In-Design Signoff DRC: Not Just a Dream
By Srinivas Velivala – Mentor, A Siemens Business
Are you a custom or analog/mixed signal (AMS) designer? How often do you find yourself fixing one design rule checking (DRC) error, only to create another one?
Whack-a-mole is a fun game at the arcade, but not in design verification, especially when you don’t even know about any new errors until you’ve done a full GDSII stream-out and batch DRC run.
What if I told you there is a tool that can provide immediate signoff DRC feedback on a custom/AMS layout configuration? The Calibre® RealTime™ tool lets you access Calibre signoff DRC in the design flow, using full foundry-qualified Calibre rule decks and analysis engines. The tight interaction between Calibre RealTime and the design environment provides fast response times, because streaming large GDSII files is not required. Now you really can minimize design cycle time while creating improved layouts.
What else can you do?
Quickly run multiple iterations of layout geometries to understand how new and/or modified rules affect and control design layouts. This “on-the-job” learning not only supports faster understanding of the practical impact of rule changes, which can lead to better design optimization earlier in the design process, but it also helps create a more uniform level of knowledge across a design team.
Dealing with multi-patterning requirements? Calibre RealTime in-design DRC lets you evaluate each possible error fix quickly, so you can find the optimal fix and still meet delivery schedules. And, because the Calibre RealTime tool accesses full-featured Calibre analysis engines, you get the benefit of the patent-pending warning rings in the Calibre nmDRC™ engine to help you avoid propagating additional multi-patterning errors.
Those are just two of the many benefits of using Calibre RealTime in-design DRC. Want more? How about:
- Area optimization
- Block reviews
- Layout-dependent effects analysis
- Check customization
- Multiple rule deck management
- Full-chip debugging
Last, but not least, the Calibre RealTime tool provides designers with one tool and one interface, accessible as an integral part of the design cockpit, throughout the creation and verification flow. Whether you’re running in-design DRC or batch DRC, you have a single point of entry for viewing errors and implementing fixes.
