UK Design Forum, 9 April 2002 Slide - 1 U.K. Design Forum Manchester, 9th April 2002 John Morris Microelectronics Support Centre Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

UK Design Forum, 9 April 2002 Slide - 1

U.K. Design ForumManchester, 9th April 2002

John Morris

Microelectronics Support Centre

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory


Talk Outline

Background

Role of the Microelectronics Support Centre (MSC)

Future

Conclusions


Background UK industry needs:

Microelectronic/electronic system designers Well trained Aware of up-to-date techniques and flows

Universities can deliver these designers through Advanced Training Courses … if

• Engineers exposed to these flows and techniques

Research Projects• Aimed at extending existing techniques

• Undertaken in knowledge of existing capabilities

Generally agree: acute shortage of such engineers


Rapid Technology Evolution

Many new design challenges● Increase in design complexity● Increase in clock frequencies/bandwidths● Increase in integration of hardware and software● Increase in component densities on sub-systems● Increase in pressure to complete designs quickly● IC process feature size decreasing quickly● Increase in die capacity● Increase in cost of respins● Designs must be correct first time● ...


Some Demands on Designers

Complexity Higher-level design, synthesis, re-use, “IP blocks”, ...

Hardware and software integration Completely new approaches, allowing flexible partitioning

Clock frequency Signal integrity, EMC, delay , power rail analyses,...

Component densities Sophisticated, built-in test structures, thermal analysis, ...

Small process feature size New device models, problems with “timing closure”, new

sorts of process layout rules, ...


Universities and Microelectronic Systems

Time

TechnologyIndustrially relevantUniversity following

technology curve

Less use to industry

University struggling to keep on technology curve

Help

Many universities now tell us that this evolution is hard to track


MSC Aims

MSC Aims for the U.K. Affordable access to industry-standard design flows

for universities Fast route to effective usage in universities

Platform for universities for Advanced training Research projects

Two strands in MSC Software procurement service Expert guidance centre


Procurement Service: Principles

Affordable prices based on

Non-commercial use

• Academic Training

• Publicly-funded research for open publication

Centralised support/ordering through MSC at RAL

Wide portfolio with few options

Maximum functionality from fewest vendors


Procurement Service: Aside

Some vendors allow limited industrial collaboration

Experienced university Inexperienced company on first, named design For designated period With vendor’s express permission On payment of supplement Must involve technology transfer Not for contract design


Procurement: Tools and Flows Wide spectrum of functionality

Address these leading-edge problems Front-line industrial vendors

Novel device-level research Modelling from physical device parameters Behavioural descriptions

System-level design and integration System C Hardware/software co-design IP blocks


Procurement: Tools and Flows

Implementation routes FPGA Sub-system (including high-speed PCB and MCM) Digital/Analog ASIC: down to 0.13um MST (MEMS and Microfluidics)


Design Flows - based on Leading Design Tool and IP Vendors


Devices: Technology CAD


Portfolio Example: MEMs and MicroFluidics


Devices: Simulation

Analogue, multi-domain, behavioural simulators Avant! SABER Cadence SPECTRE-HDL Mentor Graphics ELDO

Simulating novel devices Electronic MST(MEMS and MicroFluidic)


Inventra IPX Leonardo-Altera Blocks for

• Computing• Consumer• Communications

applications

Intellectual Property (IP) Blocks

Other IP for FPGAs Altera and Xilinx Core IP included in standard bundles Access to advanced IP - 10% of list


Embedded Processor Implementation

ARM

NIOS and ARM

MicroBlaze


System Level Integration


Cadence Physically Knowledgeable Synthesis


Usage Environment

In industry (at which tools are aimed) Dedicated CAD group to

• Select tools

• Resolve version compatibility issues

– Multi-vendor design flows

– Design kit

• Install tools

• Integrate and maintain flows

• Provide technical support for designers Big accounts also have

• Designated vendor AE(s) assigned for support


University usage

In most universities These resources not available Academic staff - too little time for this level of detail Decreasing level of dedicated EDA support staff

• Often only general system manager

Need for expert guidance centre


Role of the MSC at RAL

Provide expert centre for UK universities to Advise on capability of tools and best design practice Promote use of latest tools and techniques Advise on compatibility of tools from different

vendors Advise on compatibility with design kits for IC Address technical usage problems through

• e-mail, phone

• remote access, site visits Provide training for university users Enable technology transfer to local industry


Future

MSC is keen to extend the service to cover, for example Optoelectronics R.F. Design …

But … finding it increasingly difficult to secure

funding to proceed at an appropriate level


Conclusions

The MSC at RAL offers most comprehensive, coordinated design tool and flow service in the world for UK universities

Dual-role Affordable access to leading industry-standard tools

and flows Expert advice on selection and usage

Infrastructure for university training & research Empower universities to use industrially

relevant design flows quickly and effectively

Documents

UK Design Forum, 9 April 2002 Slide - 1 U.K. Design Forum Manchester, 9th April 2002 John Morris Microelectronics Support Centre Rutherford Appleton Laboratory