Synopsys boosts designer productivity with Liberty NCX Characterization Solution

Synopsys unveiled its new Liberty NCX next-generation library characterization solution for 65-nanometer (nm) and below process technologies. Liberty NCX is architected around Composite Current Source (CCS) models, the technology proven to deliver comprehensive characterization, performance and accuracy for advanced designs. Liberty NCX comprises an optimized model characterization engine with a suite of library quality checkers and compaction and model translation functions that significantly boost designer productivity by providing the fastest path to high-quality production libraries.

"Synopsys' Liberty modeling technology has enjoyed widespread adoption for over 15 years because of continued innovation," said Ahsan Bootehsaz, vice president of Research and Development, Synopsys Implementation Group. "With the advent of current-source models, simply defining a good library format no longer assures industry-wide adoption. Current-source models require a complete library delivery system that encompasses efficient model generation, verification and compaction. The new Liberty NCX solution efficiently generates and validates CCS-based libraries to significantly boost designers' productivity and enable semiconductor companies to reap the full benefits of sub-65-nanometer process geometries."

Current-source models increase accuracy by using current waveforms instead of delay and slew values in the library. Proper segmentation and verification of current waveforms are crucial to current-source model fidelity. Previous-generation library characterization engines were designed for delay and slew measurements and lacked the infrastructure to support efficient current waveform segmentation and verification.

Specially architected for current-source models, the Liberty NCX solution is a complete library delivery system specially featuring an optimized, single-pass CCS library generation flow that performs simultaneous characterization and model accuracy verification. Liberty NCX also includes a suite of library quality assurance, compaction, merging, scaling and model translation tools. These tools provide exceptional flexibility in delivering verified libraries at scaled voltage or temperature corners for tool flows from multiple EDA vendors. Liberty NCX supports all the latest open-source Liberty modeling innovations approved by the Liberty Technical Advisory Board (TAB) in December 2006, including base-curve compaction technology.

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