PETALUMA, USA: Teknovus, the leading provider of Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) chipsets for deployment of triple-play residential and business services in broadband access networks, announced the availability of TK3401, the Intelligent EPON Node Controller.
The TK3401 SOC (System-on-Chip) facilitates evolution of the PON network by extending central office (OLT) to subscriber (ONU) distances up to 100 km and by supporting connections to over 1,000 subscriber ONUs while supporting remote management, configuration and upgrade, protection switching, and low power operation.
Teknovus’ TK3401 Intelligent EPON Node Controller enables service providers to meet the varying needs of network topologies and subscriber densities with all of the feature, power and cost advantages of the Teknovus EPON solution.
With the rapid expansion of EPON-based access networks, service providers are choosing solutions that support network flexibility and extension to meet the diverse demands of residential, business and mobile backhaul applications. The TK3401 Intelligent EPON Node Controller enables:
* Up to 100 km extended service coverage to reach remote subscribers and support consolidation of central office and cable head-end facilities.
* High OLT port efficiency and cost savings through aggregation of lightly-loaded and geographically dispersed subscriber ONUs; particularly important for cable MSOs supporting subscribers in rural deployments.
* Maximized fiber capacity for multiple dwelling unit (MDU) deployments, supporting up to 1,000 subscribers with FTTH (fiber to each unit).
According to Barry Gray, Director of Marketing, Teknovus: “The TK3401 enables significant network flexibility and enhanced service models for service providers as they extend PON to distant subscribers and high-density MDU FTTH environments. While these two scenarios are quite different, they pose similar challenges for service providers – how to efficiently use fiber across challenging subscriber-density topologies. In addition, our TK3401 is remotely managed through the OLT, enabling reconfiguration, problem diagnosis and resolution without expensive truck rolls.”
China will end 2009 with more than 16 million EPON subscribers, according to China Telecom, slightly exceeding the 15 million forecast for Japan. With several million additional subscribers in Korea, Eastern Europe and the US, the total EPON subscriber forecast is well over 35 million for year-end 2009.
Jeff Heynen, Directing Analyst Broadband and Video, Infonetics, stated: “2009 has been a boom year for EPON, with major deployments in every province in China. In addition, the major US MSOs are testing EPON for business, residential and mobile backhaul applications. Teknovus’ Intelligent EPON Node Controller extends EPON’s efficiencies to long-distances and both MDU and lightly-loaded topologies, while providing all of Teknovus’ advantages for triple-play residential services, enterprise Internet and voice connectivity, and 2G/3G/4G cellular backhaul transport.”
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Fujitsu selects NetLogic’s 8.5Gbps FibreChannel PHY devices for next-gen data center Blade solutions
MOUNTAIN VIEW, UAS: NetLogic Microsystems Inc., a leader in high-performance intelligent semiconductor solutions for next-generation Internet networks, today announced that Fujitsu Technology Solutions, a leading IT infrastructure provider, has selected NetLogic Microsystems’ NLP1220 dual-port 8.5Gbps FibreChannel PHY repeater device for Fujitsu’s next-generation data center blade solutions.
The NLP1220 offers best-in-class power consumption and latency to customers developing next-generation data center switches and storage Host Bus Adapters (HBAs).
As one of the industry’s first dual-port Fibre Channel repeater as well as the first device with a dual-receiver analog front end with 2/4/8G capability, NetLogic Microsystems’ NLP1220 PHY device integrates the receiver and transmitter SerDes functions on a single chip with on-chip clock drivers, multiple loop-back features and PRBS generation and verification for both the line side and system side.
The integrated low-power equalization engine extends the reach of Fibre Channel signals on PCB traces and cables, supporting up to 15 meters on 24/26 AWG cables and up to 10 meters on 30 AWG cables.
“We selected NetLogic Microsystems’ Fibre Channel Physical Layer because it offers superior performance, compatibility and low power profile, which are all important factors for our next-generation data center storage solutions,” said Jens-Peter Seick, Senior Vice President of x86 Server Product Unit at Fujitsu Technology Solutions.
“We offer a full portfolio of IT products, solutions and services on a worldwide basis, and working closely with innovative technology partners such as NetLogic Microsystems allows us to deliver highly competitive, robust and reliable data center solutions.”
“We are excited to have been selected by Fujitsu for their advanced data center blade solutions,” said Stefanos Sidiropoulos, vice president of the Physical Layer Products at NetLogic Microsystems. “Having established ourselves as a market leader in 10/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet PHYs for high-density data center networking, we are now extending our technology leadership into the data center storage market with the same best-in-class PHY technology.”
The NLP1220 PHY device offers superior transmit and receive jitter performance as a result of the integrated high-performance LC phase locked loop circuit and an advanced second-order clock-and-data recovery (CDR) design.
Moreover, NetLogic Microsystems’ unique granular power-down modes for the transmit, receive and equalizer circuitry, combined with an innovative analog/digital hybrid architecture, provide customers with industry-leading low power and low latency profiles, making it ideal for high-density data center applications.
The NLP1220 PHY device is currently available in a compact, RoHS-compliant 12x12mm BGA package with industry-standard 1mm ball pitch for ease of manufacturability. NetLogic Microsystems has completed interoperability testing of the NLP1220 device with leading 8G Fibre Channel controllers, backplanes, direct-attached cables and SFP+ modules.
The NLP1220 offers best-in-class power consumption and latency to customers developing next-generation data center switches and storage Host Bus Adapters (HBAs).
As one of the industry’s first dual-port Fibre Channel repeater as well as the first device with a dual-receiver analog front end with 2/4/8G capability, NetLogic Microsystems’ NLP1220 PHY device integrates the receiver and transmitter SerDes functions on a single chip with on-chip clock drivers, multiple loop-back features and PRBS generation and verification for both the line side and system side.
The integrated low-power equalization engine extends the reach of Fibre Channel signals on PCB traces and cables, supporting up to 15 meters on 24/26 AWG cables and up to 10 meters on 30 AWG cables.
“We selected NetLogic Microsystems’ Fibre Channel Physical Layer because it offers superior performance, compatibility and low power profile, which are all important factors for our next-generation data center storage solutions,” said Jens-Peter Seick, Senior Vice President of x86 Server Product Unit at Fujitsu Technology Solutions.
“We offer a full portfolio of IT products, solutions and services on a worldwide basis, and working closely with innovative technology partners such as NetLogic Microsystems allows us to deliver highly competitive, robust and reliable data center solutions.”
“We are excited to have been selected by Fujitsu for their advanced data center blade solutions,” said Stefanos Sidiropoulos, vice president of the Physical Layer Products at NetLogic Microsystems. “Having established ourselves as a market leader in 10/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet PHYs for high-density data center networking, we are now extending our technology leadership into the data center storage market with the same best-in-class PHY technology.”
The NLP1220 PHY device offers superior transmit and receive jitter performance as a result of the integrated high-performance LC phase locked loop circuit and an advanced second-order clock-and-data recovery (CDR) design.
Moreover, NetLogic Microsystems’ unique granular power-down modes for the transmit, receive and equalizer circuitry, combined with an innovative analog/digital hybrid architecture, provide customers with industry-leading low power and low latency profiles, making it ideal for high-density data center applications.
The NLP1220 PHY device is currently available in a compact, RoHS-compliant 12x12mm BGA package with industry-standard 1mm ball pitch for ease of manufacturability. NetLogic Microsystems has completed interoperability testing of the NLP1220 device with leading 8G Fibre Channel controllers, backplanes, direct-attached cables and SFP+ modules.
Freescale simplifies embedded development with advanced Tower modules
AUSTIN, USA: Freescale Semiconductor continues to enable advanced development through rapid evaluation and prototyping with its Tower System development platform. Today, the company announced two interchangeable peripheral modules and 8- and 32-bit microcontroller (MCU) modules for the Tower System.
The advanced peripheral modules offer developers 802.11b Wi-Fi and rapid prototyping functionality. The newest MCU modules support Freescale’s MCF5225X 32-bit ColdFire® MCU and MC9S08LL64 8-bit MCU.
"With the addition of these advanced modules for Freescale’s Tower System, we are providing designers, students and hobbyists an affordable development system that’s modular and expandable,” said Aiden Mitchell, director of Freescale’s Industrial & Multi-Market Microcontroller business.
“The Tower system, in conjunction with Freescale MQX software, is the ultimate enablement solution – giving designers an array of building blocks for entry-level to advanced processor development and helping speed time to market.”
The Tower System provides a comprehensive and highly customizable embedded design environment that allows developers to mix and match MCU and peripheral boards to create reconfigurable development platforms that suit their design needs. Interchangeable modules promote reuse of hardware across multiple architectures, which helps speed time to market. The modular design scales down overall tool costs, while providing an inexpensive entry point.
Advanced MCU modules
The Tower System now supports two advanced microcontroller modules: the TWR-MCF5225X and the TWR-S08LL64, featuring the ColdFire V2 MCF5225X MCU and the 8-bit MC9S08LL64 MCU, respectively. These modules can be combined with various peripheral modules to form a unique Tower System development tool or used as standalone debug tools.
The TWR-MCF5225X offers a powerful and flexible industrial connectivity solution with on-chip USB, Ethernet, controller area network (CAN) and encryption, along with the Freescale MQX real time operating system and associated tools and software stacks.
The 8-bit MC9S08LL64 MCU includes an on-chip LCD driver that supports up to eight backplanes, enabling developers to drive more segments with fewer pins, reducing system cost and design complexity. The S08LL family supports an LCD blink mode that operates without waking up the controller core, which helps reduce overall power consumption.
These advanced modules complement the previously announced TWR-MCF51CN Ethernet MCU module.
New peripheral modules
The Wi-Fi module (TWR-ZGWIFI) adds 802.11b Wi-Fi functionality to the Tower System and includes the ZeroG Systems ZG2100 Wi-Fi I/O module and antenna, as well as configuration jumpers and an RS232 debug port.
The embedded Wi-Fi module from ZeroG is optimized for embedded applications, with low data rates, power consumption and system resource requirements. The TWR-ZGWIFI module is FCC-certified and offers seamless integration with Freescale’s MQX software solution. With this module, developers can easily add Wi-Fi connectivity and run sample applications using the kit in less than a few hours.
The prototyping module (TWR-PROTO) allows designers to quickly add custom circuitry and build custom prototype boards with application-specific features. With ample perfboard area, this cost-effective module is ideal for hardware development and testing during system design.
These two peripheral modules complement the previously announced serial module (TWR-SER), supporting Ethernet, USB, RS232, RS485 and CAN, and elevator modules (TWR-ELEV) that connect the MCU and peripheral boards.
The advanced peripheral modules offer developers 802.11b Wi-Fi and rapid prototyping functionality. The newest MCU modules support Freescale’s MCF5225X 32-bit ColdFire® MCU and MC9S08LL64 8-bit MCU.
"With the addition of these advanced modules for Freescale’s Tower System, we are providing designers, students and hobbyists an affordable development system that’s modular and expandable,” said Aiden Mitchell, director of Freescale’s Industrial & Multi-Market Microcontroller business.
“The Tower system, in conjunction with Freescale MQX software, is the ultimate enablement solution – giving designers an array of building blocks for entry-level to advanced processor development and helping speed time to market.”
The Tower System provides a comprehensive and highly customizable embedded design environment that allows developers to mix and match MCU and peripheral boards to create reconfigurable development platforms that suit their design needs. Interchangeable modules promote reuse of hardware across multiple architectures, which helps speed time to market. The modular design scales down overall tool costs, while providing an inexpensive entry point.
Advanced MCU modules
The Tower System now supports two advanced microcontroller modules: the TWR-MCF5225X and the TWR-S08LL64, featuring the ColdFire V2 MCF5225X MCU and the 8-bit MC9S08LL64 MCU, respectively. These modules can be combined with various peripheral modules to form a unique Tower System development tool or used as standalone debug tools.
The TWR-MCF5225X offers a powerful and flexible industrial connectivity solution with on-chip USB, Ethernet, controller area network (CAN) and encryption, along with the Freescale MQX real time operating system and associated tools and software stacks.
The 8-bit MC9S08LL64 MCU includes an on-chip LCD driver that supports up to eight backplanes, enabling developers to drive more segments with fewer pins, reducing system cost and design complexity. The S08LL family supports an LCD blink mode that operates without waking up the controller core, which helps reduce overall power consumption.
These advanced modules complement the previously announced TWR-MCF51CN Ethernet MCU module.
New peripheral modules
The Wi-Fi module (TWR-ZGWIFI) adds 802.11b Wi-Fi functionality to the Tower System and includes the ZeroG Systems ZG2100 Wi-Fi I/O module and antenna, as well as configuration jumpers and an RS232 debug port.
The embedded Wi-Fi module from ZeroG is optimized for embedded applications, with low data rates, power consumption and system resource requirements. The TWR-ZGWIFI module is FCC-certified and offers seamless integration with Freescale’s MQX software solution. With this module, developers can easily add Wi-Fi connectivity and run sample applications using the kit in less than a few hours.
The prototyping module (TWR-PROTO) allows designers to quickly add custom circuitry and build custom prototype boards with application-specific features. With ample perfboard area, this cost-effective module is ideal for hardware development and testing during system design.
These two peripheral modules complement the previously announced serial module (TWR-SER), supporting Ethernet, USB, RS232, RS485 and CAN, and elevator modules (TWR-ELEV) that connect the MCU and peripheral boards.
Veeco intro MultiMode 8 high-performance SPM
PLAINVIEW, USA: Veeco Instruments Inc., the leading provider of atomic force and scanning probe microscopes (AFM/SPMs) to the Research and Industrial communities, today released the MultiMode 8 High-Performance Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM), bringing extensive new capabilities to the world’s highest resolution, most widely-used and field-proven SPM.
Veeco is introducing the MultiMode 8 at the MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, MA, December 1st through 4th.
“The MultiMode platform has long been the gold standard for performance and application versatility in the field of SPMs, and we’ve significantly enhanced its capabilities with the MultiMode 8,” commented David Rossi, Vice President and General Manager of Veeco’s AFM Business.
“With a totally new software interface and the addition of patent-pending ScanAsyst and PeakForce QNM, technologies, the MultiMode 8 offers researchers the ultimate in resolution, flexibility, and proven reliability. In order to make these remarkable advances also available to our thousands of loyal MultiMode customers, we have designed many of these new capabilities to be available as upgrades to their current MultiMode platform.”
MultiMode 8 features two new patent-pending technologies from Veeco, ScanAsyst and PeakForce QNM. ScanAsyst is Veeco’s revolutionary automated imaging optimization mode, which enables both expert and novice users to access the most advanced applications and modes to obtain research-quality results easier and faster.
The MultiMode 8 also supports the new PeakForce QNM, Veeco’s proprietary, quantitative nanomechanical property mapping option, which delivers more accurate, repeatable results for modulus and adhesion measurements while also helping to preserve sample and probe integrity. Finally, new NanoScope Version 8.1 software offers a simplified interface and faster, more powerful tools for data gathering and off-line analysis.
MultiMode 8
The high resolution and data processing capabilities of the MultiMode 8 are the result of its combination of rigid, mechanical design and extremely advanced SPM control electronics.
Utilizing Veeco’s advanced NanoScope V SPM Controller and new Version 8.1 software, the system features unprecedented bandwidth and extremely low-noise data acquisition to enable such proprietary, patent-pending technology advances as ScanAsyst and Peak Force QNM. These features combine to reaffirm the MultiMode 8 as the most versatile, highest performance SPM in its class.
Veeco is introducing the MultiMode 8 at the MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, MA, December 1st through 4th.
“The MultiMode platform has long been the gold standard for performance and application versatility in the field of SPMs, and we’ve significantly enhanced its capabilities with the MultiMode 8,” commented David Rossi, Vice President and General Manager of Veeco’s AFM Business.
“With a totally new software interface and the addition of patent-pending ScanAsyst and PeakForce QNM, technologies, the MultiMode 8 offers researchers the ultimate in resolution, flexibility, and proven reliability. In order to make these remarkable advances also available to our thousands of loyal MultiMode customers, we have designed many of these new capabilities to be available as upgrades to their current MultiMode platform.”
MultiMode 8 features two new patent-pending technologies from Veeco, ScanAsyst and PeakForce QNM. ScanAsyst is Veeco’s revolutionary automated imaging optimization mode, which enables both expert and novice users to access the most advanced applications and modes to obtain research-quality results easier and faster.
The MultiMode 8 also supports the new PeakForce QNM, Veeco’s proprietary, quantitative nanomechanical property mapping option, which delivers more accurate, repeatable results for modulus and adhesion measurements while also helping to preserve sample and probe integrity. Finally, new NanoScope Version 8.1 software offers a simplified interface and faster, more powerful tools for data gathering and off-line analysis.
MultiMode 8
The high resolution and data processing capabilities of the MultiMode 8 are the result of its combination of rigid, mechanical design and extremely advanced SPM control electronics.
Utilizing Veeco’s advanced NanoScope V SPM Controller and new Version 8.1 software, the system features unprecedented bandwidth and extremely low-noise data acquisition to enable such proprietary, patent-pending technology advances as ScanAsyst and Peak Force QNM. These features combine to reaffirm the MultiMode 8 as the most versatile, highest performance SPM in its class.
Future Horizons signs up India affiliate
LONDON, UK: Semiconductor analyst house Future Horizons has entered the India market by signing up Pradeep Chakraborty as an affiliate. Pradeep is a well-known industry consultant, and former Executive Editor of CyberMedia India Online Ltd (CIOL).
Prior to this Pradeep was the Editor and then Assistant Bureau Chief at Global Sources, Hong Kong, and Asia Pacific Editor, Wireless Week, USA/Singapore.
Pradeep's work has been either published or referred to worldwide in publications such as Global Sources, EDN, Wireless Week, Nikkei Electronics, Total Telecom and CyberMedia, amongst may others. Pradeep brings a wealth of knowledge about the semiconductor industry, particularly in India, to the world’s leading independent semiconductor analyst house.
“The India market offers incredible growth potential for emerging and established technology companies. It is following close on the heels of China for innovation,” said Malcolm Penn, Chairman and CEO, Future Horizons. “We have known Pradeep for many years through his blogs and other commentary, and know him to be a knowledgeable authority on semiconductors. His contacts inside and outside India will be extremely valuable in our efforts to gain more traction in the Indian market.”
Pradeep brings over 20 years of experience in the international tech media to Future Horizons. He specialises in semiconductors as well as electronics applications and telecoms research.
Pradeep will represent Future Horizons in India and help promote the sale of documents, the Start Up Service, as well as Future Horizon’s International events, including the International Electronics Forum (IEF 2010) in May next year.
“With so much new activity in India, Future Horizons’ Publications, International Electronics Forum and Start Up Service are just three of the services that will really appeal to this market,” said Pradeep Chakraborty. “Future Horizons is one of the most respected analyst houses in the industry, and Malcolm’s unbiased analysis and advice will invaluable to semiconductor and electronics companies based in India.”
Future Horizons’ International Electronics Forum will be held in Dresden, Germany, from May, 5th - 7th, 2010. It will feature many senior speakers from the industry, and is designed to make it easy to make contact with a broad cross-section of contacts across the industry, which would otherwise be very difficult. Such is the established reputation of the Forum, the majority of speakers and delegates stay for the full duration of the meeting as they value the information and networking opportunities, which inevitably help productivity.
Prior to this Pradeep was the Editor and then Assistant Bureau Chief at Global Sources, Hong Kong, and Asia Pacific Editor, Wireless Week, USA/Singapore.
Pradeep's work has been either published or referred to worldwide in publications such as Global Sources, EDN, Wireless Week, Nikkei Electronics, Total Telecom and CyberMedia, amongst may others. Pradeep brings a wealth of knowledge about the semiconductor industry, particularly in India, to the world’s leading independent semiconductor analyst house.
“The India market offers incredible growth potential for emerging and established technology companies. It is following close on the heels of China for innovation,” said Malcolm Penn, Chairman and CEO, Future Horizons. “We have known Pradeep for many years through his blogs and other commentary, and know him to be a knowledgeable authority on semiconductors. His contacts inside and outside India will be extremely valuable in our efforts to gain more traction in the Indian market.”
Pradeep brings over 20 years of experience in the international tech media to Future Horizons. He specialises in semiconductors as well as electronics applications and telecoms research.
Pradeep will represent Future Horizons in India and help promote the sale of documents, the Start Up Service, as well as Future Horizon’s International events, including the International Electronics Forum (IEF 2010) in May next year.
“With so much new activity in India, Future Horizons’ Publications, International Electronics Forum and Start Up Service are just three of the services that will really appeal to this market,” said Pradeep Chakraborty. “Future Horizons is one of the most respected analyst houses in the industry, and Malcolm’s unbiased analysis and advice will invaluable to semiconductor and electronics companies based in India.”
Future Horizons’ International Electronics Forum will be held in Dresden, Germany, from May, 5th - 7th, 2010. It will feature many senior speakers from the industry, and is designed to make it easy to make contact with a broad cross-section of contacts across the industry, which would otherwise be very difficult. Such is the established reputation of the Forum, the majority of speakers and delegates stay for the full duration of the meeting as they value the information and networking opportunities, which inevitably help productivity.
SpringSoft, Magma validate full interoperability of custom chip design tools with TSMC 65nm iPDK
SAN JOSE, USA: SpringSoft Inc., a global supplier of specialized IC design software, and Magma Design Automation Inc., have completed cross-tool validation using TSMC’s 65nm interoperable process design kit (iPDK).
The companies demonstrated full interoperability between the SpringSoft Laker Custom Layout Automation System and Magma Titan Mixed-signal Design Platform running in the OpenAccess environment. This validation saves time and effort of setting up an interoperable flow and ensures consistent results.
Both SpringSoft and Magma are members of the Interoperable PDK Libraries Alliance (IPL) and validation collaborators on the TSMC 65nm iPDK. This latest initiative between the two companies is driven by their mutual commitment to interoperability and an open design community, enabling innovation in the custom chip market through greater manufacturing flexibility, more technology choice, and improved design productivity.
“SpringSoft and Magma have undertaken an important initiative to create and validate cross-vendor interoperability flows for custom chip design,” said Tom Quan, deputy director of design service marketing at TSMC. “This kind of collaboration instills confidence in the user community, accelerates the realization of faster cycle times, enhances design portability, and improves design quality that results from using our iPDK in production-proven, multi-vendor environments.”
Joint iPDK interoperability testing
The SpringSoft-Magma cross-tool validation builds on previous interoperability testing between TSMC and its iPDK development and validation partners, Ciranova, Magma, SpringSoft, and Synopsys.
Using TSMC 65nm iPDK test suite data, SpringSoft and Magma generated separate layout and design data, exchanged and modified the data, then verified that their respective results were identical. The testing covered key iPDK functionality areas to ensure that common features operate properly in both the Laker custom layout and Titan full-chip/mixed-signal design tools.
“To address the staggering complexity and shortened development cycles of today’s ICs, designers need an open flow. The TSMC iPDK facilitates open EDA design environments, eliminating the need for multiple proprietary PDKs, and enabling full reuse of design data between different custom IC design toolsets,” said Ashutosh Mauskar, vice president of product and business development for Magma’s Custom Design Business Unit.
“The validation of the interoperability of Titan and Laker with TSMC’s iPDK demonstrates both companies’ commitment to providing open and inclusive design environments that deliver silicon success.”
“While SpringSoft and Magma each bring different solutions to the custom IC design market, we share a common vision that interoperability drives innovation,” said Duncan McDonald, product marketing director for Laker Physical Design at SpringSoft.
“Innovation is the cornerstone of success for our customers, and iPDKs make it easier for them to get high quality, differentiating products to market faster using advanced design and manufacturing technologies. We hope that our collaboration with Magma is just the beginning of an industry-wide adoption of iPDKs by both vendors and users.”
The companies demonstrated full interoperability between the SpringSoft Laker Custom Layout Automation System and Magma Titan Mixed-signal Design Platform running in the OpenAccess environment. This validation saves time and effort of setting up an interoperable flow and ensures consistent results.
Both SpringSoft and Magma are members of the Interoperable PDK Libraries Alliance (IPL) and validation collaborators on the TSMC 65nm iPDK. This latest initiative between the two companies is driven by their mutual commitment to interoperability and an open design community, enabling innovation in the custom chip market through greater manufacturing flexibility, more technology choice, and improved design productivity.
“SpringSoft and Magma have undertaken an important initiative to create and validate cross-vendor interoperability flows for custom chip design,” said Tom Quan, deputy director of design service marketing at TSMC. “This kind of collaboration instills confidence in the user community, accelerates the realization of faster cycle times, enhances design portability, and improves design quality that results from using our iPDK in production-proven, multi-vendor environments.”
Joint iPDK interoperability testing
The SpringSoft-Magma cross-tool validation builds on previous interoperability testing between TSMC and its iPDK development and validation partners, Ciranova, Magma, SpringSoft, and Synopsys.
Using TSMC 65nm iPDK test suite data, SpringSoft and Magma generated separate layout and design data, exchanged and modified the data, then verified that their respective results were identical. The testing covered key iPDK functionality areas to ensure that common features operate properly in both the Laker custom layout and Titan full-chip/mixed-signal design tools.
“To address the staggering complexity and shortened development cycles of today’s ICs, designers need an open flow. The TSMC iPDK facilitates open EDA design environments, eliminating the need for multiple proprietary PDKs, and enabling full reuse of design data between different custom IC design toolsets,” said Ashutosh Mauskar, vice president of product and business development for Magma’s Custom Design Business Unit.
“The validation of the interoperability of Titan and Laker with TSMC’s iPDK demonstrates both companies’ commitment to providing open and inclusive design environments that deliver silicon success.”
“While SpringSoft and Magma each bring different solutions to the custom IC design market, we share a common vision that interoperability drives innovation,” said Duncan McDonald, product marketing director for Laker Physical Design at SpringSoft.
“Innovation is the cornerstone of success for our customers, and iPDKs make it easier for them to get high quality, differentiating products to market faster using advanced design and manufacturing technologies. We hope that our collaboration with Magma is just the beginning of an industry-wide adoption of iPDKs by both vendors and users.”
X-FAB and Plus Semi agree on sale of X-FAB UK
ERFURT, GERMANY & SWINDON, ENGLAND: X-FAB Silicon Foundries Group, the leading analog/mixed-signal foundry and expert in “More than Moore” technologies, and Swindon-based Plus Semi have agreed on the sale of X-FAB’s wafer fabrication plant in Plymouth, UK, to Plus Semi.
The agreement to transfer ownership of X-FAB UK to Plus Semi has been signed by both parties, closing is expected by the end of 2009. A technology license agreement ensures the continuation of the existing operation. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Both companies benefit from this step. X-FAB in a move to strategically align its facilities had opted to either close or sell the Plymouth facility representing a share of less than 5 percent of X-FAB’s total capacity. In collaboration with Plus Semi, it was possible to find a solution that enables the plant in Plymouth to continue operation under new ownership. Plus Semi, in turn, is able to expand its business into analogue product sales with a wafer fab that represents an ideal fit, technologically and capacity-wise.
Hans-Jürgen Straub, CEO of X-FAB Group, said: “We are glad to have reached a solution that continues operation and maintains jobs at the site in Plymouth, outside the X-FAB organization. The sale is an important milestone for optimizing the X-FAB Group’s capacities.”
Michael LeGoff, Plus Semi Managing Director commented: “This has been the culmination of an enormous effort from all concerned to bring these two former Plessey businesses, Plymouth and Swindon, together again. We have retained our key engineering competence within a design and technology centre in Swindon with approximately 20 employees.
"Together with the 150 people we will employ at the Plymouth facility we have an exciting opportunity to find significant growth in semiconductor design and manufacture in the lucrative analog/mixed-signal semiconductor markets."
The agreement to transfer ownership of X-FAB UK to Plus Semi has been signed by both parties, closing is expected by the end of 2009. A technology license agreement ensures the continuation of the existing operation. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Both companies benefit from this step. X-FAB in a move to strategically align its facilities had opted to either close or sell the Plymouth facility representing a share of less than 5 percent of X-FAB’s total capacity. In collaboration with Plus Semi, it was possible to find a solution that enables the plant in Plymouth to continue operation under new ownership. Plus Semi, in turn, is able to expand its business into analogue product sales with a wafer fab that represents an ideal fit, technologically and capacity-wise.
Hans-Jürgen Straub, CEO of X-FAB Group, said: “We are glad to have reached a solution that continues operation and maintains jobs at the site in Plymouth, outside the X-FAB organization. The sale is an important milestone for optimizing the X-FAB Group’s capacities.”
Michael LeGoff, Plus Semi Managing Director commented: “This has been the culmination of an enormous effort from all concerned to bring these two former Plessey businesses, Plymouth and Swindon, together again. We have retained our key engineering competence within a design and technology centre in Swindon with approximately 20 employees.
"Together with the 150 people we will employ at the Plymouth facility we have an exciting opportunity to find significant growth in semiconductor design and manufacture in the lucrative analog/mixed-signal semiconductor markets."
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