Mentor, ST collaborate on 28nm at Crolles
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Mentor Graphics and STMicroelectronics have announced a partnership to develop advanced design solutions for 32nm devices and, potentially, down to 20nm. The three year project, called DeCADE, will explore a range of topics beyond SoC design, including system level approaches, design methodologies, place and route strategies, optical correction for advanced manufacturing, modelling, electrical characterisation and parasitic extraction. Focusing on cmos and derivative technologies, DeCADE also address rf and wireless technologies, as well as 3d packaging and chip stacking technologies.
Greg Hinckley, pictured, Mentor Graphics' president, noted: "ST is an excellent partner with whom to explore and develop the design methodologies that the market will need over the next decade."
Philippe Magarshack, ST's general manager of Central CAD and Design Solutions, added: "This joint effort further reinforces the Crolles cooperative R&D cluster, which already gathers partners that develop and enable low power SoCs and value added application specific technologies and is a great example of a project developed within the framework of the Nano2012 program."
One of the deliverables from the collaboration will be a 28nm demonstration chip. However, ST is already involved in 28nm process development as part of the IBM Alliance and will be taping out a 28nm chip later this year. "We plan to import this process into Crolles by 2011," Magarshack explained, "and to have a chip fabbed in Crolles by 2012. ST has decided to go to volume with 28nm in house and the 28nm chip will demonstrate that capability."
Hinckley noted: "ST will get a set of validated solutions for 28nm design and beyond, while Mentor will get unprecedented opportunities to assess design techniques with direct access to silicon."
