Submicron IC Tools

OptEM provides three separate software tools used for submicron integrated circuit (IC) device, interconnect and substrate extraction; IC package interconnect modeling; and general pre-layout interconnect design and parametric analysis.

Submicron IC software tools block diagram

OptEM Inspectoris a PC (Linux) and Sun workstation (UNIX) software tool used for layout-to-circuit device and interconnect RC extraction of deep submicron analog, digital and mixed-signal ICs. The software extracts from GDSII layout the device and interconnect RCs including substrate resistance, performs 2D or 3D electromagnetic analysis with conductor and dielectric losses included, and generates RC parasitics to provide circuit models in standard output formats including SPICE, HSPICE, VHDL and others.

OptEM Interconnect Designer(OptEM ID) is a Sun or HP workstation (UNIX) software tool. Primarily used for pre-layout interconnect modeling and parametric analysis, the software is also used to investigate interconnect signal integrity effects, perform what-if parametric simulations, analyze current density hot spots, and determine interconnect design rules. On output, the software generates RLCG parasitics to provide SPICE transmission line models, ASCII text reports, parametric and Monte Carlo plots for signal integrity, and current density plots to show the severity of skin and proximity effects.

OptEM Packageis a Sun or HP workstation (UNIX) software tool for post-layout RLCG extraction of IC package interconnects. The software accepts DXF or GDSII layout on input and performs a frequency dependent electromagnetic field analysis which includes skin effect, proximity effect and coupling through a common return path. Results produced by the software include time domain reflectometry (TDR); S-parameter output; text reports (ASCII) with transmission parameters, attenuation, characteristic impedance and additional data; and SPICE transmission line models that may be used in subsequent system modeling.