UMC and Synopsys Collaborate to Speed 14-nm Custom Design

According to a recent announcement, Synopsys and United Microelectronics Corporation have been working together to enable Synopsys Custom Compiler and Laker custom design tools to be used with UMC’s 14-nanometer (nm) FinFET process. The enablement collaboration included creating and validating a UMC 14-nm industry-standard iPDK, they stated in the announcement. This iPDK is designed to enable full support of the Custom Compiler visually-assisted layout flow, including groundbreaking features that reduce the time it takes for users to layout and connect FinFET devices. The Custom Compiler integrates with Synopsys circuit simulation, physical verification and digital implementation tools to provide UMC 14-nm process users with a complete custom design solution.

“We have a long history of working with Synopsys to provide iPDKs for our customers,” said T.H. Lin, director, IP Development and Design Support division, UMC. “This new 14-nanometer iPDK enables layout designers, including our own internal team, to use Synopsys' custom design tools for FinFET layout productivity. We are pleased to offer this resource to help customers streamline their design-in process on our volume-production 14-nanometer technology.”

“FinFET process technology is becoming very popular with our customers, but FinFET layout can be a challenge,” said Bijan Kiani, VP, product marketing, Synopsys. “We collaborated with UMC to enable Custom Compiler for their 14-nanometer process, so UMC customers can use Custom Compiler's visually-assisted layout to improve FinFET layout productivity.”

The 14-nm and other process iPDKs for Synopsys Laker and Custom Compiler design tools are available today on request from UMC.

Collaborations and partnerships like this one that result in new technology and incremental improvements in existing solutions, such as are on display in this case, are the lynchpin for the next year in the IoT. We need to find these practical “next steps” in the development process, and the best way to find them is to work outside the usual circles. Which means partnerships.