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process design kit (PDK) for free

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Junus2012

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Hello Friends


I am establishing a Micrelectronic Lab in my university, this lab is concerned with the analyses and design of Integrated Circuits, for this purpose I have already ordered to buy Mentorgraphic tools.

I only need now the process deign kit (PDK). in one of my post in similar topic, you advised me to have a connection with one of MPW companies. Here I would say, what about if I am interested in a certain technology like XFAB which do not deal with one of these MPW. Do you have an idea about how much it cost? or may be they provide it for free to universities.

Kindly if you know any kind of foundry that could provide me their PDK, then just help me

I would appreciate any help

Thank you in advance
Regards
 

I have never had to pay for PDKs from foundries. You will need to sign an NDA though.

Keith
 
Dear Keith

nice to hear from you again, but I cant see you any more on skype :)

Today I have contacted XFAB, exactly they told me that I need to sign the NDA later but they didnt give me such details about it, please what mean by NDA and what are their conditions to support people for free ???

Thanx a lot
 

NDA is a "Non Disclosure Agreement". The fabs are protective of their process data so you will be undertaking to not disclose it to other people or companies. I have used XFAB for many years and their support is very good. Once you have signed the NDA they will give you access to the process data and PDKS online to download. They provide all this because if they didn't, no one would be able to design with their process. If they charged for the information then you would just use another fab that didn't.

I am not on skype.

Keith
 
Hi Junus,
can you share how much did you pay for that mentorgraphic tools?
if you or anyone else know, I would like to know also how much do universities usually pay for softwares like hspice, cadence tools (virtuoso, spectre, etc), analog fast simulators, etc.

Any method to get these for free/cheap? Think like microsoft giving their softwares for university students for negligible cost.

Thanks
 

Hi,

If you are in Europe, you may contact Europractice (**broken link removed**), which can distribute special licences for teaching and for fundamental research.
I'm pretty sure that similar service exist worldwide. In my lab, we use cmp (cmp.imag.fr), mosis (US) and europractice services very often.
Regards,
RG
 
Thank you very much Keith,

I am waiting to have the NDA from XFAB


please only tell me, is it compulsory to fabricate my design when I use their technology, I have no plan for fabrication, only for design to make research papers


keith1200rs said:
NDA is a "Non Disclosure Agreement". The fabs are protective of their process data so you will be undertaking to not disclose it to other people or companies. I have used XFAB for many years and their support is very good. Once you have signed the NDA they will give you access to the process data and PDKS online to download. They provide all this because if they didn't, no one would be able to design with their process. If they charged for the information then you would just use another fab that didn't.

I am not on skype.

Keith
Click to expand...

- - - Updated - - -

Dear alifalif

Mentor graphic has a special program for supporting universities all over the worlds, they provide the universities with supported price tools, this program is called Higher education program (HEP). You need to apply to this program then mentor will approve you under their conditions, in general you have to be faculty staff member, you give your plan, its exactly like applying to university. more details about the price and the condition please see follow this link which contain all the information you need...... please be free ask me if you need

http://www.mentor.com/company/higher_ed/


alifalif said:
Hi Junus,
can you share how much did you pay for that mentorgraphic tools?
if you or anyone else know, I would like to know also how much do universities usually pay for softwares like hspice, cadence tools (virtuoso, spectre, etc), analog fast simulators, etc.

Any method to get these for free/cheap? Think like microsoft giving their softwares for university students for negligible cost.

Thanks
Click to expand...
 

There is no compulsion to actually make the design. I often make experimental simulations of design ideas with the models from fabs to try to explain to customers what can be achieved. Many don't make it to actually being made.

Keith
 
If you are a student/staff member at university or working for any company you can use this free PDK 45 nm technology for free
you have only to send them registration using your formal mail (not yahoo msn or things like that ) and then when you will be verified
you can download their PDKs but you must knnow that this is NOT industrial ...can be used for students very well and also may work for researches
but i think you can use it untill you get an industrial one ..also a library for 3D available

https://www.eda.ncsu.edu/wiki/FreePDK45:Contents
 
Last edited:
Dear Keith

Dear All

After a long time in contact with XFAB, finally I got their final decision:

The are sorry that they can not provide me with their PDK models, they only provide it for business customer in mass production as they told me.... at this time I am deeply disappointed about their reply, i didn't expect that specially when you confirmed me that I can get for free

I am looking for your discussion about this topic
Best Regards
 

Have you tried Europractice as suggested earlier? They are specifically aimed at academic and research? I guess I haven't had problems with Xfab because I am a commercial customer, even though I don't actually buy the silicon direct from Xfab. While you won't get Xfab on Europractice, I think some of the AMS processes are pretty much identical.

Keith
 

That's interesting about X-Fab. A year or two back, I was
to get a PDK out of them for some consulting I was doing
for a tiny little company who never ended up buying any
wafers.

Maybe you need to try a little harder and lie a little more.
Pretend you're in Marketing.
 
Thank you for your reply

I have provide them with official documents about our university and they refused to deal with us, now you wanna me send them some thing fake....... those are German :)


dick_freebird said:
That's interesting about X-Fab. A year or two back, I was
to get a PDK out of them for some consulting I was doing
for a tiny little company who never ended up buying any
wafers.

Maybe you need to try a little harder and lie a little more.
Pretend you're in Marketing.
Click to expand...
 

Five or six year ago, XFAB agree to give us the PDK for a research project (which neither conclude to wafer order !).
I agree that you should perhaps not lie, but have "very optimistic" wafer order prevision !
Some colleagues are still using XFAB, I'll ask them how they proceed.
 

Hi Junus2012,

There is a company called SILANNA www.silanna.com in Australia and they are semiconductor with FAB and using SOS process.
You might want to check it out.

fixrouter
 
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