Synopsys and Intel to enable 14-nm tri-gate design platform

USA: Synopsys Inc. and Intel Corp. announced broad SoC design enablement for Intel's 14-nm Tri-Gate process technology for use by customers of Intel Custom Foundry.

The Intel Custom Foundry 14-nm design platform supports Synopsys' industry-leading Galaxy Design Platform tools and RTL-to-GDSII methodology, high-performance DesignWare Memory Compiler intellectual property (IP), and advanced interface IP. Extending the companies' production-proven design enablement for Intel's 22-nm foundry process design platform, the design tools and IP are now ready for Intel's 14-nm foundry process technology.

Intel's Tri-Gate technology is a proprietary 3D transistor technology with the gate surrounding the channel on all three sides of the transistor. It provides designers with dramatic performance, power and area benefits for their products vs. previous generations of transistors. Intel's collaboration with Synopsys on 14-nm and 22-nm on the Intel Custom Foundry design platform allows designers to take advantage of Intel's Tri-Gate technologies for cloud infrastructure and mobile applications.

The comprehensive suite of Galaxy Design Platform tools enabling the Intel Custom Foundry design platform include: Design Compiler and IC Compiler synthesis, place and route, PrimeTime static timing, IC Validator physical verification, HSPICE and CustomSim circuit simulation, StarRC extraction and Galaxy Custom Designer layout.

The Galaxy Design Platform provides a holistic solution in tightly integrated tool chains, enabling a seamless flow. Intel and Synopsys collaborated closely in developing this enablement to ensure that the tools meet the challenging Tri-Gate requirements and model the complexities involved. This includes HSPICE supporting new device and statistical modeling; enhanced StarRC extraction modeling; and support for complex new routing rules, along with enhanced variation-aware post-route optimization, in IC Compiler for these advanced nodes.

Synopsys and Intel have worked together at 22-nm to deliver silicon-proven advanced IP, including DesignWare Memory Compilers and DDR3/2 PHYs, optimized for Intel's unique Tri-Gate process. These were the industry's first commercially available IP on Tri-Gate process technology. The most recent collaboration expands to Intel Custom Foundry's 14-nm Tri-Gate technology by providing tuned DesignWare Memory Compilers that offer very high performance while still keeping a low power profile.

"The combination of Intel's 14-nm Tri-Gate process technology and Synopsys tools, memory and interface IP enables designers to create industry-leading SoCs for their target markets," said Ali Farhang, VP, Design and Enablement Services, Intel Custom Foundry. "By building on our successful collaboration on Intel's 22-nm design platform, we have been able to seamlessly extend the solution to our 14-nm process technology."

"Early experience and proven success with Tri-Gate technology have allowed Synopsys to deliver tools and IP that enable designers to take full advantage of the capabilities of this advanced technology," said Antun Domic, executive VP, Design Group at Synopsys. "Intel Custom Foundry customers can now benefit from our collaboration with Intel to deliver comprehensive tool and IP design enablement at both 22-nm and 14-nm technologies."