TSMC gives access to manufacturing data through unified DFM architecture

The leading foundry's unified design for manufacturing architecture includes a new DFM design kit that encapsulates an embedded DFM software engine with an interoperable API in addition to the process-related DFM data and models in order to bring an exact copy of TSMC's factory tool chain and process models into IC design tool chains, providing chip designers with deeper access into more of TSMC's manufacturing data.

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- Electronic News, 6/9/2008

Laying the groundwork for 32-nm process technologies, Hsinchu, Taiwan-based semiconductor foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) today launched what it says is the industry’s first unified design for manufacturing (UDFM) architecture that aims to improve yields, lowers design costs and accelerates time-to-market and time-to-volume.

UDFM is a unified, encapsulated design process to TSMC’s foundry data, developed with EDA vendors and other design infrastructure partners and is a key component of the company’s Open Innovation Platform – which is a platform for innovations, hosted by TSMC and open to TSMC customers and partners.

See also: Who will be left standing in DFM?

A key element of the Open Innovation Platform is a set of ecosystem interfaces and collaborative components initiated and supported by TSMC that is meant to foster innovation throughout the supply chain and allow the creation and sharing of newly created value.

TSMC said the UDFM architecture includes a new DFM design kit (DDK) that encapsulates an embedded DFM software engine with an interoperable API in addition to the process-related DFM data and models in order to bring an exact copy of TSMC's factory tool chain and process models into IC design tool chains, providing chip designers with deeper access into more of TSMC's manufacturing data than ever before.

The company explained that this "copy exact" method compensates for increasing manufacturing variances in advanced process technologies to improve design alignment between simulated hotspots and actual manufacturing hotspots, and delivers accuracy to the design ecosystem. UDFM also handles very large DFM dataset and design complexity, resulting in reduced design cycle time and faster time-to-market and volume, TSMC stressed.

TSMC said its UDFM DDK will be available in early Q3.