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Other CAD Tools >> Physical Verification, Extraction and Analysis >> Best LVS tool for small, full custom blocks?
https://designers-guide.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1156917356

Message started by SplinterCell on Aug 29^th, 2006, 10:55pm

Title: Best LVS tool for small, full custom blocks?
Post by SplinterCell on Aug 29^th, 2006, 10:55pm

Hi,

Which among the two are best suited for performing LVS on small, full custom blocks (standard cells, I/O cells, small analog blocks...)? and Why?

a. Cadence Assura
b. Mentor Calibre

If anybody has used one/both of these tools, please share their experiences..

Thanks!

Title: Re: Best LVS tool for small, full custom blocks?
Post by jbdavid on Aug 30^th, 2006, 11:40pm

One of my best Layout guys says Calibre is Easier for his debug purpose..
From MY point of view, Assura is easier to get working on a Parasitic Resimulation
flow.. and has the VAVO tool set for the ElectroMigration/ IR drop analysis flow..

Cost of the tools makes a difference too..
Run times are significantly different too.
jbd

Title: Re: Best LVS tool for small, full custom blocks?
Post by SplinterCell on Aug 30^th, 2006, 11:55pm

Hi jbd,

Yes, the difference is pricing is too significant to ignore.. Assura is much cheaper than Calibre.
The standard cell based full chip designers are mostly unanimous is their support to Calibre, but I see many analog / custom block / cell designers sticking to Assura..
Is this because:
a) Anyway the custom layout boys are dependent on the cadence environment for design/simulation/layout etc and hence probably they have better integration/support for Assura.
b) The comparatively smaller analog/cell designs do not need the level of sophistication that Calibre offers at a much higher price

By the way, do you have any opinion about Assura's ability/inability w.r.t handling the complex rules associated with 65/45nm processes?

Thanks a lot for your answers,

S/C

Title: Re: Best LVS tool for small, full custom blocks?
Post by jbdavid on Sep 2^nd, 2006, 12:24am

No, I have no idea, (but is that why cadence brought out the PVS tool now?)
and I hope that I can focus on FUNCTIONAL Verification, rather than physical, that I hope
someone else can tell me which tools I can use, at that time!

jbd