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Product Briefing Outline: Pyxis Technology has introduced NexusRoute, the only DFM-aware, yield-driven auto router, according to the company. The software comprehends and optimizes manufacturability and yield concurrently with the actual routing and timing closure process. Architected for process technologies of 65nm and below, it is claimed to reduce design closure and manufacturing cycle time and increase chip yield by as much as 10 percent.

Problem: As silicon process technologies progress from 90nm to 65nm and below, design engineers are faced with longer runtimes, more timing closure issues, and more iterations, both pre- and post-tape-out, to handle the increasing effects of design-based yield limiters. Design-based yield limiters result in lower chip performance, higher manufacturing costs, and lower overall chip yield. Because these limiters are chip layout-specific, they cannot simply be removed by product engineers working in a fab, but must be “designed out” from the very beginning of the design process.

Solution: At 45nm, existing routing architectures can no longer handle the complex interactions between design and process. NexusRoute can be easily integrated into existing design flows using open industry standard interfaces, according to the company.
NexusRoute is architected to speed design closure by providing more predictability up front while achieving better chip performance and yield. The router employs a correct-by-construction approach where yield is optimized in the context of the design timing closure process. Key benefits claimed for NexusRoute include scaling with the newer technologies (providing up to 4X gains in design and manufacturing closure time), handling the complex design rules of nanometer technologies, while simultaneously optimizing design for timing, manufacturability and yield, delivering up to a 10 percent increase in yield over existing solutions.

Applications: 65nm-and-below IC designs.

Platform: NexusYield Design-based Yield Service is used for improvements in predicted yield for sub-100nm design. NexusDFM Design Rule Assessment Service measures the effectiveness and impact of various DFM process rules on routability, timing, and yield quality of results. NexusLib Library Assessment Service optimizes standard cell libraries for better routability and DFM quality of results.

Availability: September 2007 onwards.