Cadence Spectre FX FastSPICE Simulator is Adopted by SK Hynix to Accelerate DRAM Design
April 8, 2022 | Cadence Design Systems, Inc.Estimated reading time: 1 minute
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. announced that SK hynix Inc. has deployed the Cadence® Spectre FX Simulator for FastSPICE-based functional verification of their DDR4 and DDR5 DRAMs targeted for PC and mobile applications. The Spectre FX Simulator provides SK hynix with high simulation accuracy, fast performance and an intuitive use model.
Functional verification of SK hynix's DRAM requires simulating large transistor-level designs with tens of millions of transistors and hundreds of millions of parasitic post-layout elements across several modes of operation and process, voltage and temperature (PVT) corners. The Spectre FX Simulator delivers optimal capacity for handling these huge designs with fast simulation performance to complete verification and meet stringent tapeout deadlines. SK hynix leveraged the simulator to check critical output data signal values and top-level currents and timing measurements, enabling it to verify design behavior and ensure that the designs meet their functionality, timing and power specifications. In addition, the simulator provides an intuitive use model with minimal simulation-tuning requirements accompanied by excellent accuracy and performance balance to speed up given verification tasks.
SK hynix is using the Spectre FX Simulator's highly scalable multicore architecture to perform parallelization of transient simulations, allowing design and verification teams to further improve simulation turnaround time by utilizing the hardware resources available without having to trade off accuracy.
"Our DRAM designs require several high-accuracy chip-level FastSPICE simulations across many process corners to ensure their timing, power and other attributes meet demanding specifications while delivering our products on time to the PC and mobile computing markets,” said Mr. Do Chang-ho, Head of Computer Aided Engineering at SK hynix, Inc. “As a result of our collaboration with Cadence, the Spectre FX FastSPICE Simulator has been qualified and deployed in production for PC and mobile DRAM verification and is being expanded to HBM and graphics DRAMs. The Spectre FX Simulator enables breakthroughs in design methodology and significant productivity gains.”
The Spectre FX Simulator is part of the industry-leading Spectre Simulation Platform, which offers the only complete simulation solution encompassing multiple solvers to allow a designer to move easily and seamlessly between circuit-, block- and system-level simulation and verification tasks. The Spectre Simulation Platform supports Cadence's Intelligent System Design™ strategy enabling SoC design excellence.
Suggested Items
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: My Role as a Technology Solutions Director
05/02/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOPeter Tranitz, senior director of technology solutions at IPC, shares insights into his role as the design initiative lead. He details his advocacy work, industry support, and the responsibilities of the design initiative committee. The conversation also covers the revamping of standards, the IPC Design Competition, and the implementation of design rules in software tools.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Ventec Discusses New Pro-bond Family of Advanced Products
05/01/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOChris Hanson, Ventec's Global Head of IMS Technology, outlines the launch of four pro-bond formulas that deliver an outstanding combination of low dissipation factor (Df) with a dielectric constant (Dk) range to maximize the design window for critical PCB parameters. As Chris points out, Pro-bond is designed for low-loss, high-speed applications, while thermal-bond dissipates heat from a component through the board to a heat sink.
IPC's Vision for Empowering PCB Design Engineers
04/30/2024 | Robert Erickson, IPCAs architects of innovation, printed circuit board designers are tasked with translating increasingly complex concepts into tangible designs that power our modern world. IPC provides the necessary community, standards framework, and education to prepare these pioneers as they explore the boundaries of what’s possible, equipping engineers with the knowledge, skills, and resources required to thrive in an increasingly dynamic field.
On the Line With… Talks With Cadence Expert on SI/PI for PCB Designers
05/02/2024 | I-Connect007In “PCB 3.0: A New Design Methodology—SI/PI for PCB Designers,” subject matter expert Brad Griffin, Cadence Design Systems, discusses how an intelligent system design methodology can move some signal and power integrity decision-making into the physical design space, offering real-time feedback.
iNEMI Packaging Tech Topic Series: Role of EDA in Advanced Semiconductor Packaging
04/26/2024 | iNEMIAdvanced semiconductor packaging with heterogenous integration has made on-package integration of multiple chips a crucial part of finding alternatives to transistor scaling. Historically, EDA tools for front-end and back-end design have evolved separately; however, design complexity and the increased number of die-to-die or die-to-substrate interconnections has led to the need for EDA tools that can support integration of overall design planning, implementation, and system analysis in a single cockpit.