Sagantec - Physical Design Migration and Reuse

Automatic process migration enables a dramatic shortcut in design implementation in a new process technology. Instead of re-starting the implementation from an early and more abstract design representation, and going through the entire implementation process again, designers can use an already existing and proven physical implementation in the current process technology and migrate it to the new target technology.

In essence: migration takes an existing layout and uses that data and topology to legalize all polygons in the new technology rules, while optimally compacting them to the new features sizes offered by the target process technology.

Migration can be performed on libraries, hard IP blocks, memories, IC blocks/sections and complete hierarchical designs.

A final and verified physical design is not just a piece of data that is ready for manufacturing, it is also the final product of significant design effort that has gone through many layout trade-offs and decisions overcoming a multitude of design challenges. This final layout captures a complete design closure solution. Since migration reuses and maintains the existing layout topology as much as possible, it shortcuts the need for that huge re-design closure effort, and reduces the risk significantly.

Physical Design Migration

	Migration of all libraries and IP collateral enables semiconductor companies to have their SIP infrastructure ready for next technology well ahead of design starts
	Design migration cuts time to tape-out by more than 2x
	Design migration cuts design effort (cost) by 3-10x
	Migration is not only for final tape-out: Designers use migration very early before a design starts, and before new technology rules are final, creating a draft implementation of their designs in the target technology (e.g. 45nm). This provides them early on with invaluable information about the layout footprint, potential timing issues and SI issues they may need to address during the design
	Migration enables quick retargeting between fabs, for managing multiple sources and maintaining foundry independence

Physical Design Migration and Reuse Tools

The main tool for Physical Design Migration and Reuse is SiClone