The Allegro PCB Editor Basic Techniques course provides all the essential training required to start working with Allegro® PCB Editor. The course covers all the design tasks, including padstack and symbol creation, logic import, constraints setup...(read more)

Dear All,

To design an outphasing combiner, I need to extract the input impedances when the circuit is driven by two sources concurrently with a varying phase-shift and plot them on a Smith Chart. However, I can't find a way to display the simulated S-parameters on a Smith Chart.

The testbench, shown below, consists of two sources set to 50 Ohm with variable phase (PORT0: theta, PORT1: -theta) swept from -90° to 90°. The NPORTs are couplers used to isolate the forward and reflected power at each source, i.e. the S-parameters are:

• S13 = S31 = 1; through path
• S21 = S41 = 1; forward and reflected power
• All other are zero

The testbench is simulated with an "hb" analysis instead of "sp", as the two sources have to be excited simultaneously with varying phase-shift to see their load-modulation effect. The sweep is setup in the "Choosing Analysis" window. The powers of the forward (pXa) and reflected (pXb) waves are found through the "Direct Plot" window, e.g. pvr('hb "/p1a" 0 50.0 '(1)) as the power for p1a, and named P1A_Watt. The S-parameters are then calculated as the reflected power w.r.t. the forward power P1B_Watt/P1A_Watt. This approach is based on a Hot S-parameter testbench from ADS.

At this point I would like to display these S-parameters on a Smith Chart. However, this seemed more challenging than expected. One straightforward method would seem to create an empty Smith Chart window in the Display Window and dragging the S-parameters from the rectangular plot on it, but this just deletes them from the Display Window. Hence my question:

How can I display these S-parameters on a Smith Chart?

Dear all,

Hi!

I'm trying to do a Harmonic Balance (HB) Large-Signal S-Parameter (LSSP) simulation to figure out the input impedance of a nonlinear circuit.

Through this simulation, what I want to know is the large-signal S11 only (not S12, S21 and S22).

So, I have simulated with only single port (PORT0) at input, but LSSP simulation is terminated and output log shows following text.

" Analysis `hb' was terminated prematurely due to an error "

The LSSP simulation does not proceed without second port.

Should I use floating second port (which is not necessary for my circuit) to succeed the LSSP simulation?

Does the LSSP simulation really need two ports?

Below figure is my HB LSSP simulation setup.

Additionally, Periodic S-Parameter (PSP) simulation using HB is succeeded with only single port.

What is the difference between PSP and LSSP simulations?

Hi,

My Virtuoso and Spectre Version: ICADVM20.1-64b.NYISR30.2

I have an expression where the EvalType is "sweeps". Here is the expression (I also attached the snapshot):

(peakToPeak(leafValue(swapSweep(delay(?wf1 clip((VT("/clk0") - VT("/clk180")) (VAR("mt_stop") - (4.0 / VAR("datarate"))) VAR("mt_stop")) ?value1 0 ?edge1 "rising" ?nth1 1 ?td1 0 ?tol1 nil ?wf2 clip((VT("/tx_padp") - VT("/tx_padn")) (VAR("mt_stop") - (4.0 / VAR("datarate"))) VAR("mt_stop")) ?value2 0 ?edge2 "rising" ?nth2 1 ?tol2 nil ?td2 nil ?stop nil ?multiple nil) "VDD_FIXED_NOISE") "VREGLN_cmode" 0.85 "VREGDRV_novn" 0.4 "datarate" 1.658e+10) ?overall t) / 10.0)

What this expression does is that it compares the delay between the output data with respect to a reference clock. I then get this information for two conditions (VDD_FIXED_NOISE = 0 or 10mV) to get the effect of the supply-induced jitter. In the expression, I need to give the value of each parameter in different modes to distinguish them from each other. Now I want to sweep the base supply values and see the supply variation effects. For example, I want to change VREGLN_cmode from 0.85 to 0.81 and see how my supply-induced jitter changes. For that, the hard way is to copy the expression and change that value accordingly (e.g. "VREGLN_cmode" 0.81). I'm looking for an easier way to use a variable in the expression. Something like VAR("VREGLN_Sweep"). But I see it doesn't work in my expression and it gives an eVal error. I tested this before in other expressions (not sweep type) and it always worked. I have only one test and these variables are all Design Variables and not Global variables.
I want to know what mistake am I doing here and is there a way to make this work. Sorry that if I could not explain better my inquiry. Thank you.

Hi *,

I am simulating a 32kHz high Q crystal oscillator with a pulse shaping circuit. I set up a PSS analysis using the Shooting Newton engine. I set a beat frequency of 32k and used the crystal output and ground as reference nodes. After the initial transient the amplitude growth was already pretty much settled such that the shooting iterations could continue the job.

My problem is: In 5...10% of my PVT runs the simulator detects a frequency divider in the initial transient simulation. The output log says:

Frequency divided by 3 at node <xxx>

The Estimated oscillating frequency from Tstab Tran is = 11.0193 kHz .

However, the mentioned node is only part of the control logic and is always constant (but it has some ripples and glitches which are all less than 30uV). These glitches spoil my fundamental frequency (11kHz instead of 32kHz). Sometimes the simulator detects a frequency division by 2 or 3 and the mentioned node <xxx> is different depending on PVT - but the node is always a genuine high or low signal inside my control logic.

How can I tell the simulator that there is no frequency divider and it should only observe the given node pair in the PSS analysis setup to estimate the fundamental frequency? I have tried the following workarounds but none of them worked reliably:

- extended/reduced the initial transient simulation time

- decreased accuracy

- preset override with Euler integration method for the initial transient to damp glitches

- tried different initial conditions

- specified various oscillator nodes in the analysis setup form

By the way, I am using Spectre X (version 21.1.0.389.ISR8) with CX accuracy.

Thanks for your support and best regards

Stephan

I get multiple results at the same frequency in a 3-tone simulation.

I try to determine the IP3 of a mixer. I have 3 large signal tones: 0.75 GHz, 1.25 GHz and 1.26 GHz.

At the IM3 frequency of 490 MHz I observe 4 results, see also the screenshot of the table output. The frequencies are exactly the same (even when I subtract 490 MHz by using xval() ).

Which of the values do I have to use to determine the correct IP3?

Is there an option to merge these results?

Hello everybody,

As you can find in the attached image, I am trying to simulate a Colpitts oscillator. However, using pss analysis it shows a high output power. 

My question is where is the problem of my structure or simulation setup?

Best,

Hello everyone,

I am trying to perform a load pull simulation of a transistor to verify some gain calculations I made using its S-parameters. Specifically, I have calculated the optimal conjugate impedances for the input and output to later calculate the power dissipated and transmitted in each stage of the transistor. Then, I only varied the output impedance and recalculated these powers, noticing that the power delivered to the load is lower.

Now, what I want to do is simulate this behavior using the Load Pull simulation. I have taken the model shown in the image, but I believe it is a linear model. My question is: if the chosen model is linear, is the load pull simulation accurate? In the calculations I made, nonlinearities are not considered. I don’t want to take nonlinearities into account.

In short, do you have any ideas on how to verify the calculations made with the transistor’s S-parameters through a load pull simulation?

Can you recommend any transistor model that is nonlinear and also has an S-parameter file?

Thank you very much in advance.

Hello everyone,

For my cross-coupled oscillator design, I have a problem with stability analysis. Based on my achieved results which are attached, where is my design problem?

Best,

https://ibb.co/bgKFP4N

https://ibb.co/3FGRLmV

https://ibb.co/pwSZDSF

Hi everyone,

I'm currently working on my thesis, which involves a beamformer system using CMOS 65nm technology. I'm trying to use the EMX tool for EM simulation but have encountered a few problems. Before diving into my questions about EMX, let me briefly explain how I conduct EM simulations with other software (ADS).

In ADS, I use the EM simulator with the Momentum microwave engine. However, my EM layout is quite large, and the mesh generated is extremely detailed, making it difficult to simulate the entire system. As a workaround, I divide the system into smaller parts and simulate each one individually. I've attached a snapshot of my setup, which includes an amplifier and a 1-to-2 Wilkinson power divider. I've separated these circuits and placed pins to facilitate EM simulations for each. I also placed ground pins at the boundaries of each circuit to connect them to the ground plane.

Here’s the link to the image (I'm unable to upload it due to an error): https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Qn4-DvMBj_K1JQLXrTWaWZ8uaLJr15u/view?usp=sharing

Now, moving on to EMX (version 6.3). For a maximum frequency of 31 GHz, I set the edge mesh = thickness = 0.4 µm (approximately the skin depth). However, when I simulate the circuit (amplifier + divider), the mesh on the ground plane becomes very dense, which makes running the simulation impossible due to excessive memory requirements. I reverted to my ADS approach and divided the circuit into two parts, placing ports to connect them. Unfortunately, EMX doesn't allow me to place multiple edge ports on the same edge for the ground plane, which has left me confused. Here are a couple of questions I have:

1. Is breaking the circuit into smaller parts a valid approach? Given the large ground plane, the mesh size for the ground is significant, making simulations challenging. Are there any methods to manage this issue?

2. Regarding the ground pins, why can't I place multiple edge ports to connect the ground planes of both circuits as I did in ADS? If this approach is incorrect, could you suggest alternative methods for simulating individual circuits and connecting them to estimate system performance?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help!

Hi I noticed that some figures from the old posts in the cadence blogs have been missing.

I think this problem happened before and Andrew Beckett asked the original author to fix the issue:

 Figures missing in the RF Design Blogs article of "Measuring Fmax for MOS Transistors" 

Some of these posts are quite valuable, and would be nice to have access to the figures, which are a very important part of some posts,

Thanks

Leandro

Hello Everybody

Recently, I want to design a high output Power Amplifier at 2.4GHz using TSMC 1P6M CMOS Bulk Process. I use its nmos_rf_25_6t transistor model to determine the approximate mosfet size

I use the most common Common-Source Differential Amplifier topology with neutralizing capacitor to improve its stability and power gain performance

Because I want to output large power, the size of mosfet is very large, the gate width is about 2mm, when I perform harmonic balance analysis, everything is alright, the OP1dB is about 28dBm (0.63Watt)

But When I perform Transient simulation, the magnitude of voltage and current waveform at the saturation point is too small, for voltgae, Vpeaking is about 50mV, for current, Ipeaking is about 5mA

I assume some reasons: the bsim4 model is not complete/ the virtuoso version is wrong (My virtuoso version is IC6.1.7-64b.500.21)/the spectre version is wrong (spectre version is 15.1.0 32bit)/the MMSIM version is wrong/Transient Simulation setting is wrong (the algorithm is select gear2only, but when I select other, like: trap, the results have no difference), the maxstep I set 5ps, minstep I set 2ps to improve simulation speed, I think this step is much smaller than the fundamental period (1/2.4e9≈416ps)

I have no idea how to solve this problem, please help me! Thank you very very much!

Sample clues

18 across: Makoto Hagiwara and David Jung both claim to have invented it (7,6)

1 down: French impressionist who rejected that term (5)

3 down: Artificial surface used for playing hockey (9)

7 down: The sequel to Iliad (7)

12 down: Adipose tissue (4,3)

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Sample clues

6 across: Franchise revived by Frank Miller (6)

13 across: What Keanu Reeves and Zayed Khan have in common (5)

18 across: What Frank Sinatra and George Clooney have in common (6,6)

19 across: Dosa mix, for example (6)

2 down: Green, in a non-environmental way (7)

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Sample clues

5 down: Torso covering (6)

7 down: Government by rogues (12)

15 across: eBay speciality (7)

18 across: Demonic (8)

20 across: Common language (6,6)

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Sample clues

17 across: Beckham speciality (4,4)

4 down: Havana speciality (5)

19 across: Infamous 1988 commercial against Michael Dukakis (9,4)

11 down: Precisely (2,3,3)

13 down: City infamously ransacked by the Japanese in 1937 (7)

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Sample clues

11 across: Chandigarh’s is 0172 (3,4)

21 across: He’s a loser, baby (4)

1 down: Garment meant to shape the torso (6)

12 down: It’s slogan: “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit” (8)

18 down: Noise made by badminton players? (6)

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Sample clues

5 across: The US president’s bird (3,5,3)

11 down: Group once known as the Quarrymen (7)

10 across: Cavalry sword (5)

19 across: Masonic ritual (5,6)

1 down: Pioneer of Ostpolitik (6)

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Sample clues

14 across: FDR’s baby (3,4)

1 down: A glitch in the Matrix? (4,2)

4 down: Slanted character (6)

5 down: New Year’s venue in New York (5,6)

16 down: Atmosphere of melancholy (5)

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Sample clues

6 across: Alejandro González Iñárritu’s breakthrough film (6,6)

19 across: Soft leather shoe (8)

7 down: Randroids, for example (12)

12 down: First American World Chess Champion (7)

17 down: Circle of influence (5)

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Sample clues

5 across: Robbie Robertson song about Richard Manuel (6,5)

2 down: F5 on a keyboard (7)

10 across: Lionel Richie hit (5)

3 down: ALTAIR, for example (5)

16 down: The problem with Florida 2000 (5)

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Sample clues

9 across: Van Morrison classic from Moondance (7)

6 down: Order beginning with ‘A’ (12)

6 across: Fatal weakness (8,4)

19 across: Rolling Stones classic (12)

4 down: Massacre tool (8)

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Read through this blog to know more about the new Reliability Report view in Virtuoso ADE Assembler and Virtuoso ADE Explorer.(read more)

I have been involved in the Virtuoso RF Solution for the last four years. Most of the customers I work with have a SiP package already in progress. They often ask "How do I get my SiP design into Virtuoso RF Solution?" I am excited about new functionality in the latest ICADVM20.1 ISR25 release. It is a new GUI under the Tools menu called Enablement. (read more)

This blog introduces you to an efficient way to debug interface elements or connect modules in a mixed-signal simulation.(read more)

Read this blog for an overview to the Circuit physical verification and parasitic extraction design stage in the Custom IC Design methodology and the key design steps which can help you achieve this.(read more)

This blog describes how to efficiently use Virtuoso Visualization and Analysis XL.(read more)

In my last blog, Getting Your Existing SiP File Into Virtuoso RF, I talked about the new enhancements in ICADVM20.1 ISR25 for Virtuoso RF Solution. At the end of the blog, I told you about the Fully Assisted Roundtrip flow, which includes importing SiP files that are compatible with the Virtuoso RF Solution assisted import flow into the Virtuoso platform. Let's examine how the Fully Assisted Roundtrip flow works in this blog.(read more)

Concurrent Layout Editing enables more than one designer to work in a hierarchy at the same time. Check out this blog to know more. (read more)

This blog introduces the new Voltus-XFi Custom Power Integrity Solution, a transistor-level EM-IR tool that enables designers to complete comprehensive analysis and debugging easily and quickly.(read more)

Which Analysis is Being Performed by Allegro in this Image?

A. Impedance

B. Coupling

C. Crosstalk

D. Return Path

E. Reflection

Simply answer by letter or include any reason to support your answer...

Hi

I have fixed a SPACING RULE (SP1) for a CLASS_DIFF_PAIR whereas for via associated to the net (DP_VIA), the DISTANCE > 60mils respect to ANY other vias (PTH, BB, TEST vias)

Now my problem is that this rules should NOT be applied for GND VIAS (STICHING VIA) which must be placed at a distance < 40mils respect to DP_VIA

How to create an exemption to the SPACING RULE (SP1)?

Dear Community,

I have created a PCB layout with multiple high-speed nets, I want to check the SI like how signals are reflected and taken to each other.

I have the OrCAD X Professional, how to check the reflection and crosstalk using the OrCAD X Professional software version 24.1.

I want to create a topology flow to the PCB layout and perform the reflection and crosstalk.

Regards,

Rohit Rohan

Hai Community,

I have a PCB board which has multiple high speed nets and I want to perform the EMI and EMC checking.

Which Cadence tool should I use for checking the EMI and EMC coupling?

Regards,

Rohit Rohan

Dear Community,

In OrCAD X Profession, the workspace feature enables the users to store the libraries (Schematic Symbol, Footprint and PSpice Models) and Designs (Schematic and PCB layout) in the cloud workspace.

But storing these libraries and design are stored in servers in the USA, Europe, Asia and Japan Servers.

I don't want to store my designs in any of these servers instead I want to create the workspace in my local PC and store all my libraries and designs in the local workspace.

Is this possible, if possible then can anyone provide the steps/procedure or videos of how to do it?

Regards,

Rohit Rohan

Dear Community,

I have created a PCB board and let's say I have found some parts of the PCB board where there are impedance issues, then how to resolve that impedance issue using the OrCAD X Professional.

Regards,

Rohit Rohan

Hai Community,

What are the differences between the Cadence OrCAD / Allegro 24.1 with the Altium Designer 24.

Can I get the grid matrix difference between these two tools?

Regards,

Rohit Rohan

Optimizing PCB thermal performance is essential in today’s high-density designs, as it ensures stability, prolongs component life, and prevents potential thermal issues. One of the first steps to achieving this is with strategic component placement. Positioning high-power components—such as regulators, power transistors, or processors—away from heat-sensitive parts can prevent thermal interference, and placing them near the edges of the PCB often helps dissipate heat more effectively. It’s also beneficial to group components by their heat generation, creating dedicated thermal zones that can manage localized heating and reduce impact on other areas of the board.

Using thermal vias is another effective technique. By placing thermal vias under components like BGAs or power ICs, heat can be transferred from the surface to internal layers or ground planes. Increasing the size and number of these vias, or using thicker plating, enhances heat conductivity and helps manage heat more evenly across layers in multilayer boards. Increasing copper thickness on the PCB also has a major impact. Opting for thicker copper layers (e.g., 2 oz or even 3 oz copper) significantly boosts the heat dissipation capabilities of power planes and traces, especially in high-current areas. Large copper planes, such as dedicated ground or power planes, are equally effective in spreading heat efficiently. Adding thermal pads directly beneath heat-generating components improves this heat distribution.

Thermal relief pads help regulate heat flow for through-hole components by controlling heat transfer, which reduces thermal stress during soldering and prevents excessive heat spread to nearby sensitive areas. Performing thermal analysis with software tools like Celsius can be invaluable, as it allows you to simulate and model heat distribution, spot potential thermal issues, and refine your design before finalizing it.

Using heat sinks and thermal pads provides a direct way to draw heat from high-power components. Heat sinks can be attached with thermal adhesives, screws, or clamps, while thermal interface materials (TIMs), such as thermal pads or conductive adhesives, further reduce thermal resistance, enhancing heat-transfer efficiency. Optimizing the PCB layer stackup is also a key factor. Dedicated ground and power layers improve heat conduction across the PCB, enabling heat transfer between layers, particularly in high-density and multilayer PCBs.

In designs with high power requirements, active cooling options like fans, blowers, or heat pipes can be essential, helping to direct airflow across the PCB and further improving heat dissipation. Adding ventilation slots around hot zones and considering passive cooling paths enhance natural airflow, making the design more thermally efficient. By combining several of these techniques, you can create a PCB that handles heat effectively, resulting in a robust, long-lasting, and reliable product.

Let us know if you’ve had any challenges with thermal management in your designs—I’d be glad to discuss further!

Socionext, a leader in SoC design, recently made significant strides in enhancing its design efficiency for a complex billion-gate project. Faced with the initial challenges of lengthy eight-day iterations and a protracted two-month timing signoff process, the objective was to reduce the iteration cycle to just three days. By integrating Cadence's cutting-edge solutions—Certus Closure Solution, Tempus Timing Solution, and Quantus Extraction Solution—Socionext achieved remarkable improvements.

Notably, the Tempus DSTA tool dramatically cut timing closure time by 73%, outperforming conventional single-machine STA methods. This achievement, combined with the synergistic use of Cadence's Certus Closure and Tempus Timing solutions, allowed Socionext to meet their ambitious three-day iteration target and double productivity. Additionally, integrating these solutions significantly decreased both human and machine resource needs, slashing memory and disk costs by up to 90% and halving engineering resources during the optimization and signoff phases.

For more on this collaboration, check out the "Designed with Cadence" success story video on Cadence's website and YouTube channel.

Also, don't miss the on-demand webinar "Fast, Accurate STA for Large-Scale Design Challenges," which provides a deeper dive into Socionext's breakthroughs and the innovative solutions that powered their success.

The blog discusses Voltus InsightAI RAK that is designed to give you an accelerated start on the execution of Voltus InsightAI flow.(read more)

The world of electronics design thrives on efficient tools that bridge the gap between concept and silicon. Virtuoso Digital Implementation is a powerful ally for mixed-signal designs, which integrate both analog and digital components. This blog post will examine Virtuoso Digital Implementation's capabilities and explore how it can streamline your mixed-signal design workflow.

Virtuoso Digital Implementation in a Nutshell

Virtuoso Digital Implementation is a license package within the Cadence Virtuoso Design Platform. It offers a streamlined RTL-to-GDSII flow to implement smaller digital blocks within a mixed-signal design environment. Here's what makes Virtuoso Digital Implementation stand out:

• Focus on Small Digital Blocks: Optimized for digital blocks with an instance count of up to 50,000 (expandable to 150,000 with specific configurations), Virtuoso Digital Implementation is ideal for integrating digital logic into your analog-centric design.
• Leveraging Industry Leaders: Virtuoso Digital Implementation utilizes cut-down versions of the renowned Cadence Genus Synthesis Solution and Innovus Implementation System under the hood. This ensures you get access to proven technologies for logic optimization and place-and-route.
• Seamless Integration with the Virtuoso Environment: Virtuoso Digital Implementation's key advantage is its tight integration with the Virtuoso Layout Suite. You can launch the synthesis and place-and-route tools directly from the Virtuoso environment, eliminating the need to switch between platforms.

Benefits of Using Virtuoso Digital Implementation

 By incorporating Virtuoso Digital Implementation into your mixed-signal design flow, you can get several benefits:

• Simplified Workflow: Virtuoso Digital Implementation offers a centralized environment for both digital block implementation and layout editing within the Virtuoso environment. This reduces context switching and streamlines the design process.
• Faster Time-to-Market: Virtuoso Digital Implementation's streamlined workflow can significantly reduce design turnaround times, allowing you to get your product to market quicker.
• Improved Design Quality: Leveraging industry-leading synthesis and place-and-route engines from Cadence ensures high-quality digital block implementation within your mixed-signal design.

Who Should Consider Virtuoso Digital Implementation?

 Virtuoso Digital Implementation is a valuable tool for anyone working on mixed-signal designs with smaller digital blocks. It's particularly well-suited for:

• Analog IC designers who need to integrate digital logic into their designs.
• Circuit design teams working on mixed-signal applications like data converters, power management ICs, and RF transceivers.

Virtuoso Digital Implementation provides a compelling solution for designers working on mixed-signal projects. Its streamlined workflow, tight integration with the Virtuoso design platform, and access to proven digital design tools can significantly improve design efficiency and time-to-market. Virtuoso Digital Implementation is worth considering if you're looking to optimize your mixed-signal design flow.

I am here to help and guide you on how to learn more about Virtuoso Digital Implementation flow.

Welcome to Virtuoso Digital Implementation, an online course recently released. This course teaches implementing digital blocks using Cadence tools based on the Virtuoso Digital Implementation flow. Also, you can download a lab database after the lecture and get hands-on experience in each stage.

Want to Enroll in this Course?

We organize this Virtuoso Digital Implementation training for you as a "Blended" or "Live" training. Please reach out to Cadence Training for further information.

Register for the Online Training with the following steps:

• Log on to cadence.com with your registered Cadence ID and password.
• Select Learning from the menu > Online Courses.
• Search for Virtuoso Digital Implementation using the search bar.
• Select the course and click Enroll.

And don't forget to obtain your Digital Badge after completing the training!

Related Resources

Online Courses

• Cadence RTL-to-GDSII Flow v6.0
• Virtuoso Digital Implementation Training

Training Byte Videos

• How Do You Run Placement Optimization in the Innovus Implementation System?
• How to Run the Synthesis Without DFT?
• How to Run the Synthesis Flow with DFT?
• Creating Power Rings, Power Stripes, and Power Rails in the Innovus Implementation System
• How to Run Power Analysis and Analyze the Results in Innovus?

Happy Learning!

Training Bytes are not just short technical videos; they are particularly designed to provide comprehensive support in understanding and learning various concepts and methodologies.

These comprehensive yet small Training Bytes can be created to show various concepts and processes in a shorter pane of five to ten minutes, for example, running DFT synthesis, scanning insertion, inserting advanced testability features, test point insertion, debugging DFT violations, etc.

In this blog, we will show you the DFT Synthesis Flow with Cadence's Genus Synthesis Solution using small Training Bytes available on the Cadence Learning and Support Portal. To explore these training bytes more, log on to support.cadence.com and select the learning section to choose the training videos, as shown below.

DFT Synthesis Flow with Genus Synthesis Solution

First, we will understand the Synthesis Flow with DFT in the Genus Synthesis Solution:

Understanding a Script File that Used to Run the Synthesis Flow With DFT

Here, we will show you "How to run the Test Synthesis Flow to Insert Scan Chains and Improve the Testability of a Design" in the Genus Synthesis Solution:

Running Test Synthesis Flow to Insert Scan Chains And Improve the Testability of a Design in the Genus Synthesis Solution

Let's check the flops marked with the dft_mapped attribute for scan mapping in Genus Synthesis Solution:

How to Check Flops Marked With dft_mapped Attribute For Scan Mapping in Genus Synthesis Solution?

How to Find Non-Scan Flops of a Design in Genus? (Video)

Once the flops are mapped to scan flip flops and the scan chain inserted, we will see how to handle the flops marked with the dft_dont_scan attribute for scan mapping in Genus Synthesis Solution.

How to Handle the Flops Marked With the dft_dont_scan Attribute For Scan Mapping in Genus Synthesis Solution?

Here, we will see how to fix DFT Violations using the command fix_dft_violations:

Fixing DFT Violations (Video)

Once the design has been synthesized, let's explore the DFT design hierarchy in Genus Stylus CUI:

Exploring DFT Design Hierarchy in Genus Stylus CUI (Video)

Understand why sequential elements are not mapped to a scan flop:

Why Are Sequential Elements Not Mapped to a Scan Flop?

Explore hierarchical scan synthesis in Genus Stylus Common UI:

Understanding Hierarchical Scan Synthesis in Genus Stylus Common UI. (Video)

To understand how to resolve different warnings and errors (for example, DFT-415, DFT-512, DFT-304, etc.) in Genus Synthesis Solution, here are some videos you can refer to:

How to Resolve Warning: DFT-415 (Video)

How to Resolve Error: DFT-407 (Video)

How to Resolve Error: DFT-404 (Video)

DFT-510 Warning During Mapping (Video)

How to Resolve Warning: DFT-512 (Video)

How to Resolve Warning: DFT-511 (Video)

How to Resolve Warning: DFT-304 (Video)

How to Resolve Warning: DFT-302 (Video)

How to Resolve Error: DFT-515 (Video)

How to Resolve Error: DFT-500 (Video)

Here, we will see how we can generate SDC constraints for DFT constructs for many scan insertion techniques, such as FULLSCAN, OPCG, Boundary Scan, PMBIST, XOR Compression, SmartScan Compression, LBIST, and IEEE 1500:

How to Generate SDC Constraints for DFT Constructs in Genus Synthesis Solution? (Video)

Explore advanced testability features that can be inserted in Genus Synthesis Solution, such as Boundary Scan, Programmable Memory built-in Self-Test Logic (PMBIST), Compression Logic, Masking, and On-Product Clock Generation Logic (OPCG):

Advanced Testability Features (Video)

To understand What the IEEE 1500 Wrapper and its Insertion Flow in Genus Synthesis Solution, follow the bytes:

What Is IEEE 1500 Wrapper? (Video)

IEEE 1500 Wrapper Insertion Flow in Genus Synthesis Solution (Video)

Understand the On-product Clock Generation (OPCG) insertion flow in Genus Synthesis Solution Stylus CUI with this byte:

Understanding On Product Clock Generator (OPCG) Insertion in Genus Stylus CUI (Video)

To debug DFT violations, you can use DFT Analyzer from Genus GUI and explore its features here:

Debugging Using GUI: DFT Analyzer (Video)

Exploring DFT Analyzer View of Genus Synthesis Solution GUI (Video)

To understand What is Shadow Logic, How to Insert Test Points, How to do Testability Analysis Using LBIST, and How to Deterministic Fault Analysis in Genus, follow this article:

What is Shadow Logic

To insert the Boundary Scan Logic in and control Boundary Optimization in Genus Synthesis Solution, refer to these small bytes:

How to Insert Boundary Scan Logic in Genus? Video)

Controlling Boundary Optimization in Genus Synthesis Solution Stylus CUI (Video)

Compression techniques are used during scan insertion to reduce the test data volume and test application time (TAT) while retaining the test coverage. To understand what compression and the compression techniques are, watch this article:

What is Compression Technique During Scan Insertion? (Video)

Interested to know what "Unified Compression" is? To get the concept, you can watch this small demo:

What Is Unified Compression? (Video)

To Explore More, Register for Online Training

• Log on to Cadence.com with your registered Cadence ID and password.
• Select Learning from the menu > Online Courses.
• Search for "Test Synthesis with Genus Stylus Common UI" using the search bar.
• Select the course and click "Enroll."

In this training webinar, we explore the concepts of RTL design, design verification, and coverage analysis while unveiling the exciting world of front-end design flow. We will guide you through the essential steps in creating integrated circuits, the building blocks of modern electronics.

We’ll break down the process into manageable stages, from defining the chip’s functionality to its physical realization. We’ll investigate the front-end part of the RTL-to-GDSII flow—from specification to functional verification and design coverage—and explore:

• Key concepts of specifying chip behavior and performance
• How to translate ideas into a digital blueprint and transform that into a design
• How to ensure your design is free of errors

This webinar provides practical knowledge, making it your gateway to understanding the magic behind RTL-to-GDSII front-end design flow.

When Is the Webinar?

Date and Time

Wednesday, September 18, 2024
07:00 PDT San Jose / 10:00 EDT New York / 15:00 BST London / 16:00 CEST Munich / 17:00 IDT Jerusalem / 19:30 IST Bangalore / 22:00 CST Beijing 

REGISTER

To register for this webinar, sign in with your Cadence Support account (email ID and password) to log in to the Learning and Support System.

Then select Enroll to register for the session. Once registered, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing all login details.

If you don’t have a Cadence Support account, go to Cadence User Registration and complete the requested information. Or visit Registration Help.

For inquiries or issues with registration, reach out to eur_training@cadence.com.

For inquiries or issues with registration, reach out to eur_training@cadence.com.

To view our complete training offerings, visit the Cadence Training website.

Want to share this and other great Cadence learning opportunities with someone else? Tell them to subscribe.

Want to Learn More?

This link gives you more information about the related training course and a link to enroll:

Cadence RTL-to-GDSII Flow Training

The course includes slides with audio and downloadable laboratory exercises designed to emphasize the topics covered in the lecture. There is also a Digital Badge available for the training.

The online class is free for all Cadence customers with a Cadence Learning and Support Portal account. For instructor-led training sessions "Live" or "Blended" please contact Cadence Training.

Also, take this opportunity to register for the free Online Trainings related to this webinar topic.

Cadence RTL-to-GDSII Flow

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Verilog Language and Application

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The traditional methods of power analysis lag by various shortcomings and challenges:

• Getting an accurate measure of RTL power consumption during design exploration
• Getting consistent power through the design progress from RTL to P&R.
• System-level verification tools are disconnected from the implementation tools that translate RTL to gates and wires.

The Cadence Joules RTL Power Solution closes this gap by delivering time-based RTL power analysis with system-level runtimes, capacity, and high-quality estimates of gates and wires based on production implementation technology. The Cadence Joules RTL Power Solution is an RTL power analysis tool that provides a unified engine to compute gate netlist power and estimate RTL power. The Joules solution delivers 20X faster time-based RTL power analysis and can analyze multi-million instance designs overnight, with impressive accuracy within 15% of signoff power.

Moreover, it integrates seamlessly with numerous Cadence platforms, eliminating compatibility and correlation issues! In addition, the Joules RTL Power Solution GUI (Graphical User Interface) helps you analyze/debug the power estimation/results using several GUI capabilities.

Want to take a tour of this power estimation world? Gear up to attend the training class created just for you to dive deep into the entire flow and explore this exciting power estimation method/flow with hands-on labs in two days!

Training

In the Joules Power Calculator Training course, you will identify solutions and features for RTL power using Cadence Joules RTL Power Solution. You will set up and run the RTL power flow with Joules RTL Power Solution and identify Joules's Graphical User Interface (GUI) capabilities. The training also explores how you can estimate power using vectorless power, stimulus flow, RTL Stim to Gate flow, and replay flow, and also interfaces Joules with Cadence's Palladium Emulation Platform. You will estimate power at the chip level and understand how to navigate the design and data mining using Joules.

The training also covers power exploration features and how to analyze ideal power and ODC-driven sequential clock gating. You will identify low-activity registers at the clock gate. You will also identify techniques to analyze power, generate various reports, and analyze results through Joules GUI. The training covers multiple strategies to debug low stimulus annotation and how you can better correlate RTL power with signoff. You also identify Genus-Joules Integration. In addition, we ensure that your learning journey is smooth with hands-on labs covering various design scenarios.

Lab Videos

To start you on your exciting journey as an RTL power analysis expert, we have created a series of short channel lab videos on our Customer Support site: Lab Demo: Setting Up and Running Basic RTL Power Flow in Joules RTL Power Solution (Video). You can refer to each lab module's instructions in demo format. This will help accelerate your tool ramp-up and help you perform the lab steps more quickly if you are stuck. You might be a beginner in the RTL power analysis world, but we can help you sail through it smoothly.

What's Next?

Grab your badge after finishing the training and flaunt your expertise!

Related Training

• Genus Low-Power Synthesis Flow with IEEE 1801
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Conformal ECO Designer enables you to implement RTL engineering change orders (ECOs) for pre- and post-mask layout and offers early ECO prototyping capabilities for driving critical project decisions.

Conformal ECO compares two designs and generates a functional patch that implements the changes between the two designs.

One major criterion for determining patch quality is whether the patch can meet timing closure. To determine this, you typically need to run the time-consuming process of incremental synthesis and place-and-route. Instead, Conformal can analyze path logic depth changes before and after ECO patch generation. This provides a faster way to evaluate timing impact in patch generation stages.

After the patch is created and applied, it is passed to Genus to optimize the patch.

During patch optimization, you can choose to do many things like:

• Keeping constants in the patch
• Allowing tie cell inversion
• Specifying tie cell types
• Preserve DFF cells and cell types in the patch
• Preserve all cells and nets in the patch
• Preserve clock buffer cell in the patch
• Turn on/off sequential constant and sequential merge in patch optimization
• Allowing phase mapping for DFFs
• Map to spare cells
• Force fix DRC before timing

What's Next?

Join the Conformal ECO course to:

• Explore the many options and capabilities of Conformal ECO
• Use Conformal Engineering Change Order (ECO) for flat and hierarchical designs
• Generate a functional ECO patch, apply it to a design, optimize it, and map it to a specified technology
• Run a hierarchical design through ECO and run a comparison to prove the ECO is equivalent
• Run a postmask ECO using Conformal ECO GXL

Make sure you have experience with Conformal Equivalence Checker or completed the Conformal Equivalence Checking course before taking this course.

The online class is free for all Cadence customers with a Cadence Learning and Support Portal account. If you don’t have a Cadence Support account, go to Registration Help or Register Now and complete the requested information. For instructor-led training sessions "Live" or "Blended" please contact Cadence Training.

Please don't forget to obtain your Digital Badge after completing the training. Add your free digital badge to your email signature or any social media and networking platform to show your qualities and build trust, making you and your projects even more successful.

The Cadence Cerebrus Intelligent Chip Explorer is a revolutionary, machine learning-driven, automated approach to chip design flow optimization. Block engineers specify the design goals, and Cadence Cerebrus will intelligently optimize the Cadence digital full flow to meet the power, performance, and area (PPA) goals in a completely automated way. Use Cerebrus Apps to optimize some aspects of the design as well.

Running a full RTL to GDSII flow, Cadence Cerebrus has a lot of possibilities and combinations of different tool settings to explore.

Using the knowledge from previous runs, combined with on-the-fly analysis within the flow, Cadence Cerebrus can assess many settings combinations and fine-tune the flow accordingly in a very efficient manner.

As technology advances, projects become bigger and way more complex than before. The ability of a single engineer to run simultaneously a large number of blocks in a traditional way is limited. Cadence Cerebrus allows a single engineer to work more efficiently and implement more blocks, while maintaining the same or even better PPA, using compute power.

Being such a revolutionary tool, integrating Cerebrus into your existing flow is surprisingly simple as it can wrap around any existing flow scripts.

Please join me in this course, to learn about the features and basics of Cadence Cerebrus Intelligent Chip Explorer.

We’ll walk through the tool setting stage, explain what is a primitive and how it effects our run, talk about the cost function and the run goals.

We’ll understand the concept of scenarios, learn how to analyze the results of the different runs, and compare them.

In addition, we’ll talk about basic debug rules and methods to analyze failures.

Sounds Interesting?

Please join our “live” one-day Cadence Cerebrus Intelligent Chip Explorer Training @Cadence Feldkirchen planned for October 9th, 2024!

For more details and registration, please contact Training Germany.

If you would like to have an instructor-led training session in another region please contact your local training department.

Become Cadence Certified

Cadence Training Services offers a digital badge for this training course. This badge indicates proficiency in a certain technology or skill and gives you a way to validate your expertise to managers and potential employers. You can highlight your expertise by adding this digital badge to your email signature or any social media platform, such as Facebook or LinkedIn.

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This blog informs about the new badge certification available for Cadence Certus Closure Solution, that grants credit to your proficiency.(read more)

In this recent Training Webinar, we explore the concepts of RTL design, design verification, and coverage analysis while unveiling the exciting world of front-end design flow by guiding you through essential steps involved in creating integrated circuits—the building blocks of modern electronics.

We’ll break down the process into manageable stages, from defining the chip’s functionality to its physical realization. We’ll investigate the front-end part of the RTL-to-GDSII flow—from specification to functional verification and design coverage—and explore:

• Key concepts of specifying chip behavior and performance
• How to translate ideas into a digital blueprint and transform that into a design
• How to ensure your design is free of errors

Watch the Training Webinar recording from September 18, 2024: A Beginner’s Guide to RTL-to-GDSII Front-End Flow

Want to Learn More?

This link gives you more information about this RTL-to-GDSII Flow, the related training course, and a link to enroll:

Cadence RTL-to-GDSII Flow Training

The course includes slides with audio and downloadable laboratory exercises designed to emphasize the topics covered in the lecture. There is also a Digital Badge available for the training.

 Also, take this opportunity to register for the free Online Training related to this Webinar Topic.

Cadence RTL-to-GDSII Flow

Xcelium Simulator

Verilog Language and Application

Learning Maps

The online class is free for all Cadence customers with a Cadence Learning and Support Portal account. For instructor-led training sessions "Live" or "Blended" please contact Cadence Training.

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Singapore has retained its place at the top of fDi's Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future ranking, with Shanghai and Tokyo completing the top three list. 

Russia remains fDi’s most diversified commodity economy, while second ranked Brazil has displaced Ukraine into third place. Cathy Mullan reports.