austriamicrosystems releases new version of Mixed-Signal/RF Process Design Kit checklist

austriamicrosystems` business unit Full Service Foundry announced today the release of its updated process design kit (PDK) checklists for foundry customers. This checklist documents the contents of a process design kit and therefore allows benchmarking of PDKs provided by different suppliers.

The new checklist version 2.0 launched by FSA’s Mixed-Signal/RF Foundry Subcommittee and the PDK Working Group on July 18th, is available for the actual austriamicrosystems’ PDKs (HIT-Kit versions 3.70 and 3.71). One of the most important changes in the PDK Checklist version 2.0 is its inclusion of FSA’s Mixed-Signal/RF SPICE Model Checklist, which was released in August 2005. This allows designers to understand how their design will correlate with silicon.

A PDK is a set of data files that enable analog circuit designers to efficiently design a semiconductor chip for high-yield manufacturing using a set of EDA tools and a selected foundry process. The checklist is available free-of-charge on FSA’s web site. To download the PDK Checklist version 2.0 along with the accompanying Checklist Users Guide, visit www.fsa.org/committees/msrf/deliverables.asp. The completed checklists for austriamicrosystems' HIT-Kits v3.70 and V3.71 can be found at asic.austriamicrosystems.com/hitkit/hk370/

“FSA is very pleased with the adoption of our Mixed-Signal/RF PDK Checklist in the industry. A number of our members, like austriamicrosystems, have incorporated the Checklist into their standard workflows and are actively using this effective tool with their customers. This was our hope and intention from the outset, so we are glad to see the Checklist taking root in the industry,” stated Lisa Tafoya, Vice President of global research at FSA.

"Two years ago, austriamicrosystems was one of the first foundries that released the PDK Checklists provided by FSA’s Mixed-Signal/RF Foundry Subcommittee and the PDK Working Group," stated Thomas Riener, Marketing Director of austriamicrosystems business unit Full Service Foundry." The updated FSA PDK Checklist is a further extension and improvement for designers since the Checklist allows a quick comparison between different releases of our HIT-Kit. It also provides an easy mechanism for foundry customers to benchmark and realise the superior quality and comprehensive offering of our HIT-Kit against PDKs from other foundries. This is another important step in our mission to provide extraordinary customer service and support foundry customers creating first-time right designs."

Original text is here