Synopsys unveils new validation solution – PrimeLib
Synopsys has introduced PrimeLib, a high-performance and comprehensive characterization and validation solution that produces signoff quality libraries targeted for system-on-chip (SoC) design at advanced process nodes.
The PrimeLib library characterization solution includes SmartScaling for multi-process, voltage and temperature (PVT), advanced machine learning (ML) and integrated validation technologies and is capable of delivering the highest level of validation for golden signoff quality libraries, with a 4X improvement in turnaround time.
“The demand for library characterization cycles continues to multiply with each advanced node, requiring more process corners and new modeling requirements for variation, aging and reliability, all within a shrinking time-to-market window,” said Philippe Moyer, vice president of Design Enablement, Physical Design Group at Arm. “Partnering with Synopsys, we have been able to meet these massive compute demands through a combination of Arm-based AWS Graviton 2 processors and Synopsys PrimeLib to provide a cost-effective, linear scaling solution which accelerates throughput for library characterization, reducing turnaround time from weeks to days.”
Designers and foundries depend on high-quality libraries as building blocks for SoC designs as they impact time to market and quality signoff libraries, for advanced process nodes, are often a critical bottleneck for designers, potentially delaying project schedules.
Library characterization tends to take months and with each advanced node, the challenges grow to include a 3X increase of PVT corners, variation modeling, reliability and aging effects. PrimeLib looks to provide superior scalability to existing solutions beyond 100,000 parallel jobs on the cloud or a compute cluster by delivering 10X faster turnaround time.
PrimeLib combines embedded Synopsys PrimeSim SPICE engine and signoff validation capabilities to produce PrimeTime golden signoff quality libraries.
Key innovations in PrimeLib include:
- Advanced ML algorithms and an adaptive flow generates accurate statistical variation models at ultra-low voltage corners 5X faster while reducing overall compute cost
- Innovative SmartScaling technology for multi-PVT characterization, built on top of Synopsys PrimeTime scaling engine enables instant library generation with minimum characterized corners
- Aging characterization and analysis generates reliability models required for AI and automotive applications
- Adaptive cloud scaling technology minimizes hardware costs, accelerates migration, improves access and reliability for any workload, enhancing overall business productivity