs foundries - further eases and speeds the MMIC design process. In addition to these benefits, ADS continues to provide the most up to date functionality and performance required for cost-effective, efficient and fast MMIC design via recent and ongoing enhancements in usability, physical design functionality, productivity, and quality.
“
Using ADS's DOE simulation, we were able to reduce the time it takes us to get a design from development into production — saving us money and allowing us to get to market faster.
In addition, using statistical simulations in ADS, Skyworks identified a simple circuit fix, implemented it, and shipped millions of parts per month.
As a result, our designs are 'tighter' than other industry solutions. Now our customers no longer have to re-check parts. Not only does this improve our business results, but this allows us to deliver benefits to our customers as well.
”
— Peter J. Zampardi, Ph.D.
Tecnical Director - Device Design, Modeling, and Characterization,
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Read More — An Innovative And Integrated Approach to III-V Circuit Design
Achieve Success with Agilent EEsof EDA Tools
Unique Value to Your MMIC Design Success
Agilent EEsof EDA provides unique value to your MMIC design success, including:
Successful MMIC Design Flows
The keys to success in creating an efficient and powerful MMIC design flow are:
Passive and Active Device Models
- An effective MMIC design flow requires an extensive set of passive and active linear and nonlinear models that work with a variety of circuit simulation types.
- Accurate parameterized passive EM-based models are also essential.
Simulation Capability, Post-Processing, and Data Display
In the design and simulation environment, the Advanced Design System today contains the most advanced integrated set of design tools that operate seamlessly in one environment. ADS integrate various world class simulation technologies such as Harmonic Balance, Convolution, Patented Circuit Envelope, Momentum EM tool, and Agilent Ptolemy in a seamlessly integrated environment. The TSDF domain in Ptolemy "stitches" together the circuit and system simulations into one cohesive simulation, combining the best methods of computation for each signal type. In addition, an RF system architecture tool and a new 3D EM (EMDS) tool have been integrated into the ADS. The new EMDS is now fully integrated with ADS.
The Advanced Model Composer (AMC) brings the accuracy of EM simulation and the speed of analytical models into a single, user-defined, compact model that can be used in the design phase. It generates arbitrary user-defined parameterized and scaleable shapes along with their models, symbols and layout. These shapes can then be easily used in the schematic entry and Layout environments with EM simulation accuracy and speed of analytical models.
MMIC circuit and system design requires a very great range of possible data display and analysis capabilities. Each type of device has its own set of specifications and figures of merit, and insight into circuit performance often depends on being able to perform complex post-processing operations on simulation data after it has been obtained. ADS Data Display and Post Processing capability is very powerful that designers often use it as a design tool. ADS unique and advanced Post Processing feature allows designer to manipulate and create all kinds of analysis plots that yield comprehensive insights on their designs and help them thoroughly understand their designs and allow them to produce best in class circuits. There are literally hundreds of examples in ADS that show its capabilities. You may save data displays as templates and use them to display other simulation results, so you don't have to re-create them each time.
The data display allows you to plot data in many formats, including plots and listing columns. It allows you to place equations, place markers on the plots and use the markers in equations. You may display data from multiple different simulations (even measurements) on the same plot. The data display files have multiple pages, so you may hide equations on one page and just have plots on another. You may export data to text files for post-processing using other programs.
Physical Design, Verification, and Output Tools
- Integrated design-rule checking (DRC) and support of foundry process design kits (PDKs) is required to move MMIC designs successfully from electrical design into manufacturing.
- Schematic/Layout comparison and design synchronization is essential in adjusting designs at the physical (layout) level. It is especially important to be able to check schematic and layout netlists for nodal and parameter value mismatches.
- EDA software for MMIC design should support major third-party layout-versus-schematic (LVS) tools.
- File and physical data outputs must include integrated reticle generation, step-and-repeat lithography, and GDSII/DXF file import and export.
 top of page
 printer-friendly version
 email this page
|
|
|
